I know that Rotarians throughout the District miss having “GRSPs” in our Club meetings, at our socials, and engaged in our service projects. Here’s a picture of our most recent GRSP class (2019-2020) last summer at Georgia Southern University, just to remind us of these amazing young people!

However, Clubs and host families and Trustees are in communication with our alumni around the world on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Case in point: when I left of Club meeting today (week 2 of in-person meetings – with masks, sanitizer and social distancing) I walked out with our 2019-2020 GRSP host. Ian: “Have you spoken with Michaela recently?” Mac: “I texted her yesterday evening so we could talk, but realized it was 2 am in Sweden. So as soon as I get home I’m calling her.” Multiply this across the District… well you get the picture…. GRSP global friendships are alive and well.

A couple of weeks ago we welcomed DG Kirk Driskell to Columbus. I appreciated being able to spend some time with Kirk to update him on where we are in planning for the GRSP class of 2021-2022. Here are some of the key points we discussed:

1. GRSP plans to host a class of 2021-2022; but this is dependent on outside factors such as falling COVID rates globally, opening up of international borders and travel, ability to obtain visas, policies regarding international students by the US Department of Education and USG, etc.
2. State-wide 33 of the 45 students accepted for the class of 2020-2021 have told us they would still to come in 2021-2022, and most of the Clubs and host families want them to come.
3. New applications for 2021-2022 are now closed. We have received 65 new applications (more than I expected!). Clubs whose 2020-2021 students are among those who do not want to come next year PLUS Clubs that were no planning to host this year, but plan to host in 2021-2022 will be able to select from this pool of applicants.
4. Some Clubs in the District are also considering the “pilot program” method of selection that proved very successful in 2019-2020 in its pilot year in District 6900. It resulted in GRSP’s first ever student from Ethiopia plus more controlled costs for the host Club. Please contact your Trustee for information on how the pilot program works.
5. Rotarians continue to make contributions to the GRSP Foundation – thank you District 6900!