Kent State has appointed their newest ambassador to the president. Sharlene Ramos-Chesnes began her position at the start of the spring 2016 semester.

She is the chief executive officer of InterChez, located in Stow, Ohio, and has worked as an educator in the past.  

Q:  Could you explain what your position is and what it entails?

A:  The Presidential Ambassador position works on behalf — and with — the president of the university on enhancing student life. It is the initiative to make sure that we are taking a look at the student body and continuing to understand what the student needs are.

Q:  As the president’s ambassador, one of the roles that you have is to share your professional knowledge and experience with Kent State’s students and faculty. How do you plan to accomplish this?

A: By working alongside the president. By being on campus, arranging opportunities to meet with students and to listen to what they have to say.

Q:  What are some key ideas that you hope to get across during your time in the position?

A:  For me the most important thing is that we work together. In today’s world being such a global economy, that we have to learn to get along, that we can be an individual. We can maintain our culture and our ethnicities, but we should be willing to share them with others.

Q:  How will you be a catalyst for these changes?  Specifically, what methods or procedures will you use?

A:  I am part of a team and so as I work with the team and listen to what the president’s initiative is, my approach will continue to develop. I want to be respectful and efficient, but I also want to make sure I accomplish a goal before my time is up, but before that I can do that I need to understand what the team can accomplish together.

Q:  Are there any measurements you have to meet to be considered successful?

A:  There are two sides to that, right?  I have my personal goals and then the university would have their own measurements.  Personally, what I am measuring how I made a difference. With the students, for the university as a whole, and have I made a difference that will move forward or will it end at the end of my time in the position?  For this calendar year my goal is to be a part of a program or culture, to set in motion something that will become a part of the fabric of the university.

Q:  As a successful businesswoman, what would you say to the women of Kent State in regards to achieving goals and becoming successful?

A: Be aware of yourself. You have to be confident in yourself.  It is time to start changing how we are described, but we have to be apart of that.  So as a woman that is grooming herself to be successful to not allow yourself to be described by someone else. Don’t let someone else tell you who you are.  You need to know who you are. If you know who you are then you can better represent yourself to others.