Student Ambassadors are current students majoring or minoring in a world language and are passionate about the experiences and opportunities language learning can offer! Whether you are a prospective high school, transfer, or current UI student, our Student Ambassadors are here to support you! To meet with an Ambassador and gain firsthand experience in this language program, e-mail ui-dwllc@uiowa.edu.

Carolina Duenas standing in Iowa colors in front of a tree

Carolina Duenas (she/her)

My Spanish education has positively impacted my time at the University of Iowa by opening up the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Spain. It broadened my perspective and gave me a newfound appreciation for different cultures and ways of life.

cduenas@uiowa.edu
woman in white shirt standing in front of water

Ciara Tapanes (she/her)

I really enjoyed the course Linguistic Aspects of the Lusophone World! It is a linguistics class all about Portuguese! I had zero knowledge of Portuguese so the history, cultures of different Portuguese-speaking countries, and the language were all so interesting.

ciara-tapanes@uiowa.edu
Delaney Orewiler standing in a sunflower field

Delaney Orewiler (she/her)

Language classes at the University of Iowa have brought me some of the closest and best friends I could have ever hoped to have. They are the perfect size and they help me to achieve my goal of fluency as well as helping me meet other world-minded people on campus.

delaney-orewiler@uiowa.edu
Lucie Brennan standing outside in front of trees

Lucie Brennan (she/her)

Being able to speak a second language, even if not fluently, is a great thing to put on a resume. Personally, I think that the life skills and practical knowledge of problem solving and thinking outside the box will be essential in a career of event planning. Those skills can be learned through my language education.

lucie-brennan@uiowa.edu
Christina Fjeld standing against a brick wall in an Iowa t-shirt

Christina Fjeld (she/her)

I have met some really cool people - both students and professors - through the Department of Spanish & Portuguese! I hope to be able to travel to Spanish-speaking countries in my career and be able to better serve Spanish speakers!

christina-fjeld@uiowa.edu
Savannah Dennis in black

Savannah Dennis (she/her)

I've been working in baseball for six years now and plan on continuing that as a full-time career postgrad, so learning and knowing Spanish will help me be able to communicate with the multitude of Spanish-speaking players.

sfdennis@uiowa.edu
Close-up of Sheeley McMahon, with medium-length brown hair and a white shirt

Sheeley McMahon (she/her)

My language education is the reason for my time at Iowa. Without language education, I don't know what I'd be studying or even doing right now.

sheeley-mcmahon@uiowa.edu
Sophie Perez standing in UIowa-themed clothing in front of the Old Capitol Building

Sophie Perez (she/her)

Knowing a second language sets you apart from other candidates. For me, knowing about other languages and cultures inspires my writing.

sophia-perez@uiowa.edu

Interested in Being an Ambassador?

This exciting volunteer opportunity with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences allows Ambassadors to interact with prospective students and their guests during, but not limited to, recruitment events such as Daily Admission Visits, Hawkeye Visit Days, and Admitted Student Days. Ambassadors can also connect with prospective and current students through social media outreach, communication projects, and assisting with functions for current students, alums, and donors.

Participation Qualifications

While the Student Ambassador Program is a volunteer opportunity, there are guidelines for participation. A successful candidate must:

  • Be a declared major or minor in a world language.
  • Participate in a minimum of 10 hours of World Language-related recruitment events each semester.
  • Exhibit excellent customer service skills and interact professionally with prospective student and their guests.
  • Share experiences in a positive yet realistic view with perspective students and guests.
  • Attend and complete mandatory training.
  • Hold the position for a semester at a time. Reappointment based on a performance evaluation is required for subsequent semesters.
  • Be in good conduct standing with the University.
  • Be a current, full-time (at least 12 s.h.) University of Iowa student.
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 while holding the position.