Gabrielle Davis & Lindsey Thomas

VyStar Credit Union puts significant energy into its VyStar Academy of Business High School Branch Program. Company leaders started the program to bolster student financial literacy and have also enjoyed the opportunity to develop students both personally and professionally. This internship has not only contributed to building young professionals, but this has ultimately helped students decide on what career path they will pursue and have equipped them to be strong candidates with marketable skills fresh out of high school. Colleagues and Academy alumni Gabrielle Davis and Lindsey Thomas launched their careers in the financial services industry as high school students nearly a decade ago.

“The Academy was such a positive experience,” said Thomas, a Digital Experience Program Analyst at VyStar Credit Union and 2012 Fleming Island High School graduate. “It offers an excellent opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience and interact with company executives. It allowed me to develop relationships that have helped shape my career.”

“The Academy provided me with the opportunity to gain work experience that I couldn’t learn in a classroom,” said Davis, a Senior Business Process Analyst at VyStar Credit Union and 2013 Jean Ribault High School graduate who participated in the Academy the first year it was offered at Ribault.

The VyStar Academy of Business is an academic and internship program for high school students. Students participate in an engaging real world experience that brings their learning to life while focusing on the inner workings of financial services, growing technology and essentially what it takes to run their own business. The cornerstone of the academy is an operating VyStar branch run exclusively by students and available to everyone on the high school campus. With the exception of lending services, the 18 high school branches stretched across eight school districts have everything other VyStar branch locations have to offer.

Both Davis and Thomas got their start at VyStar working as tellers at their high school branch locations. After high school, Thomas attended St. Johns River State College and also worked in the VyStar Contact Center. After one year, she transferred to Harding University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She returned to VyStar in 2017 as a Senior High School Branch coordinator before receiving a promotion to her current position, which focuses on VyStar’s digital banking experience.

“The financial services industry is evolving and there are many opportunities if you have the drive to learn,” Thomas said.

Davis attended the University of Florida before transferring to the University of North Florida. She returned to VyStar in 2015, working part-time as a Teller Specialist while she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, she joined VyStar full-time as a Marketing Specialist and advanced to Mergers & Acquisition Marketing Specialist before receiving a promotion to her current position.

“The opportunities for continued growth at VyStar are exciting,” Davis said.

Although Davis and Thomas did not graduate with financial services degrees, both are experiencing career advancement and success as a result of their initiative and employability skills.

“Our professional skills – communicating and problem solving – are critical and have helped both of us advance in our careers,” Thomas said.

For those considering applying to a VyStar Academy, Davis offers this advice.

“It’s excellent work experience, even if you don’t pursue a career in this field,” Davis said.