Published 12:19 pm Thursday, November 5, 2026 THOMASVILLE — The Rotary Club of Thomasville welcomed its 101st and 102nd Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) scholars to the club Thursday, as international students Sofie Petersen of Denmark and Karahan Akinci of Turkey shared stories about their home countries and experiences in the United States. Founded in 1946 by Will Watt Sr. of the Rotary Club of Thomasville, GRSP was established to promote world peace through cultural exchange and understanding. The program provides one-year scholarships to international college students, offering opportunities to experience American culture, develop leadership skills and build relationships that promote understanding and peace around the world. Petersen applied to the program after watching her older sister, Caroline, experience life abroad in Thomasville with her host family, Jill and Wilson Carraway. Now following in her sister’s footsteps, Petersen is also living with the Carraways and said she is excited to become part of the GRSP family. “My sister said that this is not just one year of your life, but it’s your whole life in one year, and after being here for a couple of months, I already understand what she meant by that,” Petersen said. Before joining GRSP, Petersen participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program in Mexico. “That was definitely a culture shock, but I fell in love with Rotary then and wanted to do it again,” she said. “I just really enjoyed everything Rotary…
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