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February 01, 2024
2024 Finance Career and Leadership Academy Students
Virginia National Bank (VNB) is excited to announce the students who have been accepted into VNB’s 2024 Finance Career and Leadership Academy (FCLA, Academy), which runs from February 6 – mid June 2024. In total we have ten students who have earned positions in the Academy. (Due to space constraints and construction in Warrenton, the FCLA is only being held in Charlottesville, Virginia, this year.)
“We were extremely impressed by the number of talented and qualified young people who applied for entry into our program,” said Glenn Rust, President and CEO of Virginia National Bankshares Corporation (VABK) and VNB. “Congratulations to this year’s winners, who each show a strong commitment to furthering their financial education and improving their lives and their communities. We are proud to have them as participants in this year’s FCLA and to support their educational and professional journey.”
The students accepted into the Academy include:
- Sabrina Bialy – Western Albemarle High School
- Colin Douthit – Western Albemarle High School
- Gabriella (Gabby) Gonzalez – Albemarle High School
- Shrey Panicker – Charlottesville High School
- Albina Piskunova – Albemarle High School
- Evie Porter – Homeschooled
- Eleanor Powers – Monticello High School
- Kate Quinn – Western Albemarle High School
- Jack Viccellio – Monticello High School
- Kayden Wright – Albemarle High School
The participants were chosen based on their academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, community service, and overall character. Applicants also wrote an essay about what they hoped to accomplish with a stronger and deeper financial education and went through an interview process.
The Finance Career & Leadership Academy is a free instructional program designed to not only provide advanced personal finance and employment readiness training, but also a path to career opportunities in banking for high school juniors and seniors within our communities. The most promising and top performing students from the Academy are considered for VNB’s College Program (the Commercial Banking/Staff Development Program).
The College Program is a bank-sponsored, comprehensive, free training program that consists of 16 courses of which 14 are accredited college/university courses (41 credit hours that are transferable to a 2 or 4-year college/university) and work projects. Participants receive fulltime pay with full fringe benefits (includes 401k with company match) while completing the program and, if successful in the program, have the potential opportunity for a career with VNB. Also, once employed, should they choose, they may go on to complete a 2 or 4-year degree at the company’s expense.
“Helping local students develop their financial skills on both a professional and personal level while also giving them a career path without the high levels of student debt is our goal,” said Rust. “Our educational programs are a means by which we give back to our community and we look forward to continuing these programs for years to come.”
VNB would also like to personally thank all those who helped us reach so many qualified, talented, and hard-working young people in our community. Including, but not exclusively or in any particular order, –
Albemarle County Public Schools, particularly
- Gabi Sukovich, Personal Finance Teacher, AHS
- Caroline Chang, Personal Finance Teacher, AHS
- Holly Newman, Talent Development & Gifted Specialist, AHS
- Tim Hamlette, Career Specialist, AHS
- Caroline Bertrand, Career Specialist, WAHS
- Zoe Padron, Talent Development Specialist, WAHS
- Beth Costa, Principal, MHS
- Katie Bledsoe, Career Specialist, MHS
- Megan Parson, Director of Counseling, AHS
- Irvin Johnson, Director of Counseling, MHS
- Kate Acuff, Albemarle County School Board – Jack Jouett District
- Judy Le, Albemarle County School Board – Rivanna District
- Amber Roberts, Work & Community-Based Learning Coordination, Central Office
- Jennifer Butler, Senior Communications Analyst, Central Office
- Lauren Hunt, Web and Social Media Specialist, Central Office
- Phil Giaramita, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Officer, Central Office
Charlottesville Public Schools, particularly
- Deborah Tewksbury, Personal Finance Teacher, CHS
- James Daly, Economics and Personal Finance Teacher, CHS
- Carlos Blackwood, Personal Finance Teacher, CHS
- Megan Fitzgerald, Career & Technical Education Instructional Specialist
- Kayla Edwards, College Advisor, CHS
Colin Anderson, Head of Upper School, The Covenant School
Jackie Jamison, Development Director and College Counselor, Regents School
Peter Gaines, Director of College Counseling, Tandem Friends School
Sharon Mack, Greene County School Board – Chair/Ruckersville District
Dr. Andrea Whitmarsh, School Superintendent, Greene County Public Schools
Margo D. Bruce, Principal, Fluvanna County High School
Daniel Soderholm, Ph.D., Principal, Culpeper County High School
Natalie Masri, President and CEO – Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce
Ann Marie Hohenberger, Marketing – Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce
Kevin G. McDonald, UVA – Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Partnerships
Joshua Rashad Epps, UVA – Division for DEI – Program Manager of MOCHA/WOCHA
Kate Lambert, Chief Executive Officer, The Boys and Girls Club of Central Virginia
Stuart Hornsby, Owner of Lux Ventures and Campaign Manager, The Center for Christian Study at UVA
Connie Sylvester, Equis Financial and ACTS Board Director
Robin Rakow, President, Albemarle Christian Teaching Support (ACTS)
Reed Golomb, Youth Minister, St. Thomas Aquinas University Parish
Matt Lloyd, Charlottesville StudentLife Director, The Point Church
Benji Hall, Youth and Family Pastor, First Baptist Church Park Street