Welcome to UWI STAT (Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow) Vice Chancellor's Ambassador Corps, where a variety of student leaders come together to embark on a mission.
In this blog article, I will recount my own STAT journey, what being an ambassador means to me as well as uncover the roles, responsibilities, and history behind this dynamic community of UWI STAT Ambassadors.
Table of Contents
History
In 2005, the visionary Director of Alumni Relations, Mrs. Celia Davidson Francis, affectionately known as UWI STAT's "First Lady," envisioned a program that would bridge the gap between UWI students and alumni. With the approval of Vice Chancellor E. Nigel Harris, UWI STAT was born. The official launch of UWI STAT took place on January 23, 2006.
For me, my exposure to UWI STAT began a year before starting my university journey. Thanks to Instagram and a few older friends, I remember thinking to myself this may be a fun club to start if I go to UWI.
Although the journey has been good so far, the initial onboarding and induction process is not for the faint of heart.
Applying
As I alluded before, The selection process is no walk in the park—it requires interviews, assessments, and a keen eye for leadership potential.
The first step in becoming a UWI STAT Ambassador is to complete an online application, which typically includes providing some basic personal information, outlining your extracurricular involvement, and answering a few short essay questions.
I remember the application form being very robust and complex. It made me stop many times to reflect, besides this being a "fun" club to join - What do I want to learn from here? What can I contribute? What's with this regional identity thing?
From the get-go, you are confronted with the fact that UWI STAT is not for common factory workers but soon-to-be leaders, transformational thinkers, and people who get stuff done.
Once your application has been reviewed, you may be invited to participate in an interview with members of the UWI STAT executive team. I can almost guarantee you would have at least 1 person on that panel who is gonna ask the hard questions. At the end of the day, they're all humans and just want to pick your brain to see how you think. It also provides an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have about the role and responsibilities of a UWI STAT Ambassador.
Induction
Once accepted, Ambassadors undergo training to equip them with the knowledge and skills. Since my cohort was in the year 2021, our sessions were online but no less informative. From marketing, public speaking, accounting and other sessions, it was almost of a toolkit of things of everything you need.
The next thing on the agenda was the Ambassador Designate Project - my first of many big things that I did and I am still amazed at what my team had to accomplish.
My team's project's aim was to eradicate the stigma around mental health and promote personal growth through interactive sessions. The activities included seminars and workshops on self-branding, empowerment, job seeking, and college applications, social media sessions tackling online school challenges, and virtual yoga/fitness sessions.
In terms of project implementation and methodology, social media accounts are created, content is planned and posted, and specific activities are organized with tentative dates announced in advance.
The project team includes event planners, sponsorship managers, public relations officers, a secretary, a treasurer, event hosts, and content creators. The project engages stakeholders such as 6th form and tertiary students aged 17-25 and partners with organizations like UWI Mona Guild of Students, UNICEF Jamaica, and faculty committees.
As an Ambassador
As an UWI STAT Ambassador, we have several responsibilities that allow us to actively participate in the UWI community and contribute to the growth and success of our institution. Our duties involve a wide range of activities, from attending official events to organizing and executing various projects and initiatives.
This was a bit of a struggle for me at this point to remain active in my STAT community and being studious to my academic pursues. The balance was lacking last semester but no worries, I plan to do better next semester - pinky promise!
While being a UWI STAT Ambassador comes with a fair share of responsibilities, there are also numerous benefits and opportunities associated with this role. In my time as an ambassador, I have had the chance to develop a wide range of skills, from public speaking to event planning, that have helped me grow both personally and professionally.
One of the most significant benefits of being a UWI STAT Ambassador is the opportunity to network and build connections with various stakeholders, including alumni, faculty, and staff. This has not only allowed me to expand my professional network but has also provided me with invaluable advice and guidance as I navigate my academic and career journey.
I am still amazed that I was apart of such a great group, including a published author, an established business owner, an executive of a nationwide youth campaign, guild councillors and more......
Unique Facts about the Corps
1. UWI STAT's Mission and Mandate: Their mission is to promote Caribbean pride, culture, and values, while also engaging in volunteerism, responsible citizenship, and leadership development.
2. Founding and Expansion: It was officially launched on January 23, 2006, across the Cave Hill, Mona, and St. Augustine campuses. Since then, it has expanded to include the Open Campus and the recently established Five Islands Campus.
3. Campus Representation: Only UWI organization based across all campuses. Each UWI campus, including Cave Hill, Mona, St. Augustine, Open Campus, and Five Islands, has its own UWI STAT Ambassadorial Corps led by a President and an executive team.
4. Areas of Focus: UWI STAT Ambassadors actively engage in following areas: alumni relations, disaster mitigation and climate change, CARICOM relations, finance, membership, volunteerism and programming, and communication and internal relations.
5. Leadership Incubator and Achievements: Many UWI STAT Alumni Ambassadors have gone on to achieve remarkable success, including becoming Commonwealth Scholars, Rhodes Scholars, Queen's Young Leaders, and Chevening Scholars. They have held leadership positions in the private and public sectors, and government, and have made significant contributions to their communities and countries.
I need more of this, it was very informative.
This us really amazing 👏