The Ambassador Program matches newcomers to the Library to an existing employee (“Ambassador”) to help them feel welcome, enable them to more quickly build connections to the community and campus, and learn about Library culture.
Who can be matched to an Ambassador?
New faculty, civil service, and academic professional employees are offered an Ambassador as they join the Library. In addition, existing employees who are changing employee classifications as part of taking on a new position also have the opportunity to participate if they wish.
What are the time commitments?
Typically, Ambassador pairs exchange email and meet one or twice (virtually or in person), close to when the new employee, or “Ambassadee” is starting. In addition, the Ambassador may help with informal introductions to other Library employees, based on the Ambassadee’s interests or curiosity about the local community. As the Ambassadee settles in and gets to know more people, then the short-term arrangement tends to naturally wind down–but it is important for each pair to talk together about how and when they will meet and their expectations around communication. In most cases, the duration of the Ambassador pairing is a few weeks. Newcomers who are unit heads will often be paired with two other unit heads and this relationship could be a few months, since the goal is to help support the new unit head in learning institutional background to help them in their leadership role.
Who can be an Ambassador?
Library employees with at least 1 year experience at the Library and 2 years experience at the U of I and/or Urbana-Champaign community, and who have developed a strong knowledge of the area. In addition, Ambassadors should be comfortable reaching out and initiating relationships with others and able to represent the Library effectively and in a positive manner.
The time commitment is minimal but makes a big impact. If you are interested in applying to be an Ambassador, please go to the following URL to review the criteria for becoming an Ambassador and submit your application: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/3342896