Girl Scouts of Connecticut Hosts 2nd Annual Summer Leadership Program

While most folks are enjoying leisurely vacations this summer, nine high school Girl Scouts from across Connecticut will get a crash course in college life and organizational learning at Girl Scouts of Connecticut’s 2nd Annual Camp CEO at Quinnipiac University (QU) in Hamden from July 22- 26, 2024. All attendees will get the incredible opportunity to experience campus living, take classes from QU business professors and learn about potential career choices from top female CEOs and professional mentors. The intensive curriculum focused on social entrepreneurism with the theme of Healthy Food in Communities.

“Part of our mission at Girl Scouts of Connecticut is to help Girl Scouts build their leadership skills and to guide them to become our future women leaders of tomorrow,” said Elicia Pegues Spearman, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Connecticut. “We designed Camp CEO to bring together Girl Scouts and Connecticut’s top women professionals for a few days of fun and learning.”

The program is open to Girl Scouts entering the 9th – 12th grade this fall. Participants will work with college professors and the Dean of the Business College at QU from Monday through Thursday to develop a business project. They will form teams, brainstorm ideas, and develop their pitches that will be officially presented to their families on Friday.

Besides Spearman, other participating female CEOs will include Yasmin Blackburn, Immigration Attorney at Kidambi & Associates, Shenae Draughn, Executive Vice President at Elm City Communities and The Glendower Group, Jonna Gerken, an accomplished engineer and Program Manager at Pratt & Whitney and Adrienne Parkmond, COO of The WorkPlace.

Spearman notes that by living in the dorm for the week, the Girl Scout attendees will meet roommates from other Connecticut towns, while bonding as teammates to solve conflicts and work out solutions.

“We’re extremely proud of our partnership with Quinnipiac University and are excited to continue it in future years,” concludes Spearman.

About Girl Scouts of Connecticut

Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit www.gsofct.org.

About Quinnipiac University

Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT is a private, coeducational university where students engage in an educational experience that is both personal and challenging from faculty who care deeply about student outcomes. They offer more than 140 programs to approximately 6,800 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students. QU offers numerous programs to high school students, including computing and data sciences; business; entrepreneurship and innovation; fundamentals of data analysis and Microsoft Excel; game design and eSports; intro to cybersecurity; and more.