She's attending Duke University after only three years at Greencastle High School. She's played basketball, volleyball, tennis and now takes on ultimate frisbee. She's interested in everything from biology to economics to literary theory.

And even in the midst of her first-ever college exams at Duke two years ago, she traveled from North Carolina to Indianapolis for an interview to study abroad. That seized opportunity is now sending the 20-year-old Duke junior to Australia Feb. 1. A perfect fit for her adventurous spirit. Perhaps at no surprise -- she was born there.

Taren is heading back to her birthplace of Brisbane, Australia, with a large thanks to the Greencastle Rotary Club, who nominated her for a one-year Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.

Greencastle's Rotary is just one of many chapters of the club, which preaches understanding within communities and across the world. The scholarship allows students to spread that understanding. After hearing a speech Taren gave to Rotary about a science project during her sophomore year in high school, Greencastle Rotary member John Anderson said he knew then that the bright young woman would one day capture the scholarship.

"It was amazing when she talked to us," Anderson recalled. "She presented herself so well, and as a sophomore in high school that's not so easy to do. Rotary does this for international understanding and you want to have someone who represents you well. She can do that," Anderson said.

Out of dozens of applications sent in across Indiana, Taren became one of only two students this year to earn the privilege of the up to $25,000 international scholarship. Through 15 speeches in Australia and a load of classes at the University of Queensland, Taren will represent Indiana and the United States. When she comes back in December, she will give eight speeches to represent her Australian experience and then return to Duke to finish school. After graduate school, Taren said she hopes to gain more global exposure by working with the Peace Corps and then eventually go on to be a professor.

"I think it's very important for someone to learn from a culture other than their own," Taren said.

She plans to take Australian literature, history and cultural courses, and even an American history class so she can see the difference from an Australian perspective.

In every aspect, Taren is determined to get the Australian perspective. Instead of living alone in an apartment, she chose to live in one of the university's many residential colleges. Her new home will place her with 150 Aus-tralian women and open access to the college's own musical ensembles, sports teams, student government and dramatic productions.

But Taren knows that the university can only provide her with half of the journey. The other half will be her own exploration.

"I feel like my real education will be outside the classroom," she said.

Swimming with dolphins, learning to play cricket and hiking through the Australian outback are just a few of the activities she mentions with anticipation. All the while, Taren will be meeting, conversing with and learning from the Australians. And true to ideals of Rotary, she will return the favor by enlightening Australians about her U.S. life.

A generation ago, it was Taren's mother, Kelsey Kauffman, who traveled to Australia on a Rotary Schol-arship. Kauffman's past journey with Rotary calms some of her expected motherly nerves and she said she is excited for her daughter. However, some of Taren's classmates were not as confident about traveling abroad. After the Sept. 11 attacks, they canceled their planned international trips.

"My parents figured that Australia is safer than the United States in those respects," Taren said. Not letting the attacks affect her trip, Taren will also use the opportunity to include excursions to New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Taren's father, DePauw University professor Bruce Stinebrickner, said he's thrilled that his daughter is getting the chance to live in Australia, not just go for a visit.

"Australia is a great place to experience," he said, speaking about his own fond memories of living on the island continent. As Taren recounts the story: "My mother told my father she wanted to see the world, so without telling her, he applied to jobs around the world." The search resulted in a new job and life in Brisbane, Australia.

Taren's new life began there as well. But with just five of her earliest years in Australia, her memories are a little vague. For one year, the Rotary Scholarship will give Taren the good will chance to catch up.