NEWS PROVIDED BY:
NJ State Federation of Women’s Clubs
New Brunswick, NJ

 New Jersey’s Women’s Clubs Offer High School Females
a Sample College Experience at Rutgers University  
June 9, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Brunswick, NJ – Douglass Residential College on the Rutgers University Campus was abuzz with 140 enthusiastic high school students from all parts of NJ at the 74th annual Girls’ Career Institute (GCI), thanks to the yearly program sponsored by any of 130 local women’s clubs affiliated with the NJ State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC) of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC).* This year’s delegates, who are completing their junior year in high school, arrived Monday, June 6th to experience “college life” through Thursday, June 9th. Delegates were selected based on their interest in gaining insight into attending college and learning about various career options. Participants attended lectures and workshops led by a diverse group of New Jersey professionals and had a taste of dorm life and food served in the dining hall. During free time, delegates participated in such things as Zumba, swimming, crafts, and service projects.  After-dinner activities included a Talent Show and Spirit Night.  Closing ceremonies were attended by many parents and included a Fashion Show and a performance by the GCI Chorus.   All activities provided a wonderful opportunity to network with other young women from throughout the state potentially helping them develop long-term friendships.  
Delegates from previous GCI experiences had this to say about their mini – college attendance:
“GCI was something that I can only describe in one word: “ineffable.” Ineffable means “too great or extreme to be expressed in words.  I didn’t feel empowered as a woman. Going through my daily life, I would take things for granted that women have been fighting for every day.  I went to GCI and that all changed.  The seminars and speakers were so inspiring.  Being a woman in this day and age is something to be proud of and I never saw that before GCI.”
“I can’t stress enough how much of a positive experience I was able to have being in the GCI program. Thank you for giving me this opportunity that led to enlightenment.…that led me to being comfortable in the choices I make and being confident with myself. This experience will forever be in my memories and will affect the decisions I make concerning college and how I see myself.”
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“Not only did I make amazing connections with housemothers and fellow delegates,  I discovered my uniqueness, learned that I am strong, a leader and am passionate about pursuing a career in law and politics thanks to the GCI speaker.”
A GCI alumna provided this advice to this year’s GCI attendees, “Put everything you have into this opportunity and get everything you can out of it because it is lifechanging.”
For more information about the Girls’ Career Institute, visit https://njsfwc.org/projects/girls-career-institute/. To check if a woman’s club in your local area plans to sponsor a 2023 GCI delegate, contact, tokar@njsfwc.org.
The * NJ State Federation of Women’s Clubs, the largest volunteer woman’s organization in the state, is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), the largest international woman’s organization. The GFWC is a unifying force that brings together local women’s clubs whose members are dedicated to strengthening their communities and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. With nearly 80,000 members in affiliated clubs in every state, the District of Columbia and over a dozen countries, GFWC members are community leaders who work locally to create global change by supporting the arts, preserving natural resources, advancing education, promoting healthy lifestyles, encouraging civic involvement through volunteerism, and working toward world peace and understanding.

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Contact Information:
State Chairperson: MaryKay Tokar, GCI Director 
Email: tokar@njsfwc.org
201-320-8403