Two by two, Georgia college students made their way to Denmark and Norway for the summer. Patrick Chichester and Alana Milner attended the University of Oslo in Norway while Hendley Jones and Claire Jerguson attended Aarhus University in Denmark for summer sessions as part of the partnership with Georgia Rotary Student Program, Norwegian Rotarians as well as District 1450 Rotarians in Denmark.
While GRSP primarily serves international college students who come to Georgia for one year of studies, the summer school programs allow Georgia students an opportunity to study abroad and experience a cultural exchange through the Oslo International Summer School program, which has been a longstanding affiliation for GRSP, and by attending Aarhus, which was an inaugural opportunity. The scholarship recipients completed an application for the summer semester abroad, were recommend by a Georgia Rotarian and were selected by a committee within GRSP leadership.
Each of the students stated making friends with one another as well as students from around the world was an added benefit to the experience. In addition to Denmark and Norway, their global friendships spanned from Australia, Ukraine, Scotland, Brazil, China, South Korea, Spain, Canada to California, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.
Chichester, a senior at the University of Georgia, spent five months in a study abroad in South Africa before his trip to Norway. He appreciated balance of lectures and excursions in his courses. He as well as the others enjoyed visiting area monuments, museums, mountains and more.
Milner, a recent graduate of Georgia Southern University, took a class in architecture, appreciating the opportunity to learn about to urban planning and then visualize it, along with the comprehensive planning of their public transportation system. She was impressed with the sustainability and green initiatives she witnessed throughout Norway.
Jones, a recent graduate of the University of Georgia, enjoyed the opportunity to view Denmark through the eyes of a local. He said they saw a lot more of the country than they would have visited without a host. He said he was surprised by the weather. Although he had been warned it could change from morning to evening, the transition from sun to rain with wind and back again was so striking and unexpected. He was intrigued by a tour of an over 55 adult community called Balance, a housing concept he hopes to see adopted in the United States.
Jerguson, a senior at Georgia Southern University, recognized the time spent with around the table with locals was beneficial for them to learn more about Danish cultures as well as the cuisine. She enjoyed the slow pace of the dinner meals which were filled with conversations that included sports, politics, academics as well as Rotary initiatives. She said they also tried Danish food that they likely would not have tried if they were not in the company of locals.
Local Rotarians described the students as great representatives of a younger generation of ambitious, future-oriented, focused, hard-working and kind people who will be great leaders and role models for their families, friends and future colleagues. The four scholarship students were thankful for the opportunity extended to them to study abroad and appreciated the time and financial support the local Rotarians extended on their behalf.
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