MVP of Month | Meet Madeline Choate from the Rotaract Club of Georgia Highlands College
By Barbara Myers Myers Mason APR

“Just Ask” is a well-known strategy for introducing new members to Rotary, and that’s exactly what happened in the case of Madeline Choate, the inaugural president of the Rotaract Club of Georgia Highlands College.

Dr. Lance Barry, a Georgia Highlands College Foundation Trustee and a member of the Rotary Club of Bartow County, introduced the idea of Rotary to Choate. She was already familiar with the organization, as her grandfather, great-uncle, aunt, and family friends had all been dedicated Rotarians. 

“At that time, I was deeply engaged in my criminal justice studies, actively participating in various student organizations,” Choate recalled. “Both our college president, Dr. Mike Hobbs, and USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue emphasized the importance of equipping students for the workforce—a vision I recognized as highly beneficial for our college and community.” Encouraged by this, she began to consider the possibility of starting a Rotaract club.

“With the invaluable guidance and support of Dr. Barry and numerous other Rotarians, I undertook the foundational work to establish the Rotaract Club of Georgia Highlands College—the first of its kind at our institution and within our community—which was officially chartered in February 2024.”

Since then, the Rotaract Club of Georgia Highlands College has grown to 26 members and continues to expand, achieving outcomes that exceed her initial expectations.

“Our members have made significant strides in their professional and intellectual development while embodying strong ethical values,” she said. “Each meeting includes an educational component to address practical skills for the professional world. We further apply this knowledge by holding business mixers, offering members opportunities to engage with and learn from experienced professionals, as well as participate in service projects.”
 

Choate is pursuing degrees in pre-law at Georgia Highlands College and microbiology at the University of Georgia, which she describes as an “unconventional path” to achieving her career goal of attending the University of Georgia School of Law to become a drug prosecutor. “Drug prosecution is a field I am deeply passionate about, and I envision myself excelling in it,” she said. Currently, she is gaining practical experience through an internship at the Spalding County District Attorney’s Office under Marie Broder in Griffin.

In addition to her role as the inaugural president of the Rotaract Club, Choate is actively involved in various community roles. She serves as a student ambassador, manages social media for the college baseball and softball teams, and holds leadership positions as president of the Book Club and secretary of the Women of Georgia Highlands College. She is also an engaged member of the Psychology Club, the Youth Pathway Mentorship Program, and Run GHC. Beyond her academic commitments, she contributes locally through her participation in Canes’ Mentors.

Her service has not gone unnoticed. College President Dr. Mike Hobbs honored Choate with the Georgia Highlands College Leadership Award, recognizing her as a student who best demonstrates the qualities of a positive leader while maintaining high academic standards and showing exemplary leadership on campus and in community activities.

Georgia Highlands College, part of the University System of Georgia, has served Northwest Georgia since 1970 and now has nearly 5,000 students. The college offers locations in Rome, Cartersville, Dallas, Marietta, and provides online classes.