Grow your club through a first-year ambassador program!
Written by Priyanshu Saxena, CKI 2024-25 trustee

To continue thriving and growing, CKI clubs must ensure a steady influx of new members who are passionate and committed to the organization’s mission. One effective way to achieve this: Establish a first-year ambassador position within each CKI club. This role is pivotal for recruitment, engagement and leadership development — all of which are crucial for long-term success. 

Launched at the Wake Forest University club in Winston-Salem, N.C., U.S., during the 2021-22 service year, the first-year ambassador position has since been adopted by other CKI clubs. Here are some reasons to implement the role in your club: 

Enhance your club’s yearlong recruitment.  

First-year ambassadors oversee recruitment of other first-year students throughout the service year. By targeting and engaging first-year students, ambassadors provide the guidance and encouragement they need to choose CKI over a competing student organization. 

This is particularly important because first-year students bring fresh perspectives, energy and enthusiasm — and they usually have the potential to be a CKI member for the next four years. First-year ambassadors serve as a direct link between incoming students and the club, making the recruitment process for first-year students more personalized and effective over the service year. 

Attract ambitious leaders. 

In today’s competitive job market, students increasingly look for opportunities to enhance their resumes with meaningful leadership experiences. The first-year ambassador position allows them to demonstrate their initiative, leadership ability and commitment to community service — all highly valued by employers and higher education programs. 

With the first-year ambassador position, CKI clubs can attract driven students who are not only eager to contribute to the club but also see it as a valuable stepping stone in their personal and professional development. This alignment of interests benefits both the individual and the club — because motivated students are more likely to excel in their roles and contribute to the club’s success. 

Helps build a leadership pipeline. 

Early exposure to leadership strengthens CKI at the club, district, and international levels by cultivating a pipeline of future leaders. As these first-year students grow within CKI, they are more likely to assume larger leadership roles. 

Tyler Rosado and Christine Ricci both served as first-year ambassadors for their CKI clubs in 2023-24 — Rosado at North Carolina State, U.S., and Ricci at Aurora University, Illinois, U.S. 

While Rosado planned to join CKI regardless, he says the first-year ambassador position “enabled me to keep CKI as a high-priority activity, since I was able to have that leadership opportunity within the club without having to go elsewhere.  

“This position helped me grow as a leader,” he adds, “primarily by helping me understand the culture, environment and values of our specific club. Not only does this aid me to continue leading CKI, but it also helps me find my place as a leader in other spaces.” 

After contributing to North Carolina State CKI’s 43.75% membership growth over the 2023-24 service year, Rosado has now assumed the role of club president. 

At Aurora University, Ricci realized similar benefits from her role as first-year ambassador.  

“Having this position has helped to grow me as a leader because it helped me gain a better understanding of CKI, especially on the district level,” she says. “It helped to give me the courage and knowledge to run for district secretary.” 

As the club’s first-year ambassador, Ricci contributed to its 22.73% membership growth in 2023-24. Now she hopes to bring her impact to the district level in her new role as Illinois-Eastern Iowa District secretary. 

Rosado’s and Ricci’s stories are just two examples of the impact the first-year ambassador position is making. As CKI clubs continue to evolve and adapt to students’ changing needs, the position stands out as a key strategy for building a vibrant, engaged and leadership-driven club culture.

For more information on how to implement this program in your club, contact district or international leadership and check out this detailed role description.