Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry will host an event to welcome the inaugural class of Veterans Innovation Partnership (VIP) fellows at 9:00 a.m. on February 13, 2015, in the Department of State’s Benjamin Franklin Room.

The Secretary will be introduced by Special Representative for Global Partnerships Andrew O’Brien.

The VIP fellowship was launched by Secretary Kerry in October 2013 to mobilize resources and build networks to promote foreign affairs career opportunities for veterans. VIP is managed by the Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships (S/GP) and assists with educational opportunities to study international relations, establishes fellowship opportunities at U.S. government foreign affairs agencies, and facilitates international public and private employment opportunities.

VIP partner organizations will be present at the event, and include implementing partner The Mission Continues; participating agencies the U.S. Agency for International Development, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the Millennium Challenge Corporation; resource partners iRobot, General Motors, and MasterCard, and university partners the University of Massachusetts, Boston University, and the University of Kansas.