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Pensacola State College welcomed seven new Student Ambassadors for the 2022-2023 academic year. Pictured on the back row are, from left, Florida Cyber Charter Academy graduate Kaitlyn Freund, PSC Recruiter Abigail Bott, Pensacola High grad Julie Olmedo, Pace High’s Ashton Beeman, returning Ambassador Connor Wooden of Gulf Breeze High, Escambia High’s Bea Sambillon along with PSC Associate Dean of Enrollment Management Dr. Amanda Turner. On the front row are, from left, Navarre High’s Christina Filipiak, West Florida Tech’s Kayla Disouryavong and Pine Forest graduate Christina Hunter. Sambillon and Disouryavong are both Presidential Ambassadors. The group joins current Ambassadors Kaleigh Anne Villanueva of Tate High, Taylor Baggett of Central High and Claudia Li of Catholic High.
Julie Olmedo had the club cart – oversized golf cart – in reverse and was ready to go.
The cart wasn’t ready to go though.
That’s when PSC student Connor Wooden reached inside and turned the ignition all the way to the start position. Olmedo didn’t have it turned all the way.
But Olmedo is an incoming Pensacola State College Student Ambassador. Wooden is a second-year Ambassador, so he knows the ropes. Olmedo is going to learn them too.
On Wednesday, July 27, PSC’s Student Ambassadors underwent a little cart driving in a parking lot on the Pensacola campus. After all, one of the Ambassadors’ tasks is to drive visitors and prospective students around during campus tours.
There are 11 student Ambassadors that have been selected to represent the College for the 2022-2023 school year. Nine are incoming students and new Ambassadors. Wooden and Claudia Li are returning Ambassadors.
“They’re the public face of the PSC student body,’’ explained Abigail Bott, a PSC recruiter who was leading the two-day Ambassador training and orientation. “They are a morale booster for the College as a whole and they can bring in new prospects with their own student perspectives.”
All Student Ambassadors receive one-year scholarships that can be renewed if the students are selected to be Ambassadors for a second year.
To qualify for consideration, applications must have had a 3.0 grade point average in high school and uphold a 3.0 grade point average at PSC to maintain the scholarship and Ambassador role. Applicants also must provide letters of recommendation and go through an interview process. Ambassadors are then chosen by a selection committee.
“I had a great experience my first year,’’ Wooden said. “You meet a lot of new people and learn everything about the College and what it has to offer. It’s definitely rewarding.”
Christina Hunter, a 2022 Pine Forest High School graduate, is a new Ambassador who will enter the cosmetology program next month.
“I’m really looking forward to it,’’ she said. “I’m excited about being an Ambassador. PSC’s a great school and it’s affordable.”
The remaining 2022-2023 PSC Student Ambassadors are Ashton Beeman, Christina Filipiak, Kaitlyn Freund, Bea Sambillon, Kayla Disouryavong, Kaleigh Anne Villanueva and Taylor Baggett.