Families attending this weekends Commencement ceremonies at West Virginia University might notice a team of helpful and well-informed students greeting them and providing assistance. Twenty-five volunteers from the Gold and Blue Student Ambassadorsthe Universitys newest student organizationwill be on hand to answer questions, distribute information and usher guests between each of the ceremonies.
The students, donned in white polo shirts embroidered withStudent Ambassadorand the UniversitysFlying WVlogo, will serve in a wide-range of capacities and be stationed in several key locations.
Many of the team members will be assigned to help guests navigate between the numerous Commencement ceremonies by providing traffic directions, parking options, shuttle bus information and assisting with special transportation requests.
Additional student ambassadors will work within each of the three buildings where the Commencement ceremonies will take placethe WVU Coliseum, Creative Arts Center and Student Recreation Centerushering guests, handing out programs and assisting with special needs.
A final group of students will provide assistance to the Universitys own team of event coordinators that will oversee the logistics and operations of all the events occurring over the weekend.
All of the student ambassadors will be available for the Commencement reception in the Shell Building. The interior of the building will provide a large area for all graduates and their families to mingle, but will also provide segregated areas for some of the schools and colleges to congregate. The ambassadors will greet guests and help direct them to the appropriate area of the building so they may easily locate their peers during the reception.
The organization is the result of a Capstone project from third-year marketing major Ashley Riley, who worked closely with the Universitys Ceremonies and Events unit to establish the group, define its purpose and establish protocol guidelines.
I wanted to create a program that would help put a student face on the University,Riley said.We wanted to have students participating in key-events in a new capacityto serve as liaisons between the University and our guests and represent the student body with great pride.
Riley indicated that Commencement is just the beginning for the group and they plan to expand their presence to other University activities.
There is a great deal of opportunity to expand the program and develop each ambassador into a specialist of sorts for the various events and venues on our campus,Riley added.
In other new developments associated with this year’s commencement, WVU photographers will take individual photos of all graduates receiving their diplomaeither with the president, a vice president or dean as each student walks across the stage.
About three days after commencement weekend, graduates in participating colleges and schoolsCollege of Business and Economics, College of Creative Arts, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, College of Human Resources and Education, College of Law, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism, School of Medicine and School of Physical Educationcan log onto photos.wvu.edu to download images for free or to order prints.
Color prints and scans of Fridays Commencement Honors Convocation will also be posted at the same site.