What the Bison Ambassadors do on campus

The North Dakota State University Bison Ambassadors is currently accepting applications for 2020. Bison Ambassadors is a student public relations organization, that works alongside the NDSU Foundation, with the motto of “Cultivating a culture of philanthropy educating students, engaging alumni and supporters, and growing future leaders.” Bison Ambassadors is open to all students regardless of their major.

To become a member, students must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA, be enrolled in at least nine credits per semester and complete a certain amount of volunteer hours per quarter, which varies each quarter. 

After applications are due, a recruitment committee anonymously reviews the applications. The recruitment committee then decides which students will receive an interview. Interviews will be done the first week of March and students will know if they were accepted March 6. Members can expect to spend one to three hours per week working with Bison Ambassadors. Bison Ambassadors meet every other Tuesday throughout the year. 

Anthony Husnick, the president of Bison Ambassadors, has been a member for two years. 

“We bridge the gap between students on campus and those that have come before like alumni and supports making donations to NDSU,” Husnick said. 

The Bison Ambassadors was formed in 1993 when the Student Alumni Association and the Office of Admission’s Bison Ambassadors merged in 1993. Bison Ambassadors’ goal is to promote a culture of philanthropy on campus. Philanthropy is defined as the desire to promote the welfare of others. Ambassadors work to promote the best interests of the students and the campus through service on multiple different platforms. They also connect alumni and students with activities and other events.

Bison Ambassadors are currently working with the Financial Aid Office to bring awareness to scholarships offered by NDSU.

“Thousands of dollars of scholarships go unused because people don’t know about them or fit specific requirements,” Husnick said. “We want to be able to get that knowledge out, so more people are able to apply for them.” 

The organization will be setting up booths in the Memorial Union and giving out information about scholarships for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Apart from bringing awareness about scholarships Bison Ambassadors are involved in other events. Some of the major events Bison Ambassadors help with include guiding students during fall orientation and showing new students where their classes will be.

Bison Ambassadors also organize the Bidder’s Bowl. The Bidder’s Bowl is an auction that takes place during NDSU Homecoming. The proceeds from the auction are used for academic scholarships.  

“We’re here to promote the welfare of the NDSU campus and its students.”

-Bison Ambassadors President, Anthony Husnick

Bison Ambassadors host the annual Senior Day, an event to recognize those graduating from NDSU. Apart from honoring graduates, the event informs recent graduates how they can stay involved with NDSU. Last year’s Senior Day also included individuals talking about career opportunities. 

The Bison Ambassadors also organize the Apple Polisher program. The program recognizes staff and faculty who have made an impact on a student’s college experience. An Ambassador will choose a staff or faculty member, that exceeds the standards of serving students, and they are given a gift every day of Apple Polisher week. 

“We’re here to promote the well fair of the NDSU campus and its students,” Husnick said. 

If students have any questions about Bison Ambassadors, the organization will have a booth in the Memorial Union Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Applications are currently open and are due by 5 p.m. on Feb. 13. Applications are available on the NDSU Foundation website or https://www.ndsufoundation.com/bison-ambassadors-application.