Who are the CFANS Student Ambassadors?

By Mariana Shaffer, agricultural communication and marketing, BS '26 

Revamping a program with purpose

The CFANS Student Ambassador program, which has been active since the 1980s, got a boost this spring by becoming a part-time, paid student position. Supervised by Director of Strategic Outreach Cathleen Drilling, the ambassador program is made up of 16 CFANS students, each with different majors and interests, who aim to share their passion for CFANS with the Minnesota community and prospective students. Current CFANS Student Ambassador Sam McCubbin shares, “I came into this role wanting to connect with people within the CFANS community. My main goal is to use my experience to have a positive impact on prospective students and my community as a whole.” 

Connecting beyond campus

Making an impact far beyond campus, the ambassadors travel to high school career fairs, the Minnesota State Science Fair, FFA Events, the Minnesota Envirothon and more to represent CFANS. Ambassadors also meet with students interested in what the College has to offer, and talk with community members about the impact CFANS research and outreach has on the broader state of Minnesota. Melia Lachiniski, a CFANS student ambassador explains, “The energy at high school career fairs we’ve attended is amazing, they’re full of educators and students who want to learn more about what their options are, and it’s so fun to watch connections be formed between these programs and students. I love seeing people figuring out who they are.” 

Student leadership

In addition to connecting directly with community members at events and meeting prospective students, ambassadors serve on long-term committees that help shape the direction of the CFANS Student Ambassadors Program. A few of these committees are: social media, professional development, field trips and FFA relations, which help expand the program’s impact while equipping ambassadors with valuable life and career skills. “The committees let ambassadors lean in and take ownership of the work happening here, and they allow students to come in with their different interests and choose what they want to do,” said Drilling. The program is constantly evolving to reach more people and provide more positive experiences for community members and the ambassadors. Some ambassadors also have specialty roles such as evaluation to show program impact and handling inventory for attending various events.

Creating meaningful experiences

Heading into the spring, the ambassadors are heavily involved in admitted student and collegiate experience days, where admitted students come to campus with their families to see what a college experience at CFANS might be like. Drilling explains, “Ambassadors are hugely important for these days, helping to lead groups around to different parts of campus. Some ambassadors will be on panels talking about their experiences, and some will sit with families at lunch, chatting with them and answering questions.” Whether guiding campus visits or sharing their own stories, the ambassadors play a vital role in shaping first impressions and strengthening the sense of community that defines CFANS.

Stay involved

If you’re interested in keeping up with the CFANS Ambassadors, you can follow @cfansambassadors on Instagram. The program will be looking to hire a few new ambassadors for next fall, with the interview process starting this April. Feel free to reach out to Cathleen Drilling at [email protected] for any questions or inquiries.