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GSCCC Volunteer Selected for GSUSA Advisory Group
This summer, Girl Scouts of the USA announced a new opportunity for Girl Scout volunteers. The new Volunteer Advisory Committee is a diverse group of current Girl Scout volunteers from across the country who meet virtually to share their knowledge and weigh in on Girl Scouts’ program and volunteer experiences, strategies, and new initiatives. “It has taken three years to launch this concept and so all the staff at GSUSA are so excited to see it come to fruition,” said GSUSA Program Delivery & Partnerships Manager Imogene Winkleman.
More than 2,000 active volunteers from across the country and overseas applied for this new initiative; GSUSA selected 18 to serve. GSCCC’s own Mei Stukes is one of them!
We asked Mei for her thoughts on this amazing opportunity and her plans for this Girl Scout year.
GSCCC: Why did you apply and what prompted you to be a member of this new group?
Mei: I applied for this group because I want to be a part of empowering girls to take advantage of all the opportunities the Girl Scouting movement can provide. I feel that we can always make room for improvements and it does take a village to make those changes. My hope is to inspire greatness in all that we do. I am honored to be able to share my years of volunteering experience.
GSCCC: What personal and professional skills and talents will you be bringing to this role?
Mei: I volunteer with several civic non-profit committees in Hampton city and feel I can share valuable insight on youth advocacy, conservation projects and program enhancements that I have been privileged to be a part of. I love to work in strategic planning and implementation for small groups and have a skill for Plan B scenarios. I also can embrace treasured traditions and new ideas. Balance is key.
GSCCC: What will you be doing locally with GSCCC this year?
Mei: I am happy to be working with the GSCCC Board Development Committee and encouraging our volunteers to consider being a National Delegate to travel to DC for the GSUSA’s National Convention. This will be my sixth year working at the Virginia Air & Space Science Center as I celebrate 25 years as a Girl Scout! Also, I am returning as the Hampton Service Unit 120 Coordinator and Volunteer Recognition Coordinator. It’s going to be a fantastic year!
GSCCC: What are some of the other organizations you volunteer with?
Mei: I have been a volunteer for 9 years with the Hampton City Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a Citizens’ Unity Commissioner, chosen by the City Council and the Mayor to serve as a sounding board for community engagement, social education and resource awareness. My passion project is working with the Youth Advisory Committee which is a branch of the CUC but focuses on youth advocacy; a panel of 15 youth members representing all the middle and high schools in Hampton is represented to serve one-year terms. I am also a member of the Rotary International and Rotaract. I volunteer as a National Facilitator for many non-profit organizations that have scheduled me to train both youth and adults in project or program management.
Thank you so much for this interview, Mei! We are proud to congratulate you on this fantastic appointment, and we can’t wait to see what is in store for our Girl Scouts, and our Movement.
(You can read more about Mei in her Volunteer Spotlight story from February 2024.)
