Girls' Career Institute Honors Donna Roman Hernandez

A reception was held recently at the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs Headquarters in New Brunswick, in honor of the Girls’ Career Institute (GCI) Ambassador, Donna Roman Hernandez. Donna has been a longtime supporter of our GCI program, and we were thrilled to be able to honor her with her family and friends in attendance.

Federation member Carol Thompson, herself a GCI Delegate in 1961, spoke about her experience and how GCI changed her life. Student, Jashmitha Zapp also spoke about her experience from the perspective of a recent GCI Delegate.

Ellen Lund, current NJSFWC GCI Director gave a brief presentation describing what the Delegates experience during their mini-college experience.

Attending the reception to honor Donna, besides Federation members, were Michael Bobodilla,

Captain of the New Brunswick Police Department, Armando Aviles, Executive Director of Essex

County Cops 4 Kids who brought along several young women who are part of the program, Lizette Anderson, President of the Hispanic American Law Enforcement Association, and Eileen Cotter, Executive Director of the AADC.

Also present at headquarters were New Brunswick Council President John Anderson and Council member Rebecca Escobar.

Representing NJSFWC were President Barbara McCloskey, President Elect Susan Chambers, First Vice President Chris Sienkielewski, Second Vice President Patricia Dahl, Treasurer Linda Carbley, Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Chairman Claire Hill, and past GCI Director Jill McDonald.

Learn more about NJSFWC at www.njsfwc.org Donations and sponsors are always welcome to offset the cost to run GCI. Click “Donate” on our website to help support this important program

Learn more about Donna Roman Hernandez at www.donnaromanhernandez.com

About the New Jersey State Federations of Women’s Clubs

The New Jersey State Federations of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC), a volunteer community service organization, was founded in 1894 and is headquartered on the Douglass College campus in New Brunswick, NJ.

The NJSFWC founded the New Jersey College for Women, now known as Douglass College (Rutgers), in 1918. In 2020, the organization, with a membership of over 6200, reported almost 16,963 community service projects involving over 320,119 volunteer hours and $2.3 million in cash and in- kind donations.

The NJSFWC is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC), which is headquartered in Washington, DC, and is the largest and oldest women’s volunteer community service organization in the world.

For more information about the NJSFWC and/or membership in a local club, call 732-249-5474 or visit www.njsfwc.org.

New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs • 55 Labor Center Way, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901 • www.njsfwc.org

About Girls’ Career Institute (GCI)

Formerly known as Girls Citizenship Institute, the program began in 1947 and was first held at

Montclair State Teachers college with 100 schoolgirls attending. Since 1948, GCI has been held at Douglass College, now Douglass Residential College Campus of Rutgers University during the first week of June.

Girls’ Career Institute (GCI) is a program offered by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC (NJSFWC) for girls who are completing their junior year in high school. New Jersey was the first state to develop this type of training program for girls. GCI offers a “mini college and career exploration experience.”

Delegates will experience a sample of college life by sharing a dorm room, eating in the cafeteria, and attending lectures and workshops. They will learn about career choices and how to network with other delegates from all over the state of New Jersey. Many establish lasting friendships with one another.