Coast Business Leaders Head to Study Exchange in Australia
Chris Vignes and Kait Sukiennik are leaving for the land down under Thursday as the only two south Mississippians selected to participate in Rotary District 6840’s study exchange program to Australia, a program for business professionals between ages 25 and 40 in the early stages of their career. Vignes says, "I’m ecstatic. This is something that’s really unique and something I’ll always be able to look back on."
They are two of five people participating in the four week program, completely paid for by Rotary, to learn about both the business and culture of Melbourne, Australia. Sukiennik says, "I really think it’ll expand my knowledge, not only within my vocation, but I think it’ll really expand it in just an experience as a whole, and I’ll just be able to come back with new, fresh, bright, ideas."
Vignes, Public Information Officer for the City of Gulfport, was nominated by the Gulfport Orange Grove Rotary Program. He’s excited about the chance for personal growth and to see what new ideas he can bring back to help grow the city. Vignes also says, "To go over there and see the host families and see how the different clubs operate and to find out more about different places and bring that back to here, back to Gulfport, will be a great experience."
Sukiennik, co-owner of the Greenhouse on Porter coffee shop in Ocean Springs, was nominated by the Ocean Springs Rotary Club and is excited to immerse herself in a new culture. She says, "Getting to stay with a host family instead of a hotel and getting to see what they like to do, they like to eat, places they like to go, and just kind of the way they live their life and how they do it."
Their entire team will fly out of New Orleans Thursday morning and won’t be back in the states until March 22nd. When the team comes back from Australia, they won’t be arriving alone. They’ll be coming with a Rotary team from Australia who will be doing the same exchange program on the Coast.
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