AAMU Graduate Student One of Two from HBCUs in Highly Selective Program
Walker Selected for Prestigious Presidential Management Fellows Program
Latreece Walker, currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree at AAMU, has been chosen to
participate in the highly esteemed Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF). Established in a 1977 executive order by President Jimmy Carter, The PMF Program
is a way the government competes with the private sector to get the best-of-the-best
master's and Ph.D. students into federal jobs at a high level.
Of the 10,000 plus applicants, only 825 were selected as finalists, with only two
students selected from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), a testament
to Walker's exceptional qualifications.
“I was selected through a rigorous process that included an assessment and interviews,” says Walker. “It is indeed a blessing!”
The mission of the PMF Program remains the same: to recruit and develop a cadre of future government leaders from all segments of society. Program fellows start at the GS-9 salary level with the potential to be hired at a higher rate based on experience. Walker says it not only creates a lasting bond among fellows and alumni and instills a spirit of public service, it's also an opportunity to grow professionally.
“This is a two-year fellowship at a federal agency of the finalist's choosing,” says Walker. “After completing the fellowship and graduating from the program, it can become a permanent position. I have not chosen an agency yet, but I have eyes on some positions with the CDC in Atlanta,” she says. “After I graduate, I plan to take my LMSW licensure exam and go where the social work field takes me!”