Student Spotlights: Graduating Global Ambassadors

Our Global Ambassadors support the Office of Global Engagement in bringing global perspectives to campus by providing their peer students with opportunities to advance their cultural understanding, skills and experience. They frequently host Global Ambassador Nights to facilitate cultural sharing and global learning. These events are ideal for any student who is interested in learning about other cultures, meeting international students or other students interested in global engagement, and having fun.

We talked to three graduating students who served as Global Ambassadors.

Meet Gabriella

Gabriella is a graduating senior in International Studies – Global Relations and Business Administration – Marketing with a minor in Spanish. She served as Global Ambassador for two years and shares her experience with us.

What was your favorite thing and/or memory about being a Global Ambassador?

I enjoyed leading Global Engagement Nights each semester and representing NC State Global at events like Packapalooza and Campus Connections.

What skills have you gained from being a Global Ambassador and how will you use these skills in the future?

I have gained a significant amount of leadership, event planning, and communication skills. In the future, I will be able to use these skills to collaborate better and confidently speak up to express my thoughts/opinions when working with others.

Why did you apply to become a Global Ambassador?

I applied because I wanted to get more involved in the global community on campus and help other students engage in global learning.

 What is your favorite international experience?

I studied abroad for five weeks during Summer 2019 in Valencia, Spain. I had the opportunity to live with a host family, which improved my Spanish-speaking skills. I enjoyed learning about Spanish culture in the classroom, and then going out to experience it by exploring the city after class everyday.

Meet Deepa Bhatt

Deepa is a graduating senior studying International studies- global relations (International Relations). She volunteered as Global Ambassador for one year.

What was your favorite thing and/or memory about being a Global Ambassador?

My favorite memory about being a Global Ambassador was being able to attend the Intensive English Program and speak with international students about NC State. We were able to connect with them and speak to them about the environment here since many of them were not able to come to NC State due to Covid-19.

What skills have you gained from being a Global Ambassador and how will you use these skills in the future?

The skills I have gained from being a Global Ambassador are international knowledge, cultural competence, leadership skills and understanding the importance of having global engagement on campus. I will use these skills in the future by promoting the importance of intercultural and intra cultural knowledge in the workplace and in my daily life.

Why did you apply to become a Global Ambassador?

I applied to be a Global Ambassador because I had a strong interest in gaining cultural knowledge and wanting to learn about the experiences of international students. I also had an interest in promoting and highlighting the importance of having diversity and inclusion on campus.

What is your favorite international experience?

My favorite international experience was going to India for 3 months to see my family. I learned more about my own culture, identity, and the lives of people living in third world countries.

Meet Valentina VanderWaerden

Valentina is a graduating senior in Political Science, with a concentration in International Politics and a minor in French. She served as a Global Ambassador for 1.5 years.

Favorite thing and/or memory about being a Global Ambassador?

My favorite thing about being a Global Ambassador was being apart of a group that represented my ideas and passions. I think that for dozens, or maybe hundreds of students on campus, our events reminded them of home, their culture, or global experiences they have yet to encounter. In my personal experience, the global ambassador program succeeded in bringing a small part of my real world global passions to NC State.

What skills have you gained from being a Global Ambassador and how will you use these skills in the future?

I learned how to organize and lead various international events. This experience will allow me to better lead or participate in similar events in the future.

Why did you apply to become a Global Ambassador?

I applied to become a global ambassador because I saw it as an opportunity to wield my international knowledge and background as a beneficial tool on the NC State Campus.

What is your favorite international experience?

My favorite international experience would definitely be the year I lived in Paris. Paris served as an easy access point to discovering other countries nearby; I took full advantage. I used France as a springboard to learning more about the world and other communities. For an entire year, I soaked up as much I could and fully immersed myself in not one, but various different cultures.