Adrian Gillem, a senior at St. Joseph Catholic High School, says one of his dreams is to be governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The 17- year- old couldn’t say for sure what year he will toss his hat in the ring, but it will be after he does his undergrad studies at Roanoke College, attends law school at Georgetown University and serves as a foreign diplomat.
Brenda Jackson, his English teacher at St. Joseph’s, said Gillem is tenacious.
“I have observed he is like a pit bull,” Jackson says. “He grabs on to something and won’t let go.”
She added he is intelligent, articulate and very personable.
“I see something I want that is positive for me and I won’t let it go,” Gillem says.
He is the product of Catholic schools, starting at St. Mary’s in Christiansted. He said he garnered the necessary issues of Catholicism at school for a good foundation. He says with God’s influence he is a respectful, passionate person striving higher than normal. His family has also influenced him, he added, saying his older brother Richard Dorsey pushed him to succeed.
Gillem says he joins organizations that foster new talents and abilities for him.
When Gillem was a freshman he joined Future Business Leaders of America. The organization was appealing since it gave him the opportunity to travel to the states for national competitive events and strengthened his public speaking ability and confidence.
The excellent public speaking skills and high level of confidence of Gillem were evident at a recent FBLA conference.
FBLA also offered the opportunity for him to exercise a measure of leadership, as it was the first place where he was appointed to a leadership role. He continued to play a pivotal role in the leadership aspect of the organization as he was elected to two terms as a state officer. He joined FBLA for the ability to become a more effective student leader and to attain the abilities necessary to enjoy a successful career as a professional politician.
In the summer of 2008 he took part in the Junior State of America program at Princeton University – studying American government and speech communication for three weeks. That was when he found his passion for politics and decided he wanted to have a career in the field. He also attended Junior State of America at Georgetown on a full scholarship to study international relations.
Last summer he did a monthlong exchange program in the Junior State of America Diplomat Program at Capital Normal University, Beijing, where he studied Chinese Government and Chinese History. He said before that trip he started to learn the Chinese language and its written characters.
“Going to China was an amazing cultural experience,” Gillem says. “And the memory of students I met is great.”
As a sophomore, Gillem founded and became president of the St. Joseph High School Chapter of Junior State of America.
He has served in elected positions in St. Joe’s student council. He has always been an honor role student who has made time to volunteer at Women’s Coalition and Gov. Juan F. Luis Cardiac Center. He is a Student Counselor for the St. Joseph High School/Youth Rehabilitation Center Initiative, where students go to YRC once a week and give presentations on specific topics such as the role of fathers. His activities, awards and accomplishments are too numerous to mention.
He was accepted at five universities and chose Roanoke in Salem, Va., because they offered the best financial package. He is going to major in international relations with a minor in Japanese language.
Gillem says his career plans as a diplomat are modeled after Ambassador Terrence Todman from St. Thomas. As a diplomat he wants to work at mending U.S. relationships and making future relations better, fostering growth.
“Dreams are possible just go strive for them,” Gillem says. “I thrilled I haven’t missed any opportunities.”
He is the son of Ivy Dorsey Hennemann and Creed Gillem Sr.
