The Grambling State University’s Out-of-State Ambassador Scholarship Program has graduated its first class of ambassadors. The group began in the Fall of 2002 with about 350 students. Some graduated fall of 2005, many of them this spring and of course this summer. Many of the ambassadors switched to the academic waiver program because of their excellent academic record. And others to waiver programs of individual interest.
The ambassador program allows out-of-state students to attend Grambling, paying in-state tuition. The students are required to be full time students and complete 20 hours of community service per semester or a major service project, as well as maintain the appropriate grade point average.
Several of the students have done community service with the United Campus Ministry, city of Grambling visited several of the local nursing homes in Ruston, and participated in The Big Event sponsored by the Student Government Association. Several ambassadors participated in the Extreme Spring Break and have traveled to New Orleans for various projects. They have also visited several of the youthful offender correctional institutions in the Ruston and Monroe area.
Many of our campus leaders are and have been Ambassadors; currently the SGA president and the president of the Favrot Student Union Board are ambassadors as well as several current and pass editors/writers of the Gramblinite.
Ambassador students have interned in many capacities from Disneyland to Diloitt and Tuish (a major Accounting firm) Some are continuing with those same companies after graduation to begin successful careers. Others will continue on to medical school, law school and graduate studies.
The program has enrolled students in 35 of the 50 states, and some international students. Carolyn Collier, Ambassador director, is pleased at the success of the program and says that, “we have currently admitted more than 300 new ambassadors for fall 2006.”