Why I love being a Student Ambassador

This article was written by BA(Hons) Theatre & Performance student, Holly.

When I first started university, I knew I wanted to get involved in more than my course; I wanted to meet people, gain experiences and find a way to gain a bit of extra money alongside studying. In second year, I got that opportunity. I got accepted to become a Student Ambassador and it has ended up being one of the best ways I've managed to do all three.

Here are some of the best things I love about being a Student Ambassador:

The flexibility

My university life and course are very unpredictable, especially when I'm in most days, have coursework, rehearsals, productions and everything else that comes with being a student. Being an ambassador allows me to pick and apply for any job that fits around my schedule and studies, instead of it being the other way around. There are plenty of different types of shifts available to make that work. The job is very aware of its ambassadors being university students, and understands how busy we can be, particularly during hand in dates!

The variety

Some shifts are smaller jobs, such as one-to-one Campus Tours. Others are much bigger days, such as Open Days and Graduation. I've really enjoyed being part of these because it's allowed me to see a different side of university life. I'm not just helping, I'm part of the reason future students and their families have a good experience when they visit. That can sometimes make a huge difference.

The opportunities to meet new people

Throughout my time working as an ambassador, I've met so many wonderful people, from other students from different courses to university staff. Working with a wide range of people has helped me get to know people I probably wouldn't have crossed paths with otherwise. It’s opened learning about different opportunities, such as working and helping with different projects they or I may be working on, or being introduced to new areas of ambassador work. Lastly, it's given me a chance to learn from these people and their experiences of university and share my own.

The different pathways available

Alongside the general ambassador role, I’ve been able to sign up and get accepted to being an Equity and Digital Ambassador. These have given me the chance to develop skills and do shifts in different areas I might not have necessarily got to explore in my course. The Equity pathway gives me the opportunity to get involved in work around making workshops and delivering them to secondary school students or being trained to work with younger students to best help them when thinking of going to Falmouth University. I’ve really enjoyed being able to share my own university experience with them to help them understand that this is an option for them if they want it to be. It has also helped me think about my future and has given me the opportunity to explore my interest in working with young people in education. The digital pathway has allowed me to get involved with content creation and supporting the university online. I’ve enjoyed being able to develop my digital skills in different areas and see how the work I do as an ambassador can be used beyond just events and campus visits.

The skills I've developed

The role without a doubt has helped me develop skills that I know I will be able to take with me after university. Being an ambassador involves communicating, teamwork, answering questions, planning, helping with events and so much more. I have become much more of a confident person during this job.