Campus ambassadors have a unique opportunity to spread the word about Peace Corps on college campuses. The campus ambassador develops relationships with professors and student club presidents, coordinates events, creates social media, and much more. Peace Corps is seeking next year’s campus ambassador.
Alec Hayes is the 2018–2019 Illinois State Peace Corps campus ambassador. Hayes is majoring in sociology with a minor in children’s studies.
Apply by April 5 to be next year’s Peace Corps campus ambassador!
Hayes has been working closely with the campus recruiter, graduate student and Stevenson Center Fellow Drea Luce, on ways to raise the visibility of Peace Corps as an effective way to jump-start a career after graduation.
“The campus recruiter has a list of objectives she needs to accomplish and I have a list that goes hand in hand with the recruiter’s. We’ve put together informational and social events and given RSO and class talks all with the goal of promoting Peace Corps,” Hayes explained. Campus ambassadors can help Peace Corps connect with groups of students who may not yet know the many benefits of service.
The campus ambassador position allows students to build a close partnership with Peace Corps recruiters, receive professional development and mentorship, and gain résumé-building skills with the Peace Corps. Ambassadors also have the opportunity to participate in free leadership development workshops. I know that these connections will benefit me as I move forward in my career.—Alec Hayes
“You don’t have to be 100 percent certain that you’re going into the Peace Corps to benefit from this opportunity,” noted Hayes.
Hayes has build relationships and learned more about herself through this experience. “It’s a great networking opportunity, and I got to make great connections with those who work in the Stevenson Center. While there hasn’t been an immediate impact, I know that these connections will benefit me as I move forward in my career,” she said.
The position allows for creativity and the chance to pursue personal goals and aspirations. “I got to tailor my experience as campus ambassador in a way that was particularly beneficial for me. I sat down with Drea, and we discussed what goals I had and what I hoped to gain from the experience. She did an incredible job of giving me work that would benefit me, assist her, and promote Peace Corps. I never felt like I was doing something worthless,” Hayes explained.
For anyone considering applying to be next year’s campus ambassador, Hayes simply says, “Apply! If you’re willing to make the commitment, absolutely do it.”
Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply for the 2019–2020 Peace Corps campus ambassador position. The application is live until April 5.
Megan Birk is the Stevenson Center’s public relations intern.
