Rick Williams, president of the ambassadors and senior in business administration, said the program was developed in the early 1980s when the university decided to enlist student leaders to help with the recruiting efforts of the admissions office. Williams said using students to recruit is valuable because they understand the concerns and decisions high school students are facing.
“Using students to recruit is one of the best tools because we were just in high school and we know how it is,” Williams said. “When I first visited USU I fell in love. I felt like people really cared about me, and I wasn’t just another face. I want students to experience the same thing I’ve experienced here.”
Williams said there are currently about 90 student who serve as university ambassadors, recruitment ambassadors, transfer ambassadors and ambassadors to the president. Ambassadors perform roles as vast as taking prospective students on campus tours, to giving presentations about USU to high schools and junior colleges, to mingling and welcoming guests to events with USU President Stan Albrecht.
Williams said ambassadors also facilitate leadership conferences and activities for high school students interested in USU. He said having students experience the university for themselves is probably the best recruitment tool.
“One way to recruit is to get students to get up to campus. We know that if they get up to campus they’ll fall in love with it. Each one of us loves Utah State … we encourage them to get up here to experience life as an Aggie.”
Williams said other responsibilities of ambassadors are to attend office hours each week where they research high schools, answer e-mails and phone calls from high school students and answer general questions about student life.
Amy Stuart, ambassador and senior in family finance, said she loves her job as an ambassador and enjoys spreading her enthusiasm for USU.
“I love my job. I love giving tours and going to high schools and being excited about Utah State,” she said. “I love seeing students up here after they’ve chosen to attend USU. I love to run into them and see they just love it. I feel like my hard work has paid off. They enjoy it and I helped light that little spark.”
Clint Fernelius, freshman in computer engineering, said Stuart, the USU ambassador assigned to his high school, made finding information about USU and learning about college life easy.
“She always had the info I needed whether she could tell me or give me the number to call someone,” he said of Stuart. “She always had information about housing and programs and was always able to inform me of all the events.”
Fernelius said besides talking to an ambassador, what really sold him was when he visited for leadership conferences hosted by the ambassadors. Not only did he get to meet other future Aggies, but he said he really enjoyed the feel of Logan and the university.
“I just love how it’s not a commuter school, majority of students live on campus or within a mile or two so the whole community is a majority of college student,” he said. “Here you’re totally immersed in college life and get the most out of it ... . I’ve only been here two weeks and it’s been the time of my life so far.”
Stuart said over the years working as an ambassador she has learned that it’s important to have a passion for what you do, whether it be school or a career.
“I’ve learned about showing passion for something you love and sharing it with other people,” she said.
Becoming an ambassador and sharing the excitement with others isn’t easy. Williams said of the 400 applicants last year, they only accepted 40 new freshmen and transfer ambassadors. Once an ambassador, he said they receive extensive training on presentations, university policies, traditions and information, leadership and balancing school, ambassador responsibilities and other activities on campus.
Despite the heavy responsibilities, Williams said he loves being an ambassador and has appreciated the opportunities it has provided.
“A lot has stemmed from the ambassador program,” he said. “I’ve learned time management and leadership, which is invaluable as I pursue a career or family. I benefit a lot more than I’ve been able to give. It’s just fun. It’s flat out fun.”
He said his favorite part is simply sharing his experience as an Aggie with students.
“I want students to know why I went to USU, why students here have so much pride, why students at the football and basketball games are screaming and yelling and other opportunities that make the atmosphere just different here,” he said.
–karlie.brand@aggiemail.usu.edu