Georgia Rotary Student Program 2006-2007 Students

Superior students initiate blind draw for 2006-07

Trustees participate in blind draw for highly sought applicant for GRSP Scholarship. (Pictured, l-r: Jim Drake; Mike Emanuele, Dennis Still, GRSP Chair; Mike Hart. In the background is the draft board where the summary sheets of the students were posted.)

The GRSP Trustees met in Savannah January 28 to draft the students for the class of 2006-2007. Prior to the meeting, summaries of the qualified applicants were distributed to Rotary Clubs throughout Georgia. The clubs then made their preferences known to the Trustees who represented the clubs at the draft. Because more than one club requested some of the more highly qualified students, the Trustees negotiated who would ultimately sponsor the student. In the case where the Trustees were unable to resolve the issue as to which club would be able to sponsor the student, a blind draw is required. This year there was a blind draw.

The next step will be for the GRSP office to offer the scholarship to the selected applicants. When the applicant accepts the scholarship, the office then proceeds with the process of getting the student admitted to the school chosen by the sponsoring club. Only after the school admits the student and completes the paperwork for the student to apply for a visa at a United States Embassy in his or her home country, is the Club provided the final information on the student.

These students will be arriving in Georgia in mid to late August of this year. While the numbers are not final, the preliminary information shows that approximately 70 students were selected from 24 countries and will attend 28 different colleges and universities in Georgia. The early demographics show that the clubs chose 24 males and 46 females. This breaks down by Rotary Districts to 30 students for 6900, 24 for 6910, and 14 for 6920.