Selection Guidelines
- You must be a declared UCR public policy student.
- Ambassadors must be able to put in at least one complete academic year of service. Those who aspire to continue beyond one year of service will be given priority consideration.
- You must have a minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA.
- For undergraduates, exceptions can be made for students who compensate with high public policy/upper division major GPAs and/or whose transcripts do not include any Ds or Fs from the past year. Transcripts from previous higher education institutions are taken into account for undergraduate transfer students.
- All ambassador candidates may be asked for references to vouch for their work ethic and character.
- You must sign a photo/video release. As the face of the School, you must allow use of your image to be used for marketing purposes.
- You must sign a FERPA consent form to allow program staff to check your academic records to verify your academic standing.
- You must sign a confidentiality agreement. As Ambassadors, we are often privy to confidential information and it is important that we maintain professionalism and practice discretion.
If accepted into the program and contingent on continuing satisfactory performance, you would serve continuously until graduation. You would not have to reapply for an ambassadorship.
Application and Interview Process
Applications open and interviews are conducted in the summer quarter. Submitting sooner rather than later during the application period is highly recommended, as we may close applications early.
Qualified applicants will be selected to undergo a rigorous interview process, which may consist of multiple interviews.
What Qualities Do We Look For in a Candidate?
The ideal ambassador candidate is someone who displays the program’s shared identity:
- Official Liaisons & Stewards — Bridging the UCR School of Public Policy and the external community.
- Brand Champions & Storytellers — Upholding the school’s brand to inspire connections and cultivate partnerships.
- Strategic Communicators & Content Creators — Amplifying the school’s impact on the region and beyond through outreach and engagement.
- Experienced Architects — Exceptional hosting, hospitality, logistical coordination, and execution of events, podcast episodes, meetings, and other brand-championing activities.
- Exemplars of Leadership & Service — Modeling leadership, a service mindset, and excellence in all we do.
... and the shared values of the SPP External Engagement Team:
- Commitment
- Enthusiasm & Dedication — Combining motivation with reliability.
- Integrity & Accountability — Doing what’s right and owning outcomes.
- Brand Stewardship
- Professionalism — Representing the organization with polish, maturity, and sound judgment.
- Service Leadership
- Service Mindset — Prioritizing an exceptional experience with humility.
- Team-First — Putting the team’s success first.
- Trust Building — Fostering mutual respect.
- Diplomacy & Tact — Navigating situations with empathy, clear communication, and a focus on resolution.
- Continuous Growth
- Growth Mindset — Seeking, receiving, and applying constructive feedback.
- Refinement — Continually elevating the standard of our work.
- Personal Branding — Developing ourselves as professionals and role models.
- Change Mastery
- Improvement Mindset & Grace Under Pressure — Staying composed and resilient while focusing on solutions.
- Managing Up & Resourcefulness — Taking initiative and creatively solving problems.