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Student Ambassador Program

Welcome

Cultivating leaders who inspire change, foster collaboration, and navigate healthcare challenges with integrity, empathy, and innovation.

Program Materials

All program documents in one place. Click to open, or scroll for full previews below.

Official Program Document

Student Ambassador ProposalOpen Full ↗

Building Tomorrow's Healthcare Leaders

The Student Ambassador Program in the School of Nursing and Health Studies (SNHS) is designed to cultivate leaders who excel across leadership domains. These ambassadors inspire change, foster collaboration, and navigate kinesiology and healthcare challenges with adaptability, while leading with integrity, empathy, and innovation.

The program promotes SNHS's nursing and health sciences programs to prospective students, enhances student engagement and leadership opportunities, strengthens the sense of community within SNHS, and provides peer support to current and future students.

Ambassador Roles & Responsibilities

🚶
Campus Tours & Open DaysLeading prospective students and families on tours of SNHS facilities
📣
Outreach & RecruitmentSpeaking about SNHS programs at events
🤝
Mentoring Incoming StudentsGuidance for first-year students interested in nursing & health sciences
🎈
Event PlanningHealth fairs, career workshops, and alumni networking events
📱
Social Media & ContentStudent stories, research highlights, and program features

Understanding Each Style

Transformational

Inspire and motivate by creating a shared vision, fostering innovation, and focusing on individual growth.

Why it appeals to studentsEncourages creativity, initiative, and the belief they can make a real difference in their communities.

→ Develop a vision, inspire peers, drive change.

Democratic

Seek input from the group and make decisions collaboratively, valuing everyone's opinions.

Why it appeals to studentsStudents value inclusivity and want their voices heard. Encourages active decision-making engagement.

→ Collaborate, make collective decisions, respect perspectives.

Adaptive

Thrive in dynamic environments, managing change with flexibility, creativity, and resilience.

Why it appeals to studentsCritical for an ever-changing world. Fosters resilience and innovation for navigating uncertainty.

→ Lead in change, think creatively, adapt to challenges.

Collaborative

Build strong relationships and partnerships to achieve shared goals through teamwork.

Why it appeals to studentsFamiliar with team projects. Teaches fostering teamwork, resolving conflicts, working toward common objectives.

→ Teamwork, communication, conflict resolution.

Semester Workshops & Activities

Six themed events blending healthcare knowledge with hands-on experience.

01

Leadership & Healthcare

Formal vs. informal leadership, communication, ethics, decision-making, cultural competence.

Activities

  • Scenario Challenge — Small groups respond to real-world cases
  • Self-Assessment — Leadership style quiz & role fit discussion
  • "Lead This Team" — Coordinate staff in a simulated crisis
02

Career & Medicine

Medical careers (MD, DO, PA, NP), education pathways, realistic expectations.

Activities

  • Pathway Map — College → med school → residency paths
  • Specialty Match — Match patient cases to specialties
  • Day in the Life — Rotate through medical role stations
03

Career & Rehabilitation

PT, OT, SLP, recreational therapy careers, settings, quality of life impact.

Activities

  • Adaptive Tools — Try one-handed tools, vision-blur goggles
  • Recovery Planning — Design a rehab plan for mock patient
  • Movement Demo — Therapist mobility assessment exercises
04

Public Health & Awareness

Epidemiology, health policy, community health, prevention, health equity.

Activities

  • Outbreak Simulation — Track disease spread, decide interventions
  • Campaign Design — Poster/social media on a health issue
  • Risk Mapping — Identify community health risks & solutions
05

Health Education

Health educators, nutrition, mental health, wellness, certifications.

Activities

  • Teach-Back — Explain a health topic in 2 min to peers
  • Myth vs. Fact — Quiz on health misconceptions
  • Program Design — Health ed session for a population
06

Interprofessional Teams

Interprofessional healthcare, collaboration, patient outcome impact.

Activities

  • Patient Care Sim — Assigned roles solve a case together
  • Communication Game — See miscommunication's effect on care
  • Role Matching — Match roles to responsibilities

Leadership Workshop

📅 Wednesday ⏱ 2:45 – 4:15 PM ⏲ 90 minutes

A structured session combining leadership theory with real-world scenario practice.

TimeSegmentDetails
2:45–2:55Welcome & IcebreakerGreetings, introductions, open-ended questions
2:55–3:05Leadership StylesBrief explanation of the 4 styles
3:05–3:10Activity InstructionsExplain rules and assign scenarios
3:10–3:40Group Work: ScenariosDiscussion on 4–6 real-world scenarios
3:40–4:00Presentations & Q&AEach group presents; open discussion
4:00–4:10Reflection & Wrap-UpPersonal leadership insights sharing
4:10–4:15Closing & FeedbackThank you, next steps, feedback

Workshop Slides

Workshop 1 SlidesOpen Full ↗
Workshop 2 SlidesOpen Full ↗

Events Designed for Ambassadors

Comprehensive programming developing skills across healthcare leadership domains.

01Healthcare Exploration Workshops

Guest speakers from different healthcare professions. Interactive panels with nurses, doctors, therapists. Educational paths, certifications, specializations.

Skills

Career awareness in healthcare
Communication with professionals
Critical thinking in career exploration

02Leadership & Communication

Team-building, communication workshops, public speaking training.

  • Role-playing patient communication scenarios
  • Public speaking workshops for health topics
  • Group collaboration in healthcare settings

Skills

Effective communication
Leadership in group tasks
Teamwork

03Peer Mentorship & Training

Mentorship techniques, public speaking, presenting health topics to peers.

  • Mentorship and leadership techniques
  • Presentation skills workshops
  • Peer support strategies for wellness

Skills

Mentorship — coaching others
Public speaking
Leadership — inspiring peers

04Global Health & Cultural Competence

Global health issues, healthcare disparities, cultural sensitivity.

  • Infectious diseases, health equity, access
  • Cultural competence training
  • Cross-cultural role-playing

Skills

Cultural competence
Global awareness
Cross-cultural communication

05Ethical Dilemmas Case Studies

End-of-life care, resource allocation, organ donation, pandemic responses.

  • Group debate with multiple perspectives
  • Medical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, justice
  • Current healthcare ethical scenarios

Skills

Ethical reasoning
Debate
Healthcare law

06Public Health Campaign Design

Design campaigns on mental health, substance abuse, vaccination, prevention.

  • Create posters, social media, flyers
  • Community presentation events

Skills

Research & literacy
Public speaking
Project planning

07Public Health Leadership & Advocacy

Leaders advocating for health equity, disease prevention, community wellness. Students create and present awareness campaigns.

Skills

Advocacy
Project management
Community leadership

Upcoming Activities

Based on ambassador interest and survey feedback.

🏥

Simulation & Skill Immersion

Field trip to the Linda Grunin Simulation Center.

  • Tour the high-tech simulation facility
  • Stations: Nursing, PA, OT, AT, PT
  • Practice CPR, patient scenarios, rehab
  • Leadership huddle on teamwork
🤝

Peer Mentorship Training

Workshop to become a strong mentor and leader.

  • Mentorship and leadership techniques
  • Public speaking skills
  • Peer support strategies
  • Role model training
🌟

Future Leaders Symposium

Full-day leadership and career exploration.

  • Mini-conference with empathy exercises
  • Career fair with MU faculty & partners
  • Team "Healthy Future Plan" project
  • Certificate ceremony

Leadership Questionnaire & Survey

Tools for assessing perspectives and gathering interest for events.

Leadership Questionnaire (10 Questions)Open Full ↗
Activity Interest SurveyOpen Full ↗