The University is accepting applications for the Parent Ambassador program, which is designed to alleviate the stress new students’ parents may face during the process of helping their student register for classes, choose a residential community and navigate their way around campus.
Applications are due no later than 5 p.m. on Oct. 8. They should be turned in to the Dean of Students Office in Suite 230 in the Ferguson Center, and they are available through the Office of Parent Programs website, www.parents.ua.edu.
Parent Ambassadors guide parents through the many small details of Parent Orientation, which coincides with Bama Bound, UA’s student orientation program. Parent Ambassadors also help parents familiarize themselves with campus procedures, programs and requirements.
“We work primarily with family orientation,” Parent Orientation coordinator Jessica Criswell said. “Parents wanted a student’s perspective, something we cannot give them as professionals. Parents would hear rumors about things like parking, and the Parent Ambassadors are able to inform them more than we would.
“Parents love the Parent Ambassador program,” she said. “One of the new pieces we had this year at orientation was small groups. Normally 350-375 parents would attend orientation and we would break them down into small groups of about eight, depending on room availability, with the Parent Ambassadors serving as facilitators for the session.”
Parent Ambassadors give personality to the University, and UA looks for energetic students to participate in the program, Criswell said.
“We worked closely with the Avanti Team and guided parents to their particular information sessions,” said Jordan Thompson, a junior majoring in political science and a member of the 2009 Parent Ambassador team. “We answered general questions about Bama and on certain days there was a panel of us who would participate in a question and answer session with parents.
“We woke up bright and early and were perpetually busy—although we got tired, we still finished the work day with a smile on our faces knowing we made a difference and set the parents at ease,” he said.
According to their website, the Parent Ambassador program is part of the Office of Parent Programs, a facet of the University designed to ease the transition of new students into the University of Alabama community.
