The ambassador program goes statewide
Previously, the Ambassador Program has only been available to students at the Logan and USU Eastern campuses, but it is now being piloted in the Wasatch region and Tooele.
According to the their webpage, “The Utah State Ambassador Program focuses on service and leadership. Ambassadors positively represent and serve Utah State University campuses and communities across the state.”
Vanessa Liesik, the director of statewide and online recruitment, saw potential for the program to expand to statewide campuses.
“I’ve witnessed the connection that Logan ambassadors make when they’re working with prospective students, and it was something that I was interested in bringing to our statewide campuses,” Liesik said.
The Ambassador Program has been adapted to fit the unique needs and experiences of students on non-residential campuses.
“Many of these students work part or full-time, and statewide campuses have a lot of non or post-traditional students,” Liesik said.
Olivia Lee, admissions specialist and ambassador adviser for the Wasatch region, sees this firsthand. “Oftentimes the students who attend statewide have a very different college experience to those at Logan or Eastern,” Lee said.
Liesik and her team worked hard to cater the program to those differences. In addition to traditional recruitment efforts, statewide ambassadors are “attending more community events to reach non-traditional students,” Liesik said.
The program seeks to actively engage students in recruitment activities and work closely with admission specialists to connect with local communities and prospective students.
The program is an opportunity for students to be involved and add to their experience.
“We tailored the program to be flexible and individualized to support the ambassadors in everything they’re doing, not just in their identity as a student,” Lee said.
The initiative focuses on providing students with opportunities for service, leadership and professional development. It also offers a scholarship that covers full tuition and student body fees, renewable for up to eight semesters or until graduation.
“Being involved offers them invaluable experiences. We take very seriously providing service and leadership opportunities,” Liesik said.
The skills learned through the program are ones that will carry over into other aspects of students’ lives.
“We focus on public speaking, giving productive feedback and working things into a resume,” Lee said. “When we look at what employees are looking for from recent college graduates or what people want in their personal relationships, a lot of those skills and attributes are ones promoted by the Ambassador Program.”
Current statewide ambassadors Alivia Hadfield and Austin Smith spoke in a Utah State Today article about their experiences in the program so far.
“I’ve gained invaluable job and career skills that I never thought I would gain as a sophomore,” Hadfield said.
Smith has been able to expand his college experience through the program.
“They’ve adjusted it in a way to where we are doing the most beneficial things, and a lot more of them to compensate for the things that we don’t have available down here,” Smith said.
The Statewide Ambassador Program is expanding in the 2024 school year, and applications are open now until March 15. The program is seeking applicants who are involved in school or community leadership, highly motivated and passionate.
More information about the Ambassador Program and how to apply can be found at usu.edu/admission/scholarships/ambassador.php.