Northeast Community College has a select group of students known as Ambassadors.
These first- and second-year students give tours, help at functions and answer questions from prospective students. They know a lot about the college, often providing knowledge from first-hand experience.
This year’s Ambassadors are Bailee Ahlemeyer, second year, Cambridge; Ailyn Angel, first year, Schuyler; Rylee Balzer, first year, Clarkson; Hunter Claycomb, second year, Waverly; Lydia Jahnke, first year, Henderson; Brooklyn Jarecki, first year, Columbus; Jaden Kohl, third year, Raymond; Amy Lauby, second year, Fairmont; Haylee Wachter, second year, Stuart, Iowa; Delaney Mazza, second year, Wilber; Larissa Voichoski, first year, Riverdale; Isabel Raburn, second year, Holdrege; Grace Penner, second year, McCool Junction; Owen Schieffer, second year, Waverly; Alekxa Olvera, second year, Schuyler, Saige Scheele, first year, Gresham; and Camila Vargas, first year, Columbus.
Isabel Raburn, a second-year student from Holdrege, said she had difficulty choosing a college, which was one of the reasons she wanted to become an Ambassador.
“I remember my senior year (in high school), I didn’t know where I wanted to go, so I decided that I wanted to help other students weigh all the factors,” Raburn said. “I became an Ambassador because I wanted to give tours and show others why I chose Northeast.”
Bailee Ahlemeyer, a second-year student from Cambridge, had a similar experience.
“After my first year at Northeast, I really fell in love with campus and everything that Northeast has to offer. I wanted to tell other people interested in Northeast how great this college is because I want more people to come here,” Ahlemeyer said.
Ambassadors can be new students or returning students. They must have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA, strong communication skills and good problem-solving skills. Students who are Ambassadors often use it to build their resumes.
Haley Mattison, Northeast assistant director of Recruitment, served as a sponsor of the Ambassadors for five years. She said about every major has been represented.
“They have to be savvy about everything on campus,” Mattison said.
It no longer is a club, but a part-time position. Students generally work about six hours a week.
Julie DeFor, Northeast campus visit specialist, is in her second year as a co-sponsor. She said some of the attributes that are sought include students who are outgoing, have a bubbly personality and are genuine and warm.
Alekxa Olvera, a second-year student from Schuyler who also is in her second year as an Ambassador, said she enjoys helping at the Latino Summit. Olvera is bilingual, which also proves to be a benefit with some tours. She also has translated for other college offices when they need it.
Ambassadors have assisted at Northeast for decades. They help to build community, usually working about six hours a week. There usually are 16 to 18 Ambassadors, providing an average of 50 tours a week.
Northeast is usually booked out for tours about three months in advance. The students also are given a manual and trained for two weeks at the start of the school year.
Delaney Mazza, a second-year student from Wilber, said she enjoys events like Career Days for ninth-graders, or eighth-grade campus visits. The visiting students have good questions, and it reminds her of when she visited campuses when she was considering a college.
“It’s interesting to see what they are interested in and what they want to see, like the Weller Building or the Nursing Building (according to their interests),” Raburn said.
Larisa Voichoski is a first-year student from Riverdale. She became interested when she went on a tour to Northeast, remembering how friendly and helpful her Ambassador was on her visit.
“I see it as a good opportunity to meet people, make connections and get out of my comfort zone, as well as to be able to show other people that we have a good college," Voichoski said.
Oftentimes, being an Ambassador leads to new friendships. Whether it is such things as going out for ice cream or taking a yoga class together, the Ambassadors meet lots of people and rely on one another for support.
Mattison said she has been invited to a former Ambassador’s wedding and visited with past Ambassadors when they return for graduations in May. Some of the Northeast employees now once worked as Ambassadors when they were students.
“They have a great reputation around campus,” Mattison said.
Northeast Ambassadors
Northeast Community College has 17 Ambassadors this year. Over the decades, the number has grown from about 10 to as many as 18. (Northeast Community College)
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