About
Over the years, the Appalachian Student Ambassador organization has become embedded into the fiber that makes up Appalachian State University. The organization has started and kept traditions dating back to its founding. The group is deeply rooted in professionalism, dedicated service, and a direct partnership with the three offices they serve: the Alumni Association, the Office of Admissions and the Office of the Chancellor.
Today, the organization consists of 30-50 students, all volunteers. The group keeps two advisors; one from within the Office of Alumni Engagement and the other from the Office of Admissions. No member is paid individually, however the Ambassador organization is university funded, allowing them to purchase necessary items for various activities and the needs of the group to best serve their mission statement.
The group is run by an Executive Committee composed of six Student Ambassadors who are voted in within an internal election process which takes place at the end of each academic year. Every Ambassador has a leadership position with some form of responsibility, ranging from our involvement in Appalachian Homecoming to hosting one of the largest annual canned food drives in the high country. When any of the three offices they serve needs student representatives, they call on the Student Ambassador organization.
“As the Appalachian Student Ambassadors, we strive to improve the quality of our University through professionalism, dedicated service, and a direct partnership with the Alumni Association, the Office of Admissions and the Office of the Chancellor.”
Our service
Alumni Association
- Provide positive links among the university, Ambassador alumni and the student body.
- Host and volunteer at annual Alumni Association events, including but not limited to the Black and Gold Reunion, Alumni Winter Weekend, annual Homecoming events, Decal Drive Thrus, commencement ceremonies, and more.
Office of Admissions
- Assist in admissions events including Open House, Scholars Day, Inside Appalachian, and Next Step: Appalachian.
Office of the Chancellor
- Give special tours to VIP guests visiting Appalachian State University, such as Board of Trustee members, North Carolina government officials, university donors, new university hires, and more.
- Serve at the Chancellor’s gameday tailgates, mingling with VIP guests.
- Serve at the annual Founder’s Day as official student representatives.
Ambassador organization activities
- Participate in Boone’s Adopt-A-Street program by cleaning Horn in the West Drive.
- Annually paint new Yosef boot prints and block A’s on Stadium Drive.
- Participate in Homecoming events (Lip-Sync, Homecoming Float, etc.), competing in the University Funded Organizations category.
- Represent App State at regional and national conferences.
- Engage in inter-community building activities within our organization.
- Host an Ambassador reunion every five years to welcome our alumni back to campus.
Ambassadors 45th Reunion, Spring 2022
Our history
The Appalachian Student Ambassador organization was founded in 1977 by Fred Robinette along with 12 dedicated students. Their responsibilities consisted of offering campus tours and assisting with alumni programs as hosts and hostesses. Although the group was small in number, they possessed a great deal of spirit and passion for App State.
In 1981, Mr. Robinette took the position of development officer for the College of Business. In the next ten years, the Ambassador organization would have four different advisors (Barbara Burgin, Mark Driebelbis, Tom Lawson, and Todd Campbell). The program had little structure and loosely defined responsibilities. One thing was clear however; the organization was here to serve the University as official student representatives whenever necessary. In July of 1988, under the leadership of Brad Edwards, President, and Patrick Henderson, Advisor, the Ambassador program began to take shape. Regular weekly meeting times were scheduled and the group’s responsibilities began to grow and become more defined.
In 1989, 12 students grew into 38 dedicated members with over 33 leadership positions assigned each year. This was beyond the primary focus of giving informative tours that showcase what it is like to be a student at Appalachian State University through focus on a genuine tour experience.
In July of 1995, the Student Ambassador office moved into the McKinney Alumni Center where they continued to strengthen the relationship between alumni and their alma mater. In the fall of 1996, Ambassadors relocated their office to the John E. Thomas Building, which houses the Office of Admissions and the Visitors Center. The Ambassadors continued to receive stable advising roles from Patrick Setzer with the Office of Admissions and Tracey Ford from the Office of Alumni Affairs. After the move to the John E. Thomas Building, the Ambassadors continued to serve the university through various roles and expanded their responsibilities throughout campus.