PRESIDENTIAL AMBASSADOR APPLICATION 2017
The Presidential Ambassadorship in Higher Education is designed to give undergraduate students from diverse fields and backgrounds the opportunity to collaborate with the University administration on President Pershing's student initiatives. The ambassadorship will also provide opportunities to learn about leadership and issues in higher education. In turn, the University administration benefits by seeing and experiencing the student perspective.
The Presidential Ambassadorship in Higher Education program is looking for a small, diverse group of individuals who will represent the University of Utah and President Pershing well. Ambassadors will work on campus projects that are aligned with the goals the President has outlined for the University.
Additionally, Presidential Ambassadors have the opportunity of assisting President Pershing and members of his staff at various campus events. Ambassadors will also be involved in planning and attending several seminars designed to examine higher education issues and leadership through readings, discussion, and meetings withUniversity and community leaders.
To qualify for this ambassadorship, a student must:
- Exhibit an interest in higher education, the University of Utah and its larger community
- Be committed to University-related, service-oriented work
- Have experience working as a member of a group in order to meet specified goals
- Have academic standing as a sophomore, junior, or senior by the end of Spring Semester 2017
- Have completed at least one academic year as a University of Utah student
- Have a minimum 3.25 cumulative University of Utah GPA by the end of Fall Semester 2016
- Make an academic-year-long commitment: August 2017 to May 2018
- Commit to working a maximum of 10 hours per week
- Commit to attend a weekly meeting on Wednesdays from 2-5 pm. One hour will be a regular meeting, another hour will be a project team meeting, and then once per month there will be one hour seminar with University and community leaders that extends the meeting to the full three hours.
Applications must be hand delivered to the Office of the President, Room 202 of the Park Building no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 3, 2017. Finalists will be contacted to set up an interview no later than Friday, March 17, 2017; final decisions will be made no later than Friday, April 7, 2017.
Presidential Ambassadorship in Higher Education
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF AMBASSADORSHIP PROGRAM:
Orientation
(mandatory to accepting a position as a presidential ambassador) - scheduled on Friday, August 18, 2017 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Weekly Meeting
(commitment to attend is mandatory to accepting a position as a presidential ambassador) every Wednesday between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Project Work
Ambassadors will work on campus projects that are aligned with the goals the President has outlined for the University.
Academic-Year-Long Seminar on Higher Education and Leadership
(One hour sessions on a Wednesday between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.)
- Ambassadors will be attending three seminars per semester. The seminars will focus on higher education relationships, leadership, issues and organization internal to the U of U, issues and organization external to the U of U - mainly state issues and national trends.
- The responsibility for organizing the seminar program rests with the lead ambassadors. They will work closely with Sandi Pershing, the First Lady to plan the seminar including setting each semester long agenda and selecting speakers.
- As part of the seminar program, President Pershing will meet once per semester with ambassadors.
Hosting/Working Presidential Events
- Ambassadors will assist the Assistant to the First Lady at events hosted by President at his home and elsewhere on campus (taking coats, assisting guests with special needs, applying ice melt,etc.)
- Attending as guests at selected receptions and events
- Co-hosting guests in the President's Suite in Rice-Eccles Stadium for football games