Featured Speakers: Katheryne Fields – Executive Director, Georgia Rotary Student Program (GRSP) and Maria Juliana "MJ" de Vivero Cortes, our current GRSP student from Cartagena, ColombiaKatheryne Fields serves as the Executive Director for Georgia Rotary Student Program, a critical position that was identified by GRSP’s strategic plan. She previously served as the Marketing and Development Director and Program Director for GRSP. Katheryne brings more than 20 years of communications, management and nonprofit experience to her role.
GRSP was founded in 1946 by Will Watt (Thomasville) and Hue Thomas (Savannah, Thomas & Hutton) was the chair for 30 years. Students must be between 18 - 24 years old to apply.
Katheryne works closely with the GRSP Chair, officers, directors, trustees, staff, GRSP Foundation plus Georgia Rotary Clubs and GRSP student. Her role is to promote the cause of world peace through higher education by assisting students, speaking to clubs plus raising funds and awareness for the organization. Katheryne is a member and President for 23-24 for Daybreak Griffin Rotary Club in Griffin, where she and her husband Dale, an avid golfer, reside.
Maria Juliana "MJ" de
Vivero Cortes is from Cartagena, Colombia, and she has been attending Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus Savannah this year. At almost 19 years old, MJ shared her adventures and experiences throughout her time at Georgia Southern, her various travels and trips through GRSP, and her passions for her homeland of Colombia. She has participated in Model UN. Some of MJ's activities include softball, dancing, baking, and watching the sunsets.
Rotary has always been a part of MJ's life. Both of her parents are Rotarians and have been active for over 20 years. The club her father is a member of is one of the oldest in Colombia. Mother is an Occupational Therapist, her father is a Gastroenterologist, one brother is a lawyer, and the other one is an ophthalmologist. MJ wants to go to law school and she doesn't have to complete an undergraduate degree to go in Colombia.
Colombia is a beautiful country her city of Cartagena is full of tourists and has a relaxed atmosphere. What puts Colombia on the map are gold, emeralds, coffee, Encanto, carnivals, and art. She said Cartagena is the most beautiful of all cities in Colombia.
MJ has traveled extensively during her time in Georgia. She has gone to a UGA football game, a Clemson game, Columbus, Alpharetta/TopGolf. Her parents visited over Thanksgiving and loved Savannah! Winter break consisted of a trip to New York City, a Ghost Pirates game, and Disneyworld. She attended student leadership weekend in Dunwoody, Daytona 500, an oyster roast, and Pelham (where she rode on a tractor!). For spring break she went to 30A in Florida. She enjoyed her first St. Patrick's Day in Savannah!
MJ would like to thank Suzy Wallace from Metro for being her host. She is grateful to our club and the other area Rotary clubs who have sponsored her and it has been one of the best year's of her life.