What is the World Campus Alumni Ambassador Program?
The Penn State World Campus Alumni Ambassador program was established to match prospective students with current students or recent graduates who can share their experiences with distance education at Penn State as well as tips for success in an online environment. Alumni Ambassadors are most typically recent World Campus alumni, but current students who are nearing the end of their program may participate as well.
The program helps current and former Penn State World Campus students stay connected to one another and to the University and gives them an opportunity to give back to their alma mater. There is such a large network of Penn State alumni that it makes sense to have programs that allow these individuals to help others achieve educational success.
There are currently more than 160 ambassadors representing 49 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and we are constantly looking to increase the number of volunteers, as well as the number of Penn State World Campus programs that have Alumni Ambassador representation!
When did the program begin?
The Penn State World Campus Alumni Ambassador program began in 2011. The idea was conceived because all of the physical campuses of Penn State have Lion Ambassadors, who are current student volunteers, as well as alumni volunteers. Both groups of volunteers work with prospective and newly admitted students who are interested in attending a physical campus of Penn State, and they help them to get a better idea of what the University has to offer. However, it became apparent that there wasn’t a comparable program for World Campus students, despite the fact that a lot of these students are returning adults, who are going back to school in an entirely new learning environment, and many of whom are not geographically located close enough to a Penn State campus to really get a closer look at the University.
How can the program help you?
The primarily role of an Alumni Ambassador is to contact prospective students who have asked to speak with a current World Campus student or alum. It is our hope that these students will enjoy and benefit from this personal contact from someone who has been a student at Penn State World Campus. Having appropriate expectations is extremely important when determining if distance education at Penn State is a good fit. By talking to someone who has been through the program, potential students can make informed decisions about their educational options, and they can begin to prepare for success earlier in the process!
Find out how to connect with an Alumni Ambassador by completing this simple form. If you’re a graduate of Penn State World Campus and would like to volunteer to become an ambassador, please complete this volunteer interest form today!
