Volunteer Highlight: Princella McNair

Girl Scouts change the world—but not alone. To get there, they’re supported along their journey by a variety of volunteers who change their world first. Whether that’s a volunteer troop leader able to dedicate months out of the year, or episodic volunteers who generously commit assistance to one-off events, Girl Scouts grow with their support.

One of these episodic volunteers is Princella McNair. Her involvement with Girl Scouts began when her daughter was in the program and continues as an active episodic volunteer with Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas—for eight years!

Her position as corporate responsibility analyst at State Farm at citylink™ involves managing the charitable initiatives and employee engagement/volunteerism opportunities. She has been instrumental in coordinating several company volunteer days with GSNETX.

We recently spoke with Princella about her experience volunteering and why she would recommend it to others.

On how volunteering for us has impacted her and how do you see it impacting the State Farm volunteers you spearhead/organize:

Girl Scouts is a demonstrative example of positively impacting girls and preparing them to be future leaders of the world. Every opportunity to personally engage with the youth has always put a smile on my face. I recently volunteered with the “Home Scientist” group of students as part of the field trip offerings. Knowing that I am positively impacting their future is immeasurable. We had so much fun working together on STEM activities while also learning and building their confidence. Our employees LOVE volunteering with Girl Scouts! Their favorite event of the year is Mega Cookie Drop. Last year, employees were reaching out to me asking for this year’s date before I even received it. With every opportunity to engage in the various opportunities, I have always received positive feedback about their volunteer experiences.

On her favorite memories volunteering for Girl Scouts:

I have so many favorite memories with Girl Scouts from engagement to volunteerism, it’s so hard to narrow down. One of the most impactful days I will never forget is coordinating our first Take Your Daughter to Work Day a few years ago where our employees engaged with their daughters and peers around a common interest while learning more about GSNETX and the STEM Center of Excellence. The impact was priceless! Mega Cookie Drop and the Grand Prix events have been so fun to volunteer for year after year. Service learning at an early age is so important to shaping the next generation.

On what volunteering means to her:

I am a giver at the core and love giving back to my community. It is so rewarding to work for an organization that seeks to build safer, stronger and better educated communities as a part of its vision. Having the opportunity to volunteer as part of building our charitable relationship is by far the best professional collaboration. I also mentor teen girls through a nonprofit, I am a board member for, and the alignment elevates what I like to call “heartwork.” In my everyday interactions with others, I always advocate for giving back to causes they care about. Going above and beyond financial support makes a lasting impact within the community.

On the unique opportunities presented by episodic volunteering:

[It] offers unique opportunities in terms of flexibility compared to long-term volunteering. With episodic volunteering typically involving shorter-term commitments with varying durations, the flexibility allows individuals with limited availability or varying schedules the opportunity to participate in volunteer activities. Our employees work so many varied shifts in hybrid, in-office or remote roles. Some employees only have limited time to be away from their desks to volunteer or if outside their work hours, have limitations on how they can engage. Episodic volunteering often offers a wide range of opportunities and allows volunteers to explore different causes and organizations to provide diverse experiences or enhance skills they seek to develop which is a win-win

Why she’d encourage others to do short-term/episodic volunteering:

I would encourage others to seek out short-term/episodic volunteering because of the flexibility, variety, networking/engagement opportunities, skill development and community impact. Everyone has different preferences and should commit to what works for them. My personal life currently lends itself best to episodic volunteering as I do not have the capacity to commit to a repeat, long-term opportunity. Ultimately, no matter the personal preference, the impact of giving back through volunteerism is equally rewarding.