Becoming a better version of myself started with GRSP
By: Simone Engbo Hansen, Denmark, 2008/09
In all of my endeavors since my return home more than a decade ago, I’ve tried to implement the moral of the “starfish story” that all GRSPs are taught. In the starfish story, a girl discovers thousands of starfish on the beach that have been washed up during a storm. She starts throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one. Bystanders mock her by saying that she can’t possibly think she’ll make a difference with so many starfish stranded. But the girl is unfazed by their amusement. As she throws another starfish, she retorts: “Well, I made a difference for that one!”
My name is Simone Engbo Hansen (formerly Hjorth), I’m 31 years old and from Denmark. I had the privilege of being a GRSP student in 2008–2009 and was lucky enough to go to University of Georgia (go dawgs!) and to be sponsored by the Rotary clubs from Hartwell, Royston-Franklin Springs, Elberton, and Madison County. I currently live in the center of Copenhagen together with my husband — hence the name change — and our gorgeous little cat.
Back at UGA I studied a variety of different subjects; everything from ancient history and public speaking to math and psychology. Trying a small sample of virtually every scholarly discipline was my way of figuring out in which academic niche I belonged. Those who remember me from 2008–2009 know that I like talking. Just ask my dear host parents from Hartwell, Billy and Jean Kidd, along with my Royston-Franklin host parents, Frank and Robin Ginn — they know how talkative I am! Naturally, public speaking quickly became my favorite subject. In that class, we had heated debates, storytelling, improvised pro et contra arguments, and political discussions galore… It was like heaven for an enthusiastic chatter like me. In fact, I liked it so much that I went on to study rhetorics at the University of Copenhagen after my year as a GRSP student. Rhetorics is the art of effective and persuasive speaking and writing and thus a perfect continuation of my public speaking adventure. While I enjoyed most of my time at the University of Copenhagen, I never felt completely at home. That’s why I went back to the US in 2012 for a semester at Arizona State University — just to experience that college feeling again that I had loved so much at UGA. I finished my master’s degree in 2016.
Had it not been for GRSP, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to explore what I’m really good at. It opened up a world of possibilities for me. I had found something that I liked that could also be turned into a career — and it all started with that public speaking class at UGA and my host parents encouraging healthy discussions whenever I visited. My host parents always made me feel so proud of my achievements and growth, which gave me the courage to pursue it further.
Today, I work professionally with communication. I’m currently the Director of Content & Creative at a tech startup where I’m in charge of tone-of-voice, branding, copy, and all things content-related. I don’t think I would have applied for a job in an international environment where English is the preferred language, had it not been for my GRSP year. I even have a colleague from Georgia who went to UGA ten years before me!
So, what about the starfish story? Well, that — along with my college experience, the friends I made, and my wonderful host parents — made me want to be the best possible version of myself. I want to make a difference with who I am. Will I succeed always? No. But thanks to GRSP, I know I can try.
