Three scholarship recipients: (c)Emma Nilsson from Sweden, Vanessa Juliao from Colombia and Giovanna Rosa Perin from Brazil, all attending Brenau University.

By Helen Quinlan
 
DULUTH - Each year, for the last 62 years, the Georgia Rotary Student Program has provided an excellent opportunity for college-age students from around the world, to study for one year at a Georgia college. Georgia is the only state that offers this program and has granted 3,127 students this scholarship. This year is no different. The Lawrenceville, S. Hall, Buford and Duluth rotaries share sponsonship this year of Emma Nilsson, a student from Sweden. She attends Brenau University and is enjoying every minute. She, along with three other scholarship recipients, Vanessa Juliao from Colombia and Giovanna Rosa Perin from Brazil, have embraced the American culture. As Emma has pointed out “so far we have: tried sweet tea for the first time; attended our first Football game; had to much peanut butter; visited the GA Aquarium and the Coke Factory in downtown Atlanta; tried water skiing on lake Burton; attended the rowing team competition at our school; watched a baseball game in downtown; and, purchased tickets for NYC for New Year’s Eve”.
This year, Emma will have the support of a host family in Duluth and will be accepted as one of there own while living on campus. They will offer her a secure and safe place to come whenever she needs support, spend holidays and weekends with them. This family structure is so much a part of the Rotarian Student Program.
Beth Sikes, a trustee of the Snellville/Gwinnett Sunrise Rotary since 1996, along with her husband, Wayne, have been a host family for 8 students. Starting in 1981, Beth and Wayne, along with their three children, have welcomed and shared their home with young men and women from all around the world. They reunite with alumni and have shared Thanksgiving with a former student over the last 30 years. He comes to visit periodically and has returned the invitation to the Sikes’ son, who has stayed in their Brazilian home for six months. This year they are host family to a young man, Mads Ohlenschlager from Denmark. He attends the University of Georgia. “A delightful and wonderful experience - we have learned so much about his country and he about ours”.