Life as an OU Admissions Ambassador
Kirsten Carroll, Staff Writer
Have you ever been walking on campus and suddenly you see a tour group being led by what appears to be a student? Have you ever wondered who those students are and what their jobs are? What about that amazing yellow package you received after you got accepted into Oglethorpe? Have you ever wondered who put those packages together?
The Oglethorpe University Ambassadors are the people that you see giving tours, putting together Petrel Packages for newly accepted students every year, and so much more! The Ambassador program at OU is operated through the Admissions Office in Lupton Hall, and it entails many different responsibilities. As an Admissions Ambassador myself, I can honestly say that this is the one job that holds the most value to me out of all the other jobs I have worked at in the past.
Karah Lindsey, a junior at Oglethorpe University and a Lead Ambassador, sat down in an interview with me. I asked her why she joined the Ambassador Program, and she answered, “I came on a tour my senior year in high school and my tour guides were so nice and genuine! I wanted to be them when I grew up! I also wanted to run my own tour company at the time and thought this would give me great experience.”
When asked what her favorite part of her role is, Karah couldn’t come up with just one answer, so she said that giving tours and completing office hours at Lupton Hall were both equally her favorite. Karah also said that Scholarship Weekend is her favorite Admissions event as an Ambassador because she thinks the food and students are top-notch.
Being an Ambassador is so much more than giving tours. Ambassadors are also expected to complete anywhere from two to ten office hours per week in the Admissions Office at Lupton Hall. Not only that, but they are also required to attend anywhere from 1 to 3 special events per semester. A special event could be a Saturday tour, Scholarship Weekend, and so much more! There are also three different levels of the Ambassador role, which are a Black and Gold Academy member, Admissions Ambassador, and a Lead Ambassador.
A.J., a sophomore at Oglethorpe University and a Black and Gold Academy member, said that she joined the Ambassador program because she was inspired by the tour of Oglethorpe that she went on when she was in high school. “My tour was the reason I came to Oglethorpe, and I wanted to be able to give that experience to other potential students,” A.J. answered. When I asked her what her favorite part of her role is and why, she said, “My favorite part is giving the tours and actually being one on one with potential students and their families.” Like Karah, Scholarship Weekend is also her favorite Admissions event because there is a plethora of things to do that she is very excited to be a part of.
Alex Nukpi, a sophomore at Oglethorpe University and a Black and Gold Academy member, said, during an interview with her, that her tour at Scholarship Weekend was the reason she decided to come to Oglethorpe and join the Ambassador program. She also said that Scholarship Weekend is her favorite Admissions event. “My favorite role is shadowing tours because getting to know people that may end up on campus is fun,” she said after I asked her what her favorite part of her role is and why.
During my interviews with Karah and A.J., Karah said that she would use the word “fun” to describe what it’s like being an Ambassador, and A.J. said that she would use the word “exhilarating.” Being an Ambassador is an amazing role to have as a college student, and I have learned so much just from this past semester about the value of giving and sharing my experiences with the people on my tours. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.
