The Girl Scout Alum Difference
A Lifetime of Courage, Confidence, and Character
To understand the long-term benefits of Girl Scouting and earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) conducted a national study with 1,000 Girl Scout alums, 800 women who were never Girl Scouts, and 922 Gold Award Girl Scout alums.
This research shows that participating in Girl Scouts is a powerful factor for developing courage, confidence, and character, which in turn build a foundation for success in education and careers, enable a lifetime of leadership, and provide high levels of life satisfaction. Alums assert that Girl Scouts set them on a path for achievement, connected them to something bigger than themselves, and helped them develop their passions and interests.
This study indicates that more than 1 in every 3 adult women in the United States were Girl Scouts at some point in their lives. The Girl Scout alum community is over 50 million strong.
The Girl Scout Difference
Girl Scout alums are:
- More ambitious
- Less afraid to take risks
- More confident in their abilities
- More likely to stand up for their beliefs and values
The Alum Impact
Girl Scout alums are more likely than other women to:
- Exhibit courage, confidence, and character
- Attain higher levels of education and management positions at work
- Volunteer and contribute to causes they support
- Be civically engaged and involved
- Exhibit leadership attributes and hold more leadership roles
- Be satisfied with life—personally, professionally, and financially
The Gold Award Advantage
Both Girl Scout alums and other women perceive the Gold Award as a prestigious and powerful recognition. Additionally, being a Girl Scout alum is linked to more positive life outcomes compared to other women, and earning the Gold Award has even greater benefits.
When compared to alums and other women, Gold Award Girl Scout alums are more likely to:
- Exhibit courage, confidence, and character
- Attain a college or graduate degree
- Volunteer or donate to causes they support
- Hold three or more leadership roles
- Be satisfied with life—personally, professionally, and financially
Gold Award alums report that the Gold Award process helped them develop essential 21st century employment skills, giving them a boost in their academic and professional lives. They also affirm that the Gold Award helped them get into college or graduate programs, earn scholarships, and secure jobs.
This study confirms what Girl Scouts have known all along: Girl Scouting builds girls and women of courage, confidence, and character who lead in their lives, at work, and in their communities.
