Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) Executive Director Katheryne Fields and District 6910 Chair and Foundation Director Cheryl Huffman traveled to Scandinavia in early September to honor the 79-year partnership between GRSP and Norwegian Rotarians. At the invitation of District Governor Sean Armana, who also serves as GRSP Coordinator for Norway, the pair spoke at District 2260’s conference in Oslo while also visiting alumni and partner institutions in Denmark and Norway.

“Our time in Norway was marked by exceptional hospitality,” Fields said. “It was such an honor to share the GRSP story and celebrate our longstanding partnership. I returned energized and deeply grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Rotarians around the world. Meeting our alumni abroad and walking the campuses of our summer programs gave me valuable insight to bring back to our Georgia scholars.”

The tour began in Aarhus, Denmark, where area Rotarians hosted Fields and Huffman at Aarhus University, which was a new affiliation for two Georgia college students this summer. As guests of PDG Thomas Korsgaard, father of GRSP alumna Nana Rasmussen (Class of 2022-23), they presented to the Rotary Impact Group. Danish coordinator Birgitte Illum (Class of 1989-90) welcomed nearly a dozen alumni into her home for fellowship and Denmark’s famous open-face “shooting star” sandwiches. Alumni reflected on lifelong friendships with classmates and host families, emphasizing how GRSP continues to shape their lives. In Copenhagen, the group enjoyed a community dinner with alumni and explored the capital with former scholars as guides.

The program’s roots in Norway run deep. GRSP was founded in 1946 by Will Watt, with Norwegian student Paul Dietrichson among the first four scholars. In 1956, King Haakon VII awarded Watt the St. Olaf Citizen of Honor medal for his efforts to build goodwill. Since then, GRSP has welcomed 312 students from Norway and 322 from Denmark.

“Both cultures often describe themselves as not naturally social, yet we were met with remarkable warmth everywhere we went,” Huffman shared. “Regardless of whether our alumni had been home one year or thirty, their gratitude for GRSP was consistent. Many told us their careers were shaped by their time in Georgia.”

The final leg of the trip took them to Oslo, where highlights included a visit to Oslo University on its 214th anniversary, a meaningful tour of the Nobel Peace Center, and time exploring museums, canal rides, botanical and sculpture gardens, fjords, and consuming coffee along with shrimp sandwiches on fresh-baked bread. Speaking at the District 2260 Conference served as the capstone—an opportunity to celebrate GRSP’s history, encourage membership growth, and reaffirm the program’s mission of promoting peace through understanding.