University of Advancing Technology (UAT) Chancellor announces scholarship for Arizona Cactus Pine Girl Scouts.
On the surface, it began with a bright yellow patch. A nine-year-old Girl Scout with an imagination too big for the council’s event calendar decided that her troop’s gathering would be named, somewhat absurdly, the Spring Flingy Thingy. When the embroidered badge arrived—its sunny color stitched with her whimsical title—she felt the spark of pride that comes from making an idea real.
That girl was Valerie Cimarossa. Today, she is Chancellor of the University of Advancing Technology (UAT). And this fall, in partnership with the Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC), she is announcing a scholarship designed to ensure that young women like her—curious, fearless, and occasionally delightfully unconventional—have a pathway into technology education.
“Girl Scouts are some of the best people I know,” Cimarossa said. “It is a privilege to be in a position where I can give the opportunity of a college education, in fields historically underrepresented by females, to some of the brightest, highest quality minds in the state.”
The scholarship, unveiled during Girl Scouts Founding Week, will be open to young women who have grown up in the Girl Scouts, and who now wish to pursue degrees in STEM at UAT. The initiative underscores the powerful overlap between Girl Scouts’ leadership training and the university’s mission to shape innovators who can apply technology to make the world better. Christina Spicer, co-CEO of GSACPC, emphasized the alignment.
“As we serve girls K–12, it is important for us to offer programming and opportunities that are age-appropriate and enhance their confidence at every step in their journey,” Spicer said. “The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is built on four key pillars: STEM, Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship. We want girls to build courage, confidence, and character in these spaces by discovering who they are and what they care about, connecting with others, and taking action.”
For Cimarossa, those pillars were lived in real time. Camp outs at Sombrero, Maripai, and Shadow Rim became annual traditions, where the friendships were as enduring as the smoky smell of campfire. She recalls, with humor, the overnight hikes: “We went camping at camp,” she said. “One year, in under an hour, my friend and I sank a canoe, recovered a canoe, and then accidentally trapped a fish in a canoe.”
It was in those moments—sometimes chaotic, often joyful—that Cimarossa began to see the deeper lesson. “Helping people when you are able is the most important thing in life,” she said. “That’s what Girl Scouts taught me.”
Now, through the scholarship, she hopes to extend that same ethic of service and boldness to the next generation of young women. Mary Mitchell, co-CEO of GSACPC, underscored the significance of the investment.
“On behalf of Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, I extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to UAT for investing in girls, and particularly Girl Scouts,” Mitchell said. “This scholarship will support young women who grew up in Girl Scouting and have a strong foundation of exploring, learning, and giving back to their communities. I have no doubt that coupled with a UAT education, Girl Scouts will truly make the world a better place using innovation and boldness.”
Cimarossa’s advice to today’s Girl Scouts echoes that sense of fearlessness:
“When you grow up, you will look back and realize Girl Scouts is the safest place you ever were. Try everything, ask every question, take every risk. This is the time to learn about who you are and what you want; and this is the place to learn how to achieve it.”
In the end, the patch still matters. For one nine-year-old, it was a piece of fabric stitched with possibility. For the young women who will soon apply for the Girl Scouts–UAT Scholarship, it may be a college degree. Both are reminders that imagination, when supported, can lead to a life of leadership.
Applications for the Girl Scouts–UAT Scholarship are now open for qualifying young women of the Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. Join the tech movement and learn your scholarship options here.