From Amazon, Samsung, Bumble, Margaritaville, and Alani Nu to Bearpaw, college ambassador programs are very well known throughout social media. They are known to have a large number of ambassadors scattered throughout campuses all over the world, giving out free merchandise and discount codes and hosting events. These programs help students boost their skills early on, preparing them for graduation.
These ambassador programs can be found posted online on the brand’s social media accounts when they are looking for new recruits, but they are also posted externally. A good resource for those interested in this is the Youth Marketing Connection, since they show almost every program and have the application links posted on them.
The Victoria’s Secret Pink Campus Representative program was one of the first brands who had college students advertising for them on campuses nationwide. They would select two representatives per college and had three rounds of interviews to make sure they chose the most qualified candidates. The representatives for this program traveled to Ohio before the school year began, received thousands of dollars of PINK merchandise, and had an amazing resume booster with marketing and event experience. Unfortunately, in 2023, they disbanded this program and now seek influencers of any age.
Despite the discontinuation of the VS Pink program, Alani Nu ambassadors seem to be very present at UNLV. The Alani Nu ambassador program is now hiring, offering ambassadors discount codes, monthly boxes of their products and other exclusive opportunities. If you’re on campus during weekdays, you may spot some girls with carts full of Alani Nu energy drinks, handing them out to students in between classes.
Sarah John, a senior at UNLV, has been very involved in numerous marketing opportunities during her undergraduate years. She states that she does a ton of research to find the brands she wants to represent as an ambassador. Two very notable programs she has been a part of are the BearPaw Campus Ranger Program and the Samsung College Ambassador Program. When asked about the tasks she has to complete to maintain her ambassadorship, she stated that, “Content creation is the most significant part about being an ambassador! It is all about spreading the word about the awesome things the brands are doing. I even get the chance to host events on campus! I once partnered with Rebel Grounds to give out free drinks to students which was definitely one of my most successful events.” She also discussed the amazing opportunity to network with many professionals who oversee a multitude of brands.
I have experience as a Margaritaville University student ambassador and think it has been such an unique experience and resume booster. Each month, we are given tasks that include taking product photos, integrating Margaritaville into our professional lives and having Zoom meetings to network and connect with other ambassadors around the world.
Being in university is very stressful, and at times it is hard to maintain a job while being enrolled in classes full-time. These ambassador programs look amazing on a resume and help students learn useful life and job skills they can use in their post-graduate life. Most programs are specifically target marketing and communications majors, yet they are open to anyone based on the effort put into an application and passion for the brand.
