How the Global Ambassadors plan to unify campus

A new campus organization hopes to bridge the gap between international and American students. The Global Ambassadors are students who spend time with international students to help them adjust to their new environment in the United States and at ULM.

Global Ambassadors also help the International Office with campus and community events that relate to international students.

Events, such as International Student Week and the annual international student banquet, are projects in which the Global Ambassadors will be involved.

International students should feel welcomed on campus, and the Global Ambassadors were created to provide this welcoming atmosphere. Kelsey Bohl, the ULM International Advisor, saw the need to help international students break out of their comfort zones.

“We saw that international students would stay in their own international bubble,” said Bohl.  “There really weren’t many campus activities planned for international students.”

Global Ambassadors will work with international students in various ways.

Aside from bridging the communication gap between American and international students, Bohl said another important goal is to provide safe and convient transportation.

“Many of our international students don’t have vehicles,” said Bohl. “Some of them walk to Walmart and even tried to walk to the mall.”

Bohl said utilizing students who have drivers licesnses and creating shifts to help international students run errands is one of the main reasons the  organization was created.

The Global Ambassadors have American and international students in their ranks to help the new international students become comfortable with their new environment.

Mattie Kinncanon, a junior marketing major and member of Global Ambassadors, said the program will not only benefit international students, but American students as well.

“We’re learning about each other‘s cultures, what countries we came from and how everything works,” said Kinncanon. “I think this can actually unite us a whole lot more and make the university much stronger.”

Students who wish to be a Global Ambassador must have multiple requirements including having completed at least two semesters at ULM, at least a 2.5 GPA and display professionalism when working with others.

Students can benefit from volunteering as a Global Ambassador. Working with international students gives students the opportunity to develop interpersonal communication skills. The Global Ambassadors recognize the importance of working with international students to help improve communication skills.

“It’s not just American students working with American students, it’s American students working with international students, and that’s something companies are looking for,” said Bohl.

The Global Ambassadors have many events planned for this school year. Keep reading The Hawkeye for updates on upcoming events involving ULM’s international community.