After two years of dedication and hard work, the first cohort has completed the GVI Financial Fellows program, the Office of Management & Budget’s Director, Jenifer C. O’Neal, announced in a recent press release.
The program, which started in 2021, offered recent college graduates first-hand experience working within some of the governments’ most critical agencies. Sept. 29 marked the end of a two-year program, which has proven to be one of the Bryan-Roach Administration’s successful initiatives that enables the government to retain talent, foster a culture of leaders, and develop a strong economic future for the USVI, according to the press release.
The seven graduates spent the last two years working in the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Office of Management and Budget, the Finance Department, and the Office of Disaster Recovery alongside senior leaders and their support staff. Throughout their six-month rotations, they performed a range of assignments, obtained beneficial training locally and abroad, and built long-lasting working relationships. The fellows ended the program equipped with enhanced knowledge and skills to make a difference in the government and impact their community, the press release stated.
During the award ceremony, the fellows presented their capstone project to Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and members of the cabinet, which highlighted areas for process improvement in the government. By working closely with professionals within their assigned agencies, the Fellows were poised with inside knowledge of government operations and provided valuable insight into addressing issues and identifying opportunities for change, the release stated.
Bryan commended the graduates for completing the program and imparted the importance of being the change they seek. In his remarks, he mentioned that the administration is leaving behind a tradition and legacy of connecting the dots for young people by creating pipelines from Head Start to the fellows program for your first government job to owning your first home through the V.I. Slice Program. Bryan further encouraged the GVI Fellows to lead by example, remain positive, and continue to spread the word about the opportunities that are provided here in the territory, it said.
GVI agencies had the unique chance to hire from a pool of now-qualified individuals who they deemed would be essential assets to their existing teams. This group of talented individuals is the next generation of leaders who will chart the course of innovation and reform in agencies they choose to serve in, whether government or private sector, according to the release.
“I am pleased to report that the majority of the first cohort have received and accepted offers for full-time positions and are well on their way to begin careers within agencies across the central government,” said O’Neal.
