“Girls Inc. has played a part in developing future me.”
We sat down again with Musu, a Girls Inc. alumna from our affiliate who also works as a staff member for both summer camp and school year programming. In the last couple years, she has not only transitioned from Girls Inc. girl to Girls Inc. staff, but also a high school student to a student in Yale University’s finance program.
From starting in Girls Inc. programs as a sophomore in high school, to now being a sophomore in college, Musu has seen lots of growth in herself both as a student and a member of the workforce. Her first year as a summer camp counselor “opened my eyes to see that I’m not one of the kids; I’m a counselor. It hit me that some changes needed to be made within myself.” The transition from participant to staff member allowed her to see potential in herself with a drive toward maturity and believe that “with a little bit of work, I could be a pretty good leader if I tried.”
Despite initial insecurity around making mistakes in her beginnings as a staff member, mentorship from staff taught her to change her mindset and think positively. She was really encouraged by a conversation with a camper who was “a little down” one day last summer. “[As] we were talking, she said, ‘I look up to you, Miss Musu, because you’re kind of like me.’ We are both from West Africa so… maybe she saw herself in me because we are from the same place. [That meant] a lot to me because I feel like I made (some type of) a difference in her life.” This impactful and emotional moment showed her the impact that she herself was making.
The mentorship from staff at Girls Inc. (who guided her both as a participant and as new staff member), she says, was pivotal in her character development. She’s seen improvement in “how I present myself in situations—for example in interviews or an event.” The respect she receives from her now-peers and superiors is special to her, as well, given the change in dynamic from when she was a participant. “My [former] facilitators and counselors now look at me as one of their peers. [They don’t], in any way, look down on me.”
She has been empowered by relationships with Girls Inc. staff that go beyond programming and have shaped her entrance into adulthood, including getting a second try of her first summer camp employment interview, guidance in the purchase of her first car, and even support through a loss in her family. Her experience feeling included and supported in her time, both as participant and staff, is what she carries into her own role as a mentor: “Giving the girls the space to express themselves, whether they’re angry, they’re sad, whatever it is…they always have the space to…show how they’re actually feeling.”
The Girls Inc. environment provided Musu with holistic support and care, having mentors who checked in, held her accountable, and encouraged positive choices, which strengthened not only her habits, but her mindset. “[Girls Inc. programming helped me to] make smarter decisions—don’t act until you think about it… I’ve had a lot of things that I have done where I haven’t thought about it. I just did it.” She learned that making healthy decisions requires intention and sometimes even community.
Academic enrichment and accountability were a huge part of her journey as a participant, which translated to her life after high school. She admitted, “When I first started coming here, my grades were not good.” Her Bold Futures Leadership facilitator, Lexi, would consistently keep her accountable and check in on her grades every week. “Lexi and my dad really did care and did not give up on me.” That steady focus on improvement strengthened her academic performance and ultimately paved the way for her college journey, as she currently attends Gateway Community College and will be transferring to Yale University’s finance program in early 2027. Her milestone acceptance to Yale this past year and her maturing relationship to learning reflects both her growth and commitment to dreaming big.
When thinking of the essence of Girls Inc. Bold programming, Musu immediately brought up her opportunity to speak at the Girls Inc. National Luncheon in New York in 2024, introducing one of the awardees. “To this day, I can’t believe I did that,” she said. Public speaking is not the norm for her, so it was a stand-out moment to share her story with a large crowd.
Musu plans to always be involved with and give back to the Girls Inc. community in some capacity, wherever she may find herself in the years to come, because, in her words “Girls Inc. has played a part developing future me.” She believes the experience is valuable for all girls in the community to have. “I think [Girls Inc. programming is] very important, especially for girls who think that they don’t have a voice…Here, they will learn that they do have the choice to be heard.”
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