Kent State University’s Student Ambassador Program has recruited and trained 21 new students for the program.

Selected students have to go through training and complete requirements set by the program. Last year, 29 students joined the program and are a part of this organization that offers leadership, networking and service opportunities.

They’re one of the prestigious organizations on campus. They actually focus on the university pride. A lot of times they work presidential events,” Dennis Watson, assistant director of student and recent graduate programs, said.  “They work a lot of other big events that have constituents come, and they are the first people they see. They are also a service organization, so they do a lot of community service as well.”

Watson said that these students are usually the first people you see at an event. If you see some students in blazers, that’s them.

“I wanted to become an ambassador because I wanted to be more connected to the university and I wanted to meet people who were like-minded from all areas of campus,” senior communications studies major Amanda Bevington said.

The purpose of this organization is to be a student representative, to show others the Kent State pride and to try to spread that to everyone. They are student leaders that just want to excel, Watson said.

Every fall semester the organization recruits new members by setting up tables at events such as blastoff.  According to Watson, the requirements to become a student ambassador include: “the student having a maintained 3.0 grade point average, be enrolled for the following fall semester, be able to attend biweekly meetings and attend four events, plus Relay for Life and Homecoming.” 

“The connections you make are incredible and there is truly no experience quite like it at Kent State,” Bevington said.

Watson said that there are eight executive board positions available for students. Every spring semester the positions are delegated to the students through elections and then through transition meetings.

The executive board includes: president, vice president, secretary, recruitment, participation, marketing, membership, and community service.

The Alumni Association sponsors them, so the events they go to often include Kent State alumni. 

“I knew as soon as I got to Kent that I wanted to get really involved, just like I was in high school. I started working in the Alumni Office the summer before my freshman year and heard all about Student Ambassadors,” senior integrated mathematics major Emily Badock said. “It was the perfect way to get involved with service, as well as a great way to build leadership skills and meet different people. “

 Caleigh Marten is a reporter for the Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].