Student Programs and Services

Engineering Ambassadors Put a Human Face on Engineering

Echoing in the halls of the Engineering Center, you can often hear the friendly voice of an Engineering Ambassador giving a tour to prospective students, parents, or industry visitors. This diverse group of outgoing students puts a human face on engineering through outreach in CU-Boulder's Engineering Ambassadors (EA) program. The student group has about 30 members who represent most of the engineering departments, so Ambassadors can answer questions and share experiences from different backgrounds and viewpoints.

"EA is very enjoyable because you get to work with a variety of people including administration, students, parents, and K-12 groups by providing insight into engineering life at CU-Boulder," says Josh Engel, president of the 8-year-old organization.

In addition, Amy Hui says, "EA allows prospective students to get a tour from a student's point of view and shows parents that college kids can be responsible. I love EA's responsibility to reflect CU's engineering program, and I believe that this organization's impact has convinced many engineering prospects to enroll at CU."

Describing the skills an Engineering Ambassador can gain and how the experience helps members become better engineers, Heather Doty says: "Engineering Ambassadors is an excellent way to hone the interpersonal skills that many would say engineers typically lack. You gain experience in public speaking, not only through typical tours, but also on student panels. . . . Frankly, I think EA also helps with interviewing skills because it requires you to review your past experiences for incoming students as well as industry professionals."

Doty also likes helping students get comfortable at CU: "I have students come up to me all the time saying, 'You led my orientation tour,' and then I realize that I made an impact on them when it was most important."

The Engineering Ambassadors serve an important role not only as a liaison between administration and students and their parents, but also between the college and industry representatives. Sherry Snyder, director of student programs, provides Ambassador training for special events, such as Orientation and Engineering Open House. She also keeps the group up-to-date on university and college activities through meetings and e-mail.

"Industry clamors for the 'student perspective' and Engineering Ambassadors are the first students the dean's office turns to because they know we are capable of answering questions honestly and with poise," says Doty. "Although the dean's office heads up operations in the college, they cannot share a student's experiences in the lab or classroom. Industry representatives can find out what to expect from CU graduates in terms of knowledge and hands-on experience from the students."

The Engineering Ambassadors are a vital link between administration, students, parents, and industry. They bring to life and add character to the myriad of college brochures, and they add an element of reassurance and compassion to what for many students can be a harrowing first experience in college. The Ambassadors also have a positive impact on student recruitment and on college-industry relations. The members of EA are in every aspect, true ambassadors for the college of engineering. — By Holly Kleinman ucsub.colorado.edu/~ea