Girl Scouts of Nassau County Salutes Our Community Partners

GSNC has hundreds of community partners, including every public school district, most private and religious schools, local colleges and universities, other not-for-profit organizations, as well as government and corporate supporters and many small businesses.  This is the first in a series of articles that will focus on some of our partner organizations. 

Girl Scouts of Nassau County + Hofstra University = Two Great Organizations Serving the Community

Hofstra Supports Girls Go the Distance Walkathon and Activity Fair

Girl Scouts of Nassau County is proud to partner with Hofstra University and is grateful to its leadership for its support.  Among GSNC’s many supporters is Melissa Connolly, Hofstra Vice President for University Relations, a past member of the Board of Directors of GSNC, and a Thanks Badge recipient. Ms. Connolly remains an outstanding advocate and fundraiser for Girl Scouting.  Hofstra partners with GSNC in numerous ways, from sponsoring our Annual Girls Go the Distance Walkathon and Activity Fair, serving as our summer "bus depot" for our girls leaving and returning from Camp Blue Bay, providing interns, and sharing many opportunities on their campus.  Hofstra is a strong supporter of GSNC STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs.

Our Hofstra science program/partners include:

• Astronomy workshops, led by Adjunct Associate Professor Donald Lubowich, Ph.D.,  
• STEM Studio Program, facilitated by Professor Jacqueline Grennon Brooks, Julia C. Caliendo and the Education Department
• "Science in Action”, created by Adjunct Professor Ronald P. D'Amelia, Ph.D. and now run by the Student Members of the American Chemical Society
  under the faculty guidance of Assistant Professor Scott T. Lefurgy, Ph.D.
• “Science Café Evenings” for high school students
  These programs, advertised annually in GSNC's Possibilities, help us bring science to life for our girls.  Many of these programs are typically filled to capacity.

Hofstra Supports STEM Programs for Girls

In October 2014 Hofstra partnered with GSNC to present our first "Imagine Your Possibilities -STEM Conference” for girls.  Led by Asst. Professor of Chemistry Emily C. Mundorff, PhD, and held on campus at Hofstra, the conference attracted 100 girls, over 50 parents and 30 STEM professionals, both women and men who generously shared their knowledge and experience with our girls.  Hofstra’s in-kind donation of labs, classrooms, auditoriums, their faculty and their student volunteers was truly priceless and without their support this Conference would not have happened.

In addition to their work with GSNC, this year Dr. Dave Burghardt, founder and co-director of Hofstra’s Center for STEM Research, was awarded a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation for a five-year project that will introduce more than 6,000 middle-school students to STEM learning through hands-on opportunities at 25 regional Boys & Girls Clubs.

Recently GSNC and Hofstra have partnered with the Cedarmore Corporation to present Girlz Talk, a day of workshops for girls focusing on leadership and critical issues girls face today. 

Hofstra not only partners with GSNC, they are leaders in philanthropy, community service and community engagement for Long Island and the Greater NY region.  All freshmen are encouraged to sign-up for an opportunity to give back to the community thru five days of service before school begins.  Once classes are underway, students continue to contribute to local and global needs through activities from  food and toy drives, to community clean-ups,  to alternative spring break options where students can travel to serve others in need.    Members throughout the community are invited to participate in free lectures, and to attend music and theatre performances, sporting events and other activities held at Hofstra.

At Hofstra, the opportunities to better oneself, give back to the community and get involved in something bigger than you can imagine are available everywhere you turn, and the amount of possibilities for students and volunteers keeps increasing each year!  Girl Scouts is proud to be part of Hofstra's tradition of giving!