Behind the Scenes: CEA Alumni Ambassador Program

As CEA’s Alumni Relations Coordinator and the CEA Alumni Ambassador point-of-contact, she has been able to weave her CEA Florence study abroad experience into a fulltime job. By joining the CEA Alumni Ambassador team, you’ll not only join a dynamic team of study abroad enthusiasts and start a new chapter of your study abroad journey, but you’ll also get to work with a CEA team member who shares your passion for spreading study abroad awareness! 

 

(Plus, don’t miss out on the chance to join the Alumni Ambassador team!)

 

Kristi: Anything and everything Ambassador-related. I’m responsible for appointing ambassadors, training them, coordinating program meetings and responsibilities, and supporting them throughout their tenure as an ambassador. Support includes helping them brainstorm and execute outreach ideas on their campus, ensuring that they are fully equipped and performing well, and providing career-advising sessions. A lot of our ambassadors are focused on going abroad again (work, grad school, etc.) and they regularly seek guidance for abroad opportunities and professional development.

 

 

Kristi: Simple–our ambassadors. They truly are an inspirational team; all of them have their own unique experiences and significant lessons they learned from studying abroad. I love interacting with them because they challenge each other and myself to incorporate the ways in which we’ve changed from our journeys in daily living and future aspirations. In regards to my work, I love the developmental and leadership aspects. This role provides amazing opportunity for me to consistently be innovative, creative, and take initiative.

Kristi & her Mom at the San Lorenzo Market

 

Kristi: Helping our ambassadors “complete the study abroad cycle.” I help them learn how to further reflect on their time abroad, articulate their growth and change in perspective, leverage their new understanding in future encounters and aspirations, and to continue to think global. It’s the most rewarding shared accomplishment when our ambassadors successfully land their first job out of college, get into grad school, or continue their journeys abroad after learning how to incorporate their study abroad experience and professional development as an ambassador. That’s what it’s all about – continued growth.

 

Kristi: Their maturity and passion. They blow my mind. I remember who I was when I was their age and realize that we share the same passion for wanderlust and intention to utilize this newfound identity study abroad taught us about ourselves. The funny thing is that it’s subconscious most of the time. Most ambassadors have no idea what that actually means to utilize the power of their newfound identity and perspective. Their evolution from study abroad supplies them with a unique power to change the world, and they’re just beginning to realize that.

 

Kristi: I’ve learned on a much deeper level how study abroad actually changes people. I’ve learned what that growth means, rather than just commonly promoted benefits such as “global competence, employment advantage, etc.” They helped me truly understand beyond all the articles how studying abroad actually transforms people in so many different ways and just how powerful that can be for ourselves, our community, and our global position.

 

Kristi: Any CEA alum who needs an outlet to share their experience, is looking to collaborate and network with fellow enthusiasts, is intentional about continuing their growth and professional development, and more importantly, feels devoted to our shared effort of inspiring more students to go abroad and embark on their own journey.