Two Xavier students will pack their bags next year as they take advantage of the opportunity to study abroad through the Rotary Youth Exchange. During the 2017-2018 school year, Chloe Clemenson (X17) and Gabriella Schroud (X17) will take a gap year to get an education overseas. Clemenson will find her home in Italy, while Schroud will be heading south to Mexico. “I wanted to be part of this for many reasons,” Schroud said. “I want to become a global person, immerse myself into a new language and culture, challenge myself to get a new perspective on life, and get out of my comfort zone.” In order to qualify for the Rotary Youth Exchange, students must have taken at least two years of a foreign language and must fill out an extensive application. The application requires essays, recommendation letters, transcripts, interviews, doctor notes, and dentist notes. “The application process was very long, and it took a lot of time to put together,” Clemenson said. “It’s sounds really stressful, but I just took it little by little.” The Rotary Youth Exchange program began in 1929 and is now one of the largest study abroad programs in the United States. Around 8,000 students are able to participate in the program every year. Eleven students from northern Iowa, including Clemenson and Schroud, were accepted into this program for the following school year. Selected students are sponsored by a Rotary Club in their area to help with paperwork, tuition, and any concerns. Once that student goes abroad, a member of the Rotary Club in the foreign country will host that student for the year. Clemenson and Schroud follow in the footprints of two Xavier students who are currently studying abroad. Regan Shey (X16) is studying in Mazatlán, Mexico, while Megan Lenss (X17) is being hosted in Vigo, Spain. Clemenson and Schroud will take off for their respective countries between August and September of 2017 and will return in June of 2018.