After three years at Emporia State, Daniel Delgadillo, senior crime and delinquency major, decided to become an ESU Ambassador.

“I just wanted to do something else, rather than just being a student. I wanted to be more involved,” Delgadillo said. “I thought it was really a good opportunity for me to get myself involved in Emporia State.”

The ESU Ambassadors organization held its two-day retreat Friday, Jan. 7, and Saturday, Jan. 8. On Friday, the new Ambassadors toured the campus, which was referred to as “the world’s longest campus tour.”

During the tour, the new Ambassadors learned history about each of the buildings on campus, visited every department and talked with the faculty to get firsthand information about the ESU campus.

“It’s just a really good way for our departments, different services, tables, to spend time with all the new ambassadors to explain their departments,” said Erin Lynam, senior business management major and Ambassdors president.

Most new ambassadors were just familiar with the buildings and departments in which they took classes. However, the campus tour provided them access to a bigger picture of the university.

“We want to become knowledgeable about this school,” Delgadillo said. “I learned how to become an Ambassador, to represent ESU and serve with alumni. Let ESU’s name to be there. Let everyone know it.”

This is already the third year for Lainie Harber, senior communication major, to serve as an ESU ambassador. She said she enjoyed the experience and has never looked back.

“I think I gained a lot actually, not just like personal communication skills or leadership skills, or different treats that you want to have, but just the tie to the university,” Harber said.

Lynam said Ambassadors serves as the official hosts of ESU and also acts as the liaisons between prospective and current students, faculty, alumni and the president of ESU. Lyman said Ambassadors are some of the most involved students on campus.

“Ambassadors are so much more indebted to their connection to ESU, because they know so much about it, so that’s a stronger foundation I think,” Harber said. “So people should apply for being an Ambassador.”

The most major change of the Ambassador organization this year was that the recruitment and the retreat were changed from the beginning of the fall semester to that of the spring semester, Lynam said.

Any ESU student can apply for being an Ambassador if they are a current student and have at least two semesters remaining on campus. The application form can be picked up at Sauder Alumni Center and Center for Student Involvement.

Han Yan