We feel the best ways to strengthen relationships with our partner schools, to recruit a diverse and prepared group of participants, and to be assured of the quality of our program is through the students themselves.  We have developed this Ambassador program to increase the number of applicants from partner schools, to reward successful College Now students by making them good examples and leaders for their peers, and to learn how College Now can best fit the needs of our NYC public high school students. The Ambassador will help strategize with their high school counselor best ways in which to recruit students to College Now from their school. 

This is an opportunity for our College Now students to act as a link to the high schools we work with.  This will include many responsibilities, ultimately being partly accountable for the next group of incoming College Now students.

BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN AMBASSADOR:

• We encourage Ambassadors to work out the best strategy for their school.  This could include posting fliers, putting ads in school newsletters, etc.  We do think that hosting at least one recruiting session is a great idea for every school in at least some capacity
• The ambassador will attend at least one meeting with their advisor and a College Now representative to plan for a recruiting session for their junior and senior peers.  This could mean many different possibilities—speaking to all juniors and seniors in a big assembly hall; speaking only to those students who qualify; speaking to small advisory groups or classes; or, anything else creative Ambassadors can construct
• The issues the Ambassador may address could include: the application process, including scores and waiver classes, resources available at Hunter, personal experience from their semester, etc.
• The Ambassador will be available to answer questions about College Now after the presentations as well as during the school day.  Students may also use their Hunter email address as a way for their peers to email them questions about their experience with College Now.
• Ambassadors will help their advisor at the high school remind fellow College Now students about schedule changes, events, and important drop and withdraw dates.  This can be done in a variety of ways, i.e. lunch pizza parties (paid for by College Now) mass emails, school announcements, etc.
• The ambassador will attend at least one gathering with College Now to provide opinions and feedback to help improve the College Now program for semesters to come

HOW COLLEGE AMBASSADORS WILL BENEFIT FROM PROGRAM

• Ambassadors will develop excellent resume qualities, such as, responsibility, maturity, and professionalism
• Ambassadors will build a stronger bond with their college advisor after working with them on the College Now recruitment strategies at their high school
• Ambassadors will get a unique and advantageous prospective of the college admissions and recruiting process
• Ambassadors will learn leadership skills by hosting recruiting sessions for their peers
• Ambassadors will be able to improve confidence in speaking and presentation skills
• Ambassadors will receive Hunter logo paraphernalia and in addition will be eligible for a free hunter book voucher from the Hunter Bookstore if they matriculate as Hunter undergraduate students

RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL ADVISOR:

• The advisor will provide support for the ambassador by helping them plan a recruiting session, especially in working with other teachers and administrators
• The advisor will be present at the planning meeting (at your high school) with the College Now representative at the recruiting session the student ultimately hosts

RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLEGE NOW:

• College Now will give materials to the student ambassador, including making as many copies as the student sees fit
• College Now will inform the ambassador about details of the application process, basic facts about Hunter college, and other issues he/she will feel comfortable presenting
• College Now will be present at the student’s recruitment session (if wanted) to help with anything else the student may need

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WILL BE:

• 1-2 Juniors or Seniors who have taken and passed, or are taking a College Now class
• Mature, outgoing, well-respected students on their high school campuses
• Approved by their high school College now liaisons whom they will have to work with throughout the school year

           If you attend one of our partner high schools and would like more information on how you can be a part of the 2007/2008 Ambassador Program, please email Emily Sedlis at emily.sedlis@hunter.cuny.edu or call her at 212-772-4486.  Scroll down for pictures from past year’s Ambassador Program!

Click to view our 2007-2008 Student Ambassador Team

   Our first class of Ambassadors in 2005-2006

  
Caption:  From left to right, top row: Andrea Zaharieva (Talent Unlimited) Gareth Thompson (Talent Unlimited) Nick Ungar (Eleanor Roosevelt) Shatequa Robinson (NEST+m) D’Andre Carr (NEST+m) bottom row:  Julia Arvay (F.H. LaGuardia) Aliza Travis (Eleanor Roosevelt).  Missing from picture:  Samantha Arce (Eleanor Roosevelt) Kristen Jones (F.H. LaGuardia)