“Delegates are selected on the basis of interest, community service and participation in school activities.” 

GCI (formally known as Girls Citizenship Institute) was first started in 1947 and held at Montclair State Teachers college with 100 school girls attending. Since 1948, GCI has been held at Douglass College, now Douglass Residential College Campus of Rutgers University. New Jersey was the first state to develop this type of training program for girls and the chairman was invited to speak on the project at the General Federation convention in 1949. 

Qualified delegates have just completed their junior year of high school and they are sponsored by individual NJSFWC clubs. The program offers a “mini-college experience” by living in a dorm, eating in a cafeteria and attending lectures and programs.