UNMC international students play an integral part in the global ambassador program. A global ambassador acts as a primary source of practical information to help the new-to-the-US international student settle into their new community. A current student is matched with one or two incoming students, depending on how many students sign up for the program. Without current students volunteering to help the incoming student transition to UNMC, the program would not be successful.
Two current international students, Enakshi Roy and Opeoluwa “Ope” Oyewole, both in Pathology/Microbiology, tell their stories about having an ambassador and being an ambassador.
Roy is from Kolkata in West Bengal, India, and came to UNMC in 2018, the first time she had ever traveled internationally.
Roy had many reasons for signing up for an ambassador. “The first thing which was a big thing is that I traveled from India to the US for the first time,” Roy explained. “Also, although we speak English, there is a vast difference between the type of accent you guys speak. I think that was a very difficult thing I had to overcome.”
Roy cited another reason as being the cultural difference. For example, “When I say “thank you” and people say “um hum.” I didn’t know that was “you are welcome.” Maybe it is very minor, but for me coming here for the first time, I was nervous, but when asked about having an ambassador, I was like, sure, someone who was from my country. I was very happy that I know of someone whom I can ask my questions,” she continued.
Roy explained that her ambassador helped with her transition to UNMC by telling her what things to pack when she was coming to UNMC.
“When I came here, she (my ambassador) took the effort to organize a potluck, so I could meet people…I actually came to know a lot of people there,” Roy said.
“My ambassador, Ope, and I all are friends now. We have a nice little family at UNMC,” Roy said. “My ambassador invites me to events even now, three years later. It wasn’t just a first-year and done. We have continued to stay in touch.”
When asked why Roy volunteered to be an ambassador in 2021, she replied, “I think this year and the past two years, life is different, and I can understand that people are having many questions on how to deal with coming to a different country in this pandemic situation. If I can help someone in any way, I can do it (be an ambassador). That was the biggest reason.”
Roy’s student emailed her before coming to UNMC and told her when he would be arriving. Next, he would look for an apartment and asked if Roy had any suggestions for him. Roy made suggestions on what he should ask about, including lease, utilities, and internet.
“I met him the first time in Sorrell, and we talked for a very long time,” Roy said. Due to COVID-19, they talked over WhatsUp versus meeting in person.
Roy continues to check in with her student to see how things are going and see if he needs help with anything. “If I get to know someone, I would love to be in touch with that person forever.”
Roy’s advice for someone thinking about volunteering to be an ambassador – “When I came here, I didn’t know what to do. It is always good to ask someone for help and always good to receive that help. I have received this kind of help and support, so I can do that for another person so his/her life will be better when he/she comes here. He/she can blend in and understand the life better because they already have a lot of other pressures going on, if you can reduce some pressure from their list.”
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Oyewole is from Nigeria and came to UNMC in 2017. Oyewole didn’t request an ambassador when she came to UNMC because she had already been in the US since 2010. She did, however, volunteer to be an ambassador in 2018.
“Being an ambassador was a way to connect to another person who was not from here but whose home is far away, which is something I understand. It is important especially for people who have that same perspective and know what it’s like to not know anybody,” Oyewole said. It was an opportunity to volunteer and do something for someone else, and I was ‘I will do it’.
“When my student first got here, we coordinated, and he asked if I could pick him up from the airport. So that was the one big thing I could do for him. Other than that, it has just been like checking with him whenever we see each other.” Oyewole explained that her student was in a lab with other international students, so he could integrate because of the lab culture he went into. He didn’t have many questions for me at all. He knew I was there so he could come to me.
Oyewole’s advice for someone thinking about volunteering to be an ambassador – “For one thing, it is an opportunity to meet a new person. Another thing I like is how the program works because you are not always paired with someone from your country. My student was from a different country than me, even a different continent! So it is a chance to learn about a new culture. My student actually brought me a gift from his country. I was very touched.”
I enjoyed learning about a different culture, a little bit about where he is from, his background, and how things work in his country. I wouldn’t have had that interaction if I wasn’t his ambassador when he first moved here, Oyewole said. “I enjoy connecting with people. Grad school can be stressful sometimes, so it is nice to have another familiar face on campus.”
The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) usually begins ambassador recruitment in May. Watch your email for information on how to volunteer to be an ambassador next year.