At the University of Mary Washington, Kristen Ramey ’17 found a home in UMW’s Community Outreach and Resources (COAR). Participating in the student-led service organization helped shape her college experience and deepened her connections within the Fredericksburg community.
“I discovered that I wanted to help people,” said Ramey, who spent four years giving her time to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank and the Brisben Center for unhoused individuals. She also worked weekly with two elementary-school students through Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg. “I loved volunteering and making a difference.”
Now, Ramey is putting her passion for public service to work at the state level, participating in the prestigious Virginia Management Fellows (VMF) program. This initiative, developed by the Commonwealth of Virginia in collaboration with Virginia Tech, offers college graduates the chance to learn about the inner workings of state government and prepare for future management and leadership roles in the public sector, all while earning a paycheck.
“I was drawn to the uniqueness of the VMF program and the firsthand experience this kind of opportunity provides,” said Ramey, who will spend two years rotating through three government agencies in Richmond. “I’m learning how different policies, processes and services impact Virginians on a day-to-day basis.”
It’s an ideal career move for Ramey, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mary Washington. She became interested in the subject while attending Culpeper High School, where she took part in an entrepreneurial program, learning how to pitch potential investors and draw up mock business plans. She said, “UMW’s College of Business gave me a great foundation to enter the workforce.”
