By Hans Lee, a member of the Rotary Club of Berlin Platz der Republik, Berlin, Germany and co-founder of Rotex International
I watch time pass by with a mix of emotions in the world of Rotary Youth Exchange. Programs grow, traditions change, challenges are overcome and generations of students pack their whole life into a suitcase and move to a country where they do not know anyone.
Then — after experiencing transformations they can never fully explain to their friends and families — they leave that world that had adopted them. Somewhere on that journey back, a quiet truth emerges: exchange doesn’t end when you return home.
Why Rotex exists
Rotex alumni associations exist to help returning students continue on their journey. As we mark 10 years of Rotex International — and reflect on 50 years of Rotary Youth Exchange as an official RI program (as of 2025) — I’ve been thinking a lot about the alumni who built our history.
The roots stretch far back. Rotary clubs were organizing student exchanges as early as the 1920s. In 1975, Rotary Youth Exchange became an official RI program.
Those moments weren’t simply milestones; they are glimpses of how deep the roots of Rotary Youth Exchange run. By the time we held the first international Rotex gathering in Bordeaux in 2012, it was already clear alumni were no longer just participants who “graduated” from Youth Exchange. They are problem solvers, cultural ambassadors, and mentors who continue to move the organization forward as long as they stay connected to Rotary.
The recognition of Rotex International in 2019 as a Rotary alumni network acknowledged the reality that exchange alumni are globally-minded and driven to connect the Rotary world.
Yet every year, thousands of young leaders complete their Youth Exchange and drift away from Rotary. Not because they want to, but simply because the bridge back to Rotary isn’t always easy to find.
Rotex is that bridge
Across dozens of countries and Rotary districts, Rotex alumni associations support interviews, trainings, orientations, language camps, school visits, and crisis responses. They make countless contributions that help keep Youth Exchange running. As former students themselves, they have institutional memory. They bring a fresh perspective to decision-making in their local programs. They help students feel more connected, not just to the program, but to Rotary. Most importantly, as alumni they remain actively involved with Rotary.
Rotex gives returning students a place to land and a community that understands the disorienting, enlightening, and beautiful process of a year abroad as a teenager.
As we look to the next 50 years of Youth Exchange, the question isn’t whether alumni matter. It’s whether Rotary members are ready to treat them as the partners they are. As Rotary strives to grow and stay globally relevant, the path is right in front of us: invest in alumni. Engage them early. Invite them often. Trust them with real responsibility.
Rotex alumni associations are not just a short-term activity for students when they return. They are the door to Rotary’s future. Let’s keep that door open.
Rotex International supports Rotex alumni associations worldwide as they take on leadership roles, mentor current exchange students, and build an identity within the Rotary family. This year we are placing most of our efforts on outreach, with ambitious growth goals for our online community and an aim to connect on calls with over 100 districts on every continent that runs Rotary Youth Exchange. Know any districts that we should talk to? Let us know by emailing info@rotex.org.
https://blog.rotary.org/2026/02/10/50-years-of-rotary-youth-exchange-why-alumni-matter/