Brand ambassadors are very common among popular consumer goods and services, and it is normal to see them on university campuses where they can help serve a variety of roles, from basic evangelizing to answering questions and converting customers. The Engler College of Business has its own team, the Engler Ambassadors, whose job it is to attend the many functions of the COB, as well as serve as a resource and exemplar of the well-connected student.
“We started this group in 2021,” says Brandy Carr, Coordinator of Undergraduate Business Programs and Instructor of Business. “We wanted to have a student group that represented the college of Business. We found that we wanted students to represent us at activities and events. We also wanted feedback from students.
To that end, the Engler Ambassadors help fill these voids by serving the important role of liaison. They started with a group of four, hand-picked through an application and interview process. Seven students have served in this capacity during the Fall 2024 semester. While a spot on the Engler Ambassador team is not paid, those students do receive a scholarship. Engler Ambassadors this Fall included Tory Trahern, Luis Martinez, Camden Sperry, Maylee Wertz, Larissa Alderete, Romie Rubio, and Zapryce Johnson.
Ambassadors participate in a variety of COB activities, from coffee and donut days, to open houses, Discover WT, recruiting visits to Amarillo College, and more. Each student has a minimum number of events to attend each semester, and the students often take turns rotating through the various events.
“Whenever we’re working with alumni or prospective students, we want to have a student voice, says Carr. “They want to hear from students, so we make sure they are always available.” One time not long ago a group of Amarillo College students visited the COB, and the Ambassadors played a big role. “They got to talk to our students, and sit down one-on-one, talk about their experiences, and what it is like to be a student here.”
Applications to become an Ambassador are put out right after Spring Break for a couple of weeks. The interview process then begins, and finalists are selected. The process is completed before the end of the Spring semester. “We then do a training right before school starts in the Fall,” Carr adds. The student’s commitment ranges from 15-20 hours each semester.
An added bonus of the program is that the Ambassadors provide ideas for the COB. From their senior perspective, they have experienced WT and our programs from a different perspective than faculty and administrators are sometimes not able to see. “They’re going to tell us what students, and what is useful and beneficial for students.”
Students interested in becoming an Engler Ambassador should check with the Undergraduate office in the COB next March.