Ambassadors

Hear from our Ambassadors!

Experience UGA Ambassadors are the first people to greet Clarke County School District students as they arrive on campus, and they are instrumental in the overall success of the Experience UGA program. The ambassador program is designed to enhance students leadership and critical thinking skills, and is recognized as a high impact experiential learning opportunity. Ambassadors assist Experience UGA staff in coordinating and providing logistical support to over 100 field trips annually, and they take part in a year-long leadership development curriculum as well.

In addition to hands on experience facilitating field trips, students who participate in the ambassador program gain a deeper understanding of the PreK-12th grade educational experience and issues surrounding access to higher education. Ambassadors also strengthen multiple skills, including community engagement, self identity, professional development.

Experience UGA’s ambassador program is supported by the Parents Leadership Council.

The 2026 Ambassadors

Peer Mentors

Mia Bazelais

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Exercise and Sport Science

Devyn Bennett

Third Year

MAJOR
Political Science

Alyssa Graham

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Cognitive Science / Psychology

MINOR
Law, Jurisprudence, and the State / Spanish

CERTIFICATION
Institute for Leadership Advancement

Lauren Jackson

Third Year

MAJOR
Cognitive Science

Madi Martinez

Third Year

MAJOR
Psychology

Mansi Patel

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Psychology

MINOR
Biology

Returning Ambassadors

Ameerah Ajetunmobi

Second Year

MAJOR
Computer Science

Sara Amou

Third Year

MAJOR
Biology

Ria Chokshi

Third Year

MAJOR
Health Promotion

Kimberly Deer

Third Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology

Nathan Demas

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Exercise and Sport Science

Clare Flood-Eustace

Third Year

MAJOR
Human Development and Family Sciences

Katlyn Greer

Second Year

MAJOR
Nutritional Sciences

Alyssa Kiley

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Economics

MINOR
Housing Management and Policy

Cayla Martin

Third Year

MAJOR
Political Science

Kathleen Miller

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Genetics

Zy Miller

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Regenerative Bioscience

John Mookken

Third Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology

Madalyn Osterbuhr

Third Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology / Health Policy and Management

Madonna Phan

Second Year

MAJOR
Civil Engineering

MINOR
Spanish

Zaya Roberson

Third Year

MAJOR
Human Development and Family Sciences

Daniella Ryzhkov

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology / General Business / Chemistry

Kearston Shuler

Third Year

MAJOR
Health Promotion

MINOR
Social Work

Aryna Simakovich

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology / Business

Akshara Singh

Second Year

MAJOR
Political Science

Hope Walsh

Second Year

MAJOR
Biology (Pre-Nursing)

Taylor Whidden

Third Year

MAJOR
Psychology / Spanish

Jordan Wyatt

Third Year

MAJOR
Psychology

Helen Yi

Third Year

MAJOR
Communication Sciences and Disorders

First Year Ambassadors

Anna Ale

Second Year

MAJOR
Biology / Business

Jasmine Ament

Third Year

MAJOR
Biochemistry

Armaan Bhasin

Second Year

MAJOR
MIS / Economics

MINOR
Law, Jurisprudence and the State

AI Certificate

Alayna Bhula

Third Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology

MINOR
Public Health

Destiny Butts

Second Year

MAJOR
Human Development and Family Sciences

MINOR
Spanish

Manha Chamadia

First Year

MAJOR
Management

Rooks Duke

Second Year

MAJOR
Health Promotion

Olivia Edber

First Year

MAJOR
Political Science / Criminal Justice / Sport Management

MINOR
Spanish / Business

Allison Edwards

First Year

MAJOR
Political Science

Myrna Gerges

Third Year

MAJOR
Biomedical Physiology / Pharmaceutical Sciences

Taryn Hooks

Second Year

MAJOR
Public Relations and Marketing

Austin Lusane

Fourth Year

MAJOR
Communication Studies

Briana Maxwell

Second Year

MAJOR
Exercise and Sport Science

Olivia McWhorter

First Year

MAJOR
Communication Sciences and Disorders

Justicia Muhammad

Second Year

MAJOR
Elementary Education

Carter Newton

Graduate Student

B.S. in Genetics / Ph.D. in Plant Pathology

Joanna Ojo

Second Year

MAJOR
Nutritional Sciences

MINOR
Bioethics

Sara Robinson

Second Year

MAJOR
Environmental Engineering

Michelle Romero

Second Year

MAJOR
Human Development and Family Science / Social Entrepreneurship for Consumer Well-Being

Rhea Shah

First Year

MAJOR
Marketing

Olivia Sneed

Second Year

MAJOR
Communication Sciences and Disorders

Oluchi Ugbajah

Second Year

MAJOR
Nutritional Sciences

MINOR
Sociology

Raina Valliani

First Year

MAJOR
Economics / International Business

Joshua Wilson

Second Year

MAJOR
Mechanical Engineering / Physics

Applicants must meet these qualifications:

Must be an enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Georgia
Must attend and participate at all retreats and all Wednesday weekly meetings
Will commit to 50 hours minimum per semester facilitating Experience UGA trips (trips occur Tuesday through Friday starting at 9 a.m. and ending between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. depending on the age group)
Must be free at least two days per week (Tuesday-Friday) from at least 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Will actively participate in all Experience UGA events and projects,
Develop community outreach projects that will enhance the mission of Experience UGA and support the school district communities,
Assist with marketing efforts and support Experience UGA media,
Assist with general volunteer recruitment and Ambassador recruitment programming,
And assist in other duties as assigned

A detailed overview of the Ambassador program and a sample application can be found here.

The Experience UGA Ambassadors will serve from the beginning of spring to the end of fall semester as ambassadors for the University of Georgia to the Clarke County School District. They will create a presence in the community through their participation in Experience UGA trips and events as well as School District and community events. Furthermore, they will study issues surrounding education and the history of education in Athens-Clarke County to understand the perceptions and stigmas surrounding higher education and work to destigmatize these perceptions of higher education for Clarke County students.

Serving as an Experience UGA Ambassador will also be included on your Experiential Learning Transcript and meets the requirement for students in the College of Education, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, and College of Arts and Sciences. Experience UGA Ambassadors will enhance their leadership competency by developing their skills in civic engagement, critical thinking, communication, ethical reasoning, and reflection. All Experience UGA Ambassadors will support initiatives in the following areas: Community Engagement & Outreach, Fundraising & Events, Marketing & Public Relations, and Recruitment & Orientation, and work to enhance Experience UGA’s connection with the Clarke County School District. Ambassadors will have the opportunity to take on further leadership roles if desired during their second year in the program.

If you have questions, or would like to learn more about the ambassador program, please email: Aiyana Egins, Experience UGA Coordinator.

Five Experience UGA ambassadors pose during a trip at UGArden. — Experience UGA Ambassadors are made up of a team of UGA students trained to support the program and the students visiting from the Athens-Clarke County community. (Photo courtesy of Camille Holcomb)