Georgia Rotary Student Program Founder William A. Watt, Sr., established a relationship in Norway that is prospering more than 70 years later as evident in the three college students from Georgia who have been selected to spend six weeks this summer studying at the International Summer School at the University of Oslo. The opportunity is the result of a partnership with the university, Georgia Rotary Student Program and Rotarians in Oslo.

Isabel Forster will represent District 6900 and the Rotary Club of Buckhead with the endorsement of Rotarian Catherine Land-Waters. Vivian Elizabeth Cassaniti will represent District 6910 and the Rotary Club of Athens with the endorsement of Rotarian Jane Kidd. Joshua Dean Youmans will represent District 6920 and the Rotary Club of Downtown Statesboro with the endorsement of Rotarian Weikang “Ken” Wang. Learn a bit more about our District 6900 recipient ...

Isabel attends Oglethorpe University and is majoring in international studies, writing her honors thesis to examine ways Palestinians and Israelis might learn to see one another as neighbors. Proficient in Spanish, she teaches tennis to international students and partakes in humanitarian service as part of the Oglethorpe University A_LAB, Rotaract. OU History Professor Glenn Sharfman described as mature beyond her years and discerning in her conclusions.

“As a person, Izzy is always smiling, outgoing, and nurturing. She is just a lot of fun to be around,” Sharfman said. “More than once, she was able to help fellow students in my class in one way or another. She has a can-do attitude and wants to help bridge educational, economic, and social gaps between and among disparate groups.”

In Oslo, Forster aspires to understand how these different educational models exist within intercultural communication, economics, and Norwegian politics.

“I first landed on the Rotary and Rotaract clubs through an unconventional route,” she said. “And yet, I can see the intersection of my interdisciplinary interests: humanitarian service, teaching ESL, mentoring GRSP, Rotaract, and international students, researching comparative education, and much more. Spanning three years, I have enhanced these passions by studying near the multicultural cities of Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Philadelphia, and London. These experiences and my upbringing in the public, private, research, and independent school systems in three states and two countries have led to my interest in international education and the varying technological, financial, and political challenges facing school systems worldwide.”

The scholarship for the six-week summer program from June 24 to August 2 includes air fares from Atlanta to Oslo and the return trip to Atlanta, room, board, 12-credit hours of undergraduate course work, administrative fees at the university plus an outing with a Norwegian Rotary host. The recipients of the scholarship are responsible for personal spending money and transportation to hand from the airport.

In 1956, King Vakkon VII of Norway presented the brass St. Olaf medal for meritorious service to GRSP Founder Will Watt, who was also named Knight First Class of the Finnish Lion by the President of Finland in1960 in recognition for scholarships awarded to Norwegian and Finnish students along with dedication to the ideals of world peace through understanding.