Recruitment, outreach, career fairs; CNR student ambassadors shine

Among the many student groups housed by the College of Natural Resources (CNR), student ambassadors make the college feel like home to incoming CNR students. They play a pivotal role in recruiting events and in preparing personalized mailing materials for each prospective student.

CNR student ambassadors attend recruitment and outreach events such as UIdaho Bound, in addition to career and job fairs.

When they are not talking with students or families about U of I’s natural resources programs, they are working hard behind the scenes, preparing welcome packets and handwriting letters to accepted students.

Being an ambassador allows students to learn and practice transferable skills necessary for higher education or industry careers.

Current ambassador John Maes, a senior studying Forestry and Fire Ecology and Management, reflects on the tight-knit community the ambassadors have established, which includes sharing tasks and representing CNR.

“When things need to be done, everyone takes responsibility to come together and get things done,” he said.

Zoie Harvey, a third-year student ambassador studying Environmental Science, with an emphasis in Policy Planning and Management, also stressed the importance of working as a team.

“Relying on a team, we have multiple people with different strengths, especially with their different majors and areas of knowledge,” she said.

The student ambassadors also work with various employees, encouraging collaboration and creating opportunities for students to flourish with mentorship.

The communication and leadership skills the ambassadors learn throughout their experience is pivotal in preparing them for careers

Bella Canifax-Broesch, a junior studying Ecology and Conservation Biology and a minor in Wildlife Resources, shared her passion for animal conservation outreach and education, particularly in zoos. She said the communication skills she has learned as an ambassador will allow her to convey the importance of conserving species.

Much of the communication ambassadors do involves communicating to diverse audiences. Based on their experiences, ambassadors find personal ways to connect with prospective students and their families.

Abby Evans, a sophomore studying Conservation Biology, said sharing personal experiences as CNR students helps attract new students to the college.

“I was questioning what I wanted to do in college and what I might be happy in,” she said. “Having the opportunity to show prospective students they can do what makes them happy at work and still make a living is so important.”

Student ambassadors also extend their influence beyond the borders of U of I’s Moscow campus. They have participated in outreach and recruitment events in Sacramento, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, in addition to other events across Idaho.

Working as an ambassador has also taught the students about the value of getting involved.

“I learned it’s important to put myself out there and seize the opportunities that are in front of me to explore new boundaries,” said Gabriel Donahue, a junior studying Integrated Environmental Sciences.

In addition to being able to pass down the knowledge they have absorbed while at CNR, ambassadors are ultimately thankful for the opportunity to give back to the college. Many of them received handwritten letters from past student ambassadors when they were accepted into U of I. Writing these letters to the next generation of CNR students is a full circle moment for them.

“I get to give back and pass on the spirit of the Vandal family,” Gabriel said.