Cultural Ambassador Program
What is a UTC Cultural Ambassador?
A Cultural Ambassador is a UTC student who has returned from a study abroad or exchange experience and is interested in encouraging other UTC students to study abroad, increasing globally-focused activities on campus and wants to share their experiences with the rest of campus and the Chattanooga community.
What would I do as a Cultural Ambassador?
Here's what Cultural Ambassadors have done in the past:
- Email/contact prospective international students interested in coming to UTC;
- Send welcome notes to new international students;
- Attend the new international student orientations and each new exchange student orientation lunches in August and January;
- Attend the various social outings planned for the incoming exchange students;
- Assist with UTC’s involvement with the Chattanooga Culture Fest in October;
- Help plan and attend campus cultural events;
• Represent UTC study abroad programs at select off-campus international and cultural events- e.g. Culture Fest; - Speak at our office’s information presentations to students, parents, high schools, etc;
- Plan student ambassador led events for UTC’s international/cultural week, WorldFest;
- Provide culture-related articles from your exchange experience for UTC’s Exchange web site, International Student Organization’s online newsletter and for the ECHO;
- Help us man tables at special UTC events (orientations, admissions events, family weekends, etc.);
- Provide additional ideas for promoting and increasing student exchange awareness on campus;
- Nominate future student ambassadors;
- Provide our office with ideas for additional functions of the ambassadors.
What would I get out of my participation as a Cultural Ambassador?
- Affirming the commitment that you have already made to learning more about a new culture
- An opportunity to share your experiences with students, faculty, and staff and in that sharing/teaching make a significant contribution to improving the cultural awareness on the UTC campus and in Chattanooga
- Occupy a leadership role in spreading “culture” on campus
- The benefit from having the experience on your resume
What is the time commitment?
You can commit as much time as you are willing and able.
Every semester there is a different number of active Cultural Ambassadors with varying levels of commitment. We welcome everyone.