MSU Mankato partners with Girl Scouts for head start on higher education

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - MSU Mankato opened its Innovation Gateway Center earlier this fall.

It’s become a home for the university’s business programs and activities.

Now, it will have another program. MSU officially signed an agreement with the Girl Scouts River Valleys to make MSU’s campus home to a Girl Scout Leadership Institute.

The Institute gives the 17,000 K-12 girl scouts in southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities a place to get comfortable in the college setting and prepare for their higher-ed or business futures.

“When we think about girl scouts most people think about just cookies, camps and crafts, and while that has been a part of our over hundred-year history, it’s so much more than that. The product of girls scouts is the girl. And so we want to make sure that workforce development, leadership development and college and career readiness are key pieces of her experience,” said Marisa Williams, CEO of Girl Scouts River Valleys.

On MSU’s end, it’s an opportunity to expand their new Gateway Center and be at the forefront of so many young women’s college experiences.

“This partnership is a way for us to even engage with students before they even consider coming to the university. And give them those opportunities to develop and grow, gain career experiences and develop leadership expertise before they even come to campus,” said Katie Jolicoeur, director of career services at MSU Mankato.

The program will be open to all girl scouts to visit, but will focus primarily on high school students looking to get a head start on higher education.

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