Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

Undergrad school / Major:  Wabash College / B.A degree in Psychology, in a program that included study abroad at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.

Grad school / Degree:  University of Amsterdam / MSc International Development Studies

Rotary Area of Focus: Community Economic Development

Host clubs:  Rotary Club Amsterdam-Nieuwendam and Rotary Club Amsterdam-Spinoza, District 1580

More info:  Christian grew up on the west side of Indianapolis and developed a passion for community economic development watching a renaissance happen when residents rose up to meet the needs of their community aided with support from a non-profit comprised of community leaders, business owners, and neighbors.

He wants to use the scholarship and master’s program to gain tools that can be used on a larger scale to foster community development similar to what he witnessed at home.

Following completion of the one-year graduate program, Christian intends to work for one of the non-profit organizations in the Netherlands focused on community self-empowerment.

Long-term, his goal is to lead a non-profit organization that solves local challenges using resources the community already possesses.  One tool he will create and sees as critical to success is a knowledge base of solutions and common barriers that can be leveraged at both a grassroots and global level.