Southeastern adds 12 new True Blue Ambassadors
Press Release Date: 5-13-2011
The True Blue Ambassadors represent Southeastern Oklahoma State University by conducting campus tours and greeting visitors to the school.
DURANT, Okla. – The Southeastern Oklahoma State University True Blue Ambassador program added 12 new members this spring. The new ambassadors joined the current ambassadors to help represent Southeastern to prospective students, alumni, and guests who visit campus.
Southeastern’s Office of University Recruitment and the University’s Presidential Partners sponsor the True Blue program in order to maximize recruitment efforts and to offer students a chance to develop their leadership ability. University Recruitment originated the program nearly two years ago.
"Our ambassadors are the best at telling the Southeastern story,” said Elizabeth Stidham, recruitment coordinator. “We’ve had a lot of success attracting students to our university because we let our ambassadors share their Southeastern experiences with prospective students."
The 12 new members were nominated by faculty and staff members and went through an application/interview process to be selected.
The new True Blue Ambassadors, their hometowns and fields of study are as follows:
- Alex Fowzer, Paris, Texas – Broadcasting
- Ashley Clark, Whitesboro, Texas – Elementary Education
- Caden Martin, Aztec, New Mexico – Political Science
- Kathryn Robertson, Wapanuka, Okla. – Sociology
- Kasidy Kinkade, Bonham, Texas -- Biology
- Kellie Robertson, Poteau, Okla. – Health & Physical Education & Recreation
- Kyle McKeever, Valliant, Okla. – Aviation, Professional Pilot
- Landon Johnson, Caddo, Okla. – Business & Occupational Safety
- Matt Jones, Elk City, Okla. – Advertising & Public Relations
- Ricky Righteous, Dallas, Texas – Aviation, Professional Pilot
- Sabrina Stewart, Era, Texas – Elementary Education
- Taylor Donaldson, Idabel, Oklahoma – Theatre Management & Promotions
The current True Blue Ambassadors are:
- Ashleigh Langford, Durant, Oklahoma – Elementary Education
- Chikako Nishina-Martin, Mesquite, Texas – Chemistry, Pre-Pharmacy
- Hunter Sitz, Celina, Texas – Music Education
- Lindsey Ludwick, Ft. Worth, Texas – Chemistry, Pre-Optometry
- Matthew Morris, Caddo, Okla. – Elementary Education
- Patrick Nelson, Ft. Worth, Texas - Sociology
- Tiffany Martinez, Bogota, Columbia - Communication
- Zac Morgan, Prague, Okla. – Aviation, Professional Pilot
This group of ambassadors is diverse in campus involvement as well as majors and hometowns. There are nine students from Texas, nine from Oklahoma, one from New Mexico, and another from Columbia.
"It’s great to have such a diverse group of students to help represent Southeastern,” Stidham said. “The fact that we have an equal dispersion of Oklahoma and Texas ambassadors really speaks about the demographics at the University."
"It’s great to be a part of the True Blue program. I feel like I’ll really be able to contribute to SE Recruitment," said Ashley Clark, a new ambassador from Whitesboro, Texas.
The ambassadors are required to know important Southeastern information, historical facts about the university, and be able to answer any questions a prospective student might have while leading a campus tour.
"Campus tours are a deciding factor for many students and I enjoy getting to reassure them that Southeastern is the right place to be," said Zachary Morgan, a returning ambassador from Prague, Okla.
In addition to leading campus tours, the ambassadors assist at University Recruitment’s biggest event each semester, SE Live Open House, where some 200 prospective students visit campus to get a feel for what life at Southeastern is really like.
They also represent the Southeastern student body at alumni events such as the Gold & Blue Gala and help Southeastern president Larry Minks welcome guests when they visit campus.
"In many instances, a person’s first impression of Southeastern is formed from meeting the ambassadors," Minks said. "And this group plays a vital role in the recruiting process."
For more information about the True Blue Ambassador program, please visit www.SE.edu or contact the Office of University Recruitment at (580) 745-2060 or recruitment@se.edu.