College Possible Oregon’s ambassador board jumped into action this fall to support fundraising and AmeriCorps engagement initiatives shortly after welcoming eight new members.
Throughout Willamette Week’s Give!Guide, the ambassador board was an instrumental part in helping College Possible Oregon reach its fundraising goals. By holding a virtual trivia night in December as well as sharing information with their personal connections, the ambassador board helped us win the award for donors aged 35 & under in the education category.
For many ambassador board members, their connection to College Possible goes beyond being a part of the board.
“As a first-generation college student from a low-income background, my college experience was not particularly easy,” said ambassador board member Leslie Martinez. “While I had a great community of people supporting me, I realize how beneficial a structured program like College Possible would have been for my educational achievement and want to ensure every student in a similar situation has a chance to achieve higher education.”
Along with student-centered initiatives, the ambassador board also works with the AmeriCorps members on professional development opportunities. Last month, the ambassador board and AmeriCorps collaborated to hold a panel for members considering graduate school.
“The graduate panel consisted of current College Possible ambassador board members as the panelists and AmeriCorps members as the attendees,” said high school junior coach Arin Young. “We gathered this group of panelists to talk about their experiences going through graduate school and answer questions that our current AmeriCorps members have about pursuing graduate level education. Our panelists included the following individuals who work in a wide array of career fields.”
Young coordinated the logistics of the event while junior coach Jerika Christman focused on AmeriCorps engagement.
“I hope that the graduate school panel event allowed College Possible members to feel heard and more confident in their journey to grad school,” said Christman. “There are a lot complexities involved with higher education, as we all know, and I think this panel did a great job at starting to unpack some of those anxieties, complexities, and confusion. I also hope it served to provide realistic experiences, tips, and connections from our ambassador board members – as they’ve all gone through the process of applying to and graduating from a master’s program.”
College Possible Oregon’s ambassador board is a group of young professionals under the age of 40 who raise support and awareness to help students in Oregon achieve their college goals. The ambassador board supports College Possible initiatives, increases awareness and visibility of College Possible in the community, and engages a younger constituency with the organization.
“It’s really rewarding to be able to be an extra support for students who are going through totally new and sometimes nerve-wracking steps to get ready for school,” said ambassador board member Alyssa Vitale. “I also love working with my fellow ambassadors, who are diverse young professionals from across the Portland area. It’s great to meet people who value the mission of broader college access but work in different sectors than I do! I have learned a lot from collaborating with them on various projects.”
If you are interested in learning more about College Possible Oregon’s ambassador board, contact Christina Carl at ccarl@collegepossible.org.
