By Leah Anderson

When I applied for the College of Liberal Arts Ambassador position, I wasn’t sure what to expect. My decision to apply was very last minute, I literally picked up an application on the day they were due. The job description sounded fun, and I wanted to get more involved within my own college.

I knew once I met my fellow ambassadors that I would enjoy this volunteer experience. Everyone I met was very friendly and hilarious –we all could relate to feeling a tad discriminated against by our engineering and science-oriented peers. I loved meeting so many new people and feeling so connected with my college in general.

One thing I learned about myself through this experience was that I love to talk to new students. It was great to be able to calm their nerves and pass on all of the wisdom I have accumulated over my time at OSU. While at first I was hesitant about giving presentations in front of so many people, I found that it was easy because I was talking about things I knew quite a bit about: myself and my time on campus. Students interested in my major (Fine Arts) would seek me out to learn more about my personal experiences at OSU. As much as I enjoy talking about myself, it was also fantastic giving them advise that may help them be happier and more successful at OSU when they become students.

I also got to learn more about some of the Liberal Arts options we have available at OSU. For example, I had no idea that the philosophy program sponsored lectures promoting world peace or that the speech communication option had classes on public relations. The ambassadors as a whole represent quite a few different majors, so it was great to meet people I probably would never have had a class with on campus.

Overall I’d definitely have to say that this position has become one of the highlights of my college career. Not only does it look great on a resume, but I met fantastic people, wore a hip uniform (we remain the only college that gets to wear t-shirts to recruiting events), and represented the school which gave me so much over the past few years. I’d encourage anyone to apply who loves OSU and wants to find an unconventional way to get involved on campus.

If you’re interested, the application to become an ambassador is located on the CLA website. Fill it out and bring it in to Gilkey 213 by 5:00 pm on February 17th.  If you have any questions or would like more information about being an ambassador, please contact Kerry Thomas, kerry.thomas@oregonstate.edu