Profiles of Student Ambassadors
Exeter Campuses
Cornwall Campus
Claire Sainsbury
Course: History & French
Year: 2
Reason why you applied to be a student ambassador: I was looking for ways to earn some extra money, but also for a job where I could work as much or as little as I wanted. Being a student ambassador is perfect for this as a lot of the work is on campus, it pays well and I get to meet lots of different people.
Best job you have done so far and why: I really enjoyed working post offer open days as I’ve been able to show students who have already applied to Exeter around accommodation and campus, sharing my own experiences and helping them make their final decision as to which university they should go to.
What you feel you are getting out of it: Especially as a first year, it was great getting to know people from other years, courses and halls. Also, it was interesting knowing information about the university which other students don’t, such as what’s going on with the Forum project and when Reed Hall was given to the university. I feel like my communication skills have improved too, as I’ve had to speak to not only students of all ages, but parents and teachers too.
Future career: Right now I’m not sure, but doing a four year course means I have a few more years before I decided.
Andrew Morton
Course: Geography
Year: 3
Reason why you applied to be a student ambassador: I really enjoy being at Exeter and the university community and vibe in general and so therefore wanted to pass on this passion and excitement onto others in the hope of giving them food for thought.
Best job you have done so far and why: I really like the way the job is so diverse, no job is the same. It’s always a challenge when someone asks you a question you have not heard before, and I enjoy challenges.
What you feel you are getting out of it: I am improving my people skills, definitely. I feel like my time management and organisational skills are improving, my confidence and my knowledge of the way uni works.
Future career: Unknown
 Becky Godden
Course: Exercise and Sport Sciences
Year: 2
Reason why you applied to be a student ambassador: It was an opportunity for a part time job with great pay and as I am having a great experience here, I wanted to share that with other people. I also found the open days I attended to be so friendly and helpful that I wanted to be a part of making them a fun experience for future students.
Best job you have done so far and why: I really love taking campus tours on post offer open days as I get to chat to so many different people and talk enthusiastically about Exeter University, answering questions and helping people.
What you feel you are getting out of it: It is a really flexible job with a great team so I get to know lots of new people. I am increasing in confidence, and improving leadership and communication skills and earning money all at the same time!!
Future career: Not sure at the moment but I love working with people!
 Alex Bennett
Course: Economics with International Study
Year: 2
Reason why you applied to be a student ambassador: I really wanted to get involved with the university, and representing the university at open days, giving campus tours and getting students ready for university really seemed a great opportunity and it has definitely been that. Also for students at the university it can be really useful to have a job with the university that only helps you along with your living costs whilst at university but also gives you a great insight into parts of the university you might not otherwise know about or get involved in. Also so many students who had been an ambassador just for their last year, said they really wished they had got the job in their first year because of how the job is.
Best job you have done so far and why: The open day was without a doubt the best job because of the sheer amount of ambassadors that work on the day. On the day you get involved in so much from greeting prospective students and their parents to really showing them what the university and the city is like, its brilliant meeting the 10,000 people who come to look at the university and giving them and a quick insight into Exeter. The day is just a brilliant atmosphere and one of my favourite days of my first year. But also the tutoring scheme for Yr10-13 is a great job to get involved in because you get to visit schools throughout the south-west that maybe could go onto university but need to be given some inspiration to try and achieve the grades required. You get to know a group of students really well after the sessions and you can really see through the sessions how there attitude and knowledge towards higher education changes. You can see what they are looking for, and try and provide support in showing them where exactly they can go, and what they need to do to achieve it.
What you feel you are getting out of it: It is absolutely brilliant being a crucial part of the university and showing to students how brilliant the university is. I’ve met so many people this year from other ambassadors, prospective students and younger students. My confidence in meeting new people for the first time of all ages and starting a conversation to make them feel comfortable has grown enormously throughout my year whilst being an ambassador, through all my jobs from tours of the campus to UCAS events.
Future career: I’m not sure yet where I want to start out, but I want to go onto work in finance for a ‘big brand’ that creates products instead of delivering a service. I really want to work for a company that has opportunities abroad as well, that would allow me to work in several countries.
Cornwall Campus Ambassadors
 Tomas Goodgame
Course: Conservation Biology & Ecology
Year: 2
Reason why you applied to be a student ambassador: The variety of work available as a student ambassador was an aspect of the role that really appealed to me and the type of work seemed both interesting and challenging. Being able to run tutoring programmes at local schools, encouraging young people to think realistically about University and mentoring them through their GCSE years to achieve their academic goals is a rewarding job, and a main reason why I applied to be an ambassador. Also, being able to share my positive experiences of my time at University with prospective students at Open Days and during campus tours is both sociable and enjoyable.
Best job you have done so far and why: I particularly enjoy working at Post-Offer Open Days as it allows me to talk to prospective students interested in the University of Exeter and in some cases the exact same course as me! Being able to talk to these prospective students on a one-to-one basis is very important as I can impart a flavour of University life on them through answering their questions and chatting about my social and academic experiences during my time at University.
What you feel you are getting out of it: I think that being a student ambassador has foremost improved my general confidence through the massive variety of roles I carry out, such as public speaking, tutoring younger students, leading campus tours and dealing with local businesses. The multitude of skills I have developed and refined already during my time as an ambassador are sure to improve my chances of employability after my degree. An added bonus is that I work with a team of enthusiastic and lively students who make the job even more enjoyable!
Future career: I’d like to work in animal conservation projects abroad, though I’m also interested in working in sustainable business or nature related media.
 Cassiopeia Brooks
Course: English
Year: 3
Reason why you applied to be a student ambassador: I applied to be a student ambassador initially because I remember how helpful they were when I was looking at universities. It’s such a daunting experience, so seeing a friendly face and being able to talk to someone who isn’t just about the academic side of life makes the whole process more approachable – the ambassador scheme gives me the opportunity to help people in the same ways I needed. Now that I’m part of the scheme, the reasons to stay just keep mounting up!
Best job you have done so far and why: The best job I’ve done so far has been working on the Extended Project Qualification with local sixth formers – we get to go out a deliver workshops on how to do a research project and in some cases help out all the way to completion. It’s great to see how what you’ve been in and taught is having an impact on students work and preparing them for University and its really good fun too!
What you feel you are getting out of it: I’m getting so much out of my time with the student ambassador scheme. It’s helped improve my presentation skills, I get to meet loads of new people and have a great time helping prospective students. But it has also helped me to develop a new skill set as part of the outreach work we do in the local community, as part of the tutoring programme and the workshops we carry out with sixth formers.
Future career: I’ve taken up a place with TeachFirst to start teaching English after I graduate in 2012.
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