Many future Spartans get their first glimpse of Michigan State University through a campus tour. For prospective students visiting the College of Engineering, that first impression is often guided by student ambassadors who are current Engineering students with firsthand experience. The guides turn buildings, pathways and programs into something more personal: a sense of possibility.
With more than 51,000 students, an extensive list of majors, minors and concentrations, and more than 1,000 registered student organizations, the number of options can feel as overwhelming as it does exciting. The student ambassador’s objective—help prospective and incoming students navigate the possibilities so they can make decisions for their future.
Collin Fall, a senior majoring in chemical engineering, said his favorite part of being a Future Spartan Engineer student ambassador is meeting with incoming students who are excited about MSU Engineering. “I especially enjoy individual tours with students and their families because they allow me to tailor the experience to their interests and place full emphasis on the things they most want to learn about and see.”
From helping prospective students become familiar with available resources like the Engineering living learning community, mentoring and professional development programs, student success support and services, undergraduate research opportunities, and navigating the transition to college life, student ambassadors help prospective and incoming students get their questions answered. Annaleise Mignott, a sophomore majoring in computer engineering, said participating in community outreach as a Future Spartan Engineer ambassador has opened doors for her as well. She heads to Lewton Spanish Immersion School every other Friday morning and enjoys watching the students’ curiosity grow. She has taught students as young as first graders and said it is both energizing and deeply rewarding, a reminder that the spark for engineering can start early.
“Doing outreach events and teaching students brings me joy,” Mignott said. “Additionally, it is a great opportunity for building those professional skills and interacting with other like-minded ambassadors to share growth.”
Future Spartan Engineers student ambassadors serve in ways that stretch well beyond the tour route. Their work reflects a simple idea with lasting reach: welcoming students is not just about showing them where to go but helping them see what is possible when they get here.
Broadening Participation K-12 and Women in Engineering (WIE)
Broadening Participation K12 and Women in Engineering offer impactful student ambassador programs as well. Focused on recruitment and outreach, the ambassadors support all students from a wide range of backgrounds. The team welcomes many schools and individual students to campus for tours and presentations throughout the year. They also travel to schools in the Lansing and Detroit areas and throughout Michigan to fosterinterest in STEM by introducing K12 students to the many disciplines within engineering and computer science. Angelyn Wiedyk, a senior majoring in materials science and engineering, has been a member of the ambassador programs since her first year at MSU. After helping with smaller outreach efforts, other members of the WIE program asked her to work the Alumni Distinguished Scholarship Competition.
“I was terrified,” Wiedyk said. She was the youngest ambassador there, only a year older than the high school students she was helping at the event. But the experience became a turning point. Supported by her peers and encouraged to trust herself, she said she left the event feeling connected to the other ambassadors and more confident in her place within the program.
“The high school student I talked with that day ended up attending MSU and is now training to take over the events I currently plan as an ambassador,” Wiedyk said.
For prospective and incoming students that first conversation with a student ambassador can become something much larger: the start of a lasting connection, a confidence builder, and even a first step to becoming a Spartan Engineer.
To learn more about the student ambassadors in each program, visit Future Engineers student ambassadors, Broadening Participation K-12 student ambassadors, and Women in Engineering student ambassadors web pages.
Written by McKenzie Schrah, a student writer in the Marketing Communications office of the College of Engineering
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page