The Undergraduate Advising Office in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University has launched a new initiative aimed at student outreach and engagement. The Student Ambassador program was created last year and is managed by the Mechanical Engineering Leadership Council (MELC), in conjunction with the Undergraduate Advising Office.
The ambassadors are hired as student employees and are upper-level, undergraduate students who are passionate about promoting the field of mechanical engineering and sharing their experiences at Texas A&M.
The ambassador program consists of several elements that are supervised by the advising office. Each ambassador holds walk-in hours that have been set up to accommodate prospective students and their families seeking information about the department.
“The intention of the program is to provide a more personable experience to individuals who may otherwise feel lost or overwhelmed with information,” said Rachal Thomassie, undergraduate advisor.
Ambassadors must be mechanical engineering students who have completed their sophomore level coursework and they must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.
The program allows ambassadors to speak from an experienced perspective on the department’s expectations for students.
Ambassadors answer a multitude of questions prospective students or freshman may have including: what jobs can a mechanical engineer do; is a study-abroad/co-op/internship worth the time; and does mechanical engineering get easier?
“By having students available to answer questions, the program reduces the load on the mechanical engineering advisors,” said former student ambassador Katherine Letourneau. “We sought to answer questions from the perspective that many students are looking for and ambassadors share their passion and advice with mechanical engineering students.”
