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Honors Program

Honors Ambassadors A.C.T.

Students Serving Students

The Student and Mentor Ambassadors help to further the Honors Program mission of fostering broad thinkers, creative problem solvers, and influential leaders. Each semester highly motivated and caring students apply to fill these roles in their classes. Our ambassadors help fellow students reach these goals as well as develop unique attributes of leadership, interdisciplinary understanding, and service.

The ways in which our Honors Ambassadors serve varies based on the circumstances of their own classes, and this semester presented unique challenges! Honors Student Ambassadors help build the community of Honors students, notify students of activities, and help the flow of communication in both directions. But some ambassadors this semester have been able to tailor their service to their students and found unique ways to adapt and connect. Emilee Smith, an ambassador for the 8th Section of Honors 120, wanted to be able to give her classmates a personal gift. She decided to give all of her classmates fruit snacks. Through her vocal request, the program was able to secure funding to provide fruit snacks for every student in Honors classes this semester, not just her own class. Additionally, Tayzlie Haack, an ambassador for the 1st Section of Honors 320, saw her class abruptly transition online in response to heightening Covid-19 concerns. Adapting to new challenges, Tayzlie began sending out weekly updates to her classmates to keep them informed and attending online office hours in an effort to maintain the community of her class. There were many more situations like these where ambassadors took the initiative to provide for their class’ needs.

As a program, we want to thank this semester’s ambassadors for the myriad of ways they accepted and met our Director’s challenge to ACT: Adapt, Connect, and Transcend!  We hope students in their sections will also take the time to express appreciation for the ways these ambassadors have helped build our community in this separated semester:

Emma Dart (Honors 290R-01), Matthew Thompson (Honors 221), Alyssa Mingorance (Honors 220), Benjamin Stubblefield (Honors 290R-02), Elizabeth Baldwin (Honors 290R-02), Tayzlie Haack (Honors 320-01), Naomi Julian (Honors 226), Mary Lewis (Honors 220-02), Emma Wheeler (Honors 220-02), Connor Smith (Honors 120), Zach Hubert (Honors 120), Spencer McWilliams (Honors 120), Elisha Freitas (Honors 120), Joseph Willes (Honors 120), Cameron Marx (Honors 120), Elyna Mellen (Honors 120), Joshua Weatherford (Honors 120), Tiara Eddington (Honors 120), Emilee Smith (Honors 120), Zeke Brown (Honors 120), Samuel Sandler (Honors 120), Owen Laurie (Mentor), and Raistlyn Camphuysen (Mentor)

For the coming winter semester, the program will have two distinct types of ambassadors: Student ambassadors will serve with the Honors classes that they attend. Historically we have chosen two ambassadors per class. These leaders seek to build the Honors Community within their classes. This is often done through study groups, project coordination, and simply being a friend to those around them. Our most exceptional ambassadors have found further ways to serve and lead by thinking outside of the box.

Mentor ambassadors are more experienced Honors students who look to guide those less experienced in the program. These students are at least sophomores in the program who have already completed a few courses. They are able to provide guidance and friendship to those just starting out in the program. The mentor ambassadorship program is still new and needs motivated and caring leaders to help it to thrive.

Applications for student ambassadors will go out at the beginning of the Winter 2021 semester. Applications of mentor ambassadors will go out before the end of the year. Watch for information from the Honors Program to follow! These are great opportunities to grow as a scholar and a leader!