Getting to know those who help you get to know USU
Throughout the school year, hundreds of students come to Utah State University to explore the possibility of attending school here in their future. The USU Ambassadors are the first students that most of these future Aggies come in contact with.
Ambassadors have a lot of responsibilities when it comes to recruiting students.
Freshman, Katie Farley said although everyone has different responsibilities, the baseline is the same for each ambassador.
“We are required to give three special tours a semester,” she said. “And then I go to my high school twice a semester and do a visit. That can be anything from me setting up a table at lunch or making up a game and giving out prizes.”
Like most freshman, Farley faced some challenges her first semester at USU.
“One thing about being an ambassador and college in general, is that the first semester is kind of rough. You’re around high achieving people constantly,” she said. “The first month, I didn’t really know where I stood with the ambassadors and that was hard. But once I got past the point of feeling like I had to be something I wasn’t, I had so much fun. They picked me because I was me, so I just had to learn to be myself.”
Farley said people will consistently ask her three things: how to become an ambassador, if being an ambassador is a lot of work and if she is a True Aggie. Farley loves the opportunities she has had at USU with the ambassadors.
“My favorite part is the people — both within ambassadors and who you get to interact with. There is a lot of qualities that other ambassadors have that are amazing. I look up to so many of them so much,” she said.
Farley also loves the opportunity she has while working with people who are not ambassadors.
“The professionals that we work with in the admissions office are really great individuals. I love working with high schoolers and getting to talk to them about college. Helping them discover or realize that dream of going to college is really special,” she said.
Chaz Lundquist is another ambassador who is passionate about interacting with new people.
“I love meeting people,” he said. “One of my responsibilities this year as an ambassador is giving tours on campus every week. When the families come up, it’s just bright-eyed and bushy-tailed seniors or transfer students just wanting to learn different things about the school. Being able to express my love for USU and my passion for it to them and just show them the experiences that I’ve had is just exciting.”
Lundquist is a sophomore in the business program who has always loved USU.
“When I was in high school, I always wanted to go to USU. As I was touring different schools, it was really the ambassadors that drew me into campus. Seeing the type of people that the ambassadors were made me realize it was something I wanted to do,” he said.
Lundquist said students have asked him what it is like to be a part of the Hurd and if he knows how many people fit in the Spectrum. Students also frequently ask him about many different USU traditions.
Lundquist’s advice for students at USU, is to really get involved on campus.
“I feel like Utah State’s two biggest strengths are the undergraduate research opportunities and the student life,” he said. “No matter what school you go to, but especially USU, get involved with those things. We have so many different ways to meet new people. It’s just a part of the college experience. It is one thing to get your degree but you’re here to meet new people and enjoy college as well.”
According to Lundquist, students on campus really make an impact on the families and students that come to take tours.
“My favorite thing that happens during tours is people will randomly shout, ‘go Aggies!’ or ‘come to Utah State!’ We don’t ask people to do that but USU is such a good school that even the students help out with the tours,” he said.
Lundquist thinks one of the best things about USU is the Aggie family.
“Just seeing how friendly everyone is, how personable, and how it’s like a family was really enticing and interesting to me. Utah State knows me as a person instead of just a number or they just want my money. People here matter.”
— shelbstoor11@aggiemail.usu.edu
@shelbstoor11