Are you passionate about your major? Do you enjoy meeting new people? Are you looking for a unique professional development opportunity? If so, apply to become a student Ambassador in the College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences (CALES)! As the face of the college, and often of the university, ambassadors volunteer their time to connect prospective students to academic opportunities in CALES and at the university.
The CALES Ambassador Program is a prestigious leadership program. Members develop an enhanced sense of professional self-efficacy through competency-based learning focused on leadership, presentation, interpersonal and organizational skills. While the application process is competitive, successful applicants will become student leaders in CALES, receive a 100% Engagement notation, and join the robust network of CALES Ambassador Alumni upon graduating.
Member responsibilities
- Applicants must be undergraduate CALES main campus students with at least one complete semester in CALES.
- 3.0 GPA (overall and in the major).
- Ambassadors are active and engaged members of the CALES Ambassador team, attending mandatory events: biweekly meetings, retreats, training days, convocation ceremonies, etc.
- Ambassadors must complete a minimum of 45 hours of ambassador service hours each year. A year commitment is required. Ambassadors who meet the hour requirement within the year will receive a $250 stipend.
Important Dates
In addition to monthly meetings during the semesters (currently Fridays at 3:30 pm), all Ambassadors are encouraged to attend the following CALES events:
- Ambassador Meeting: May 1, 2026, at 3:30 pm
- CALES May Graduation Convocation: Saturday, May 16, 2026
- Next Stop CALES & New Student Welcome: TBA (August 2026)
- CALES Ambassador Fall 2025 Retreat: Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22, 2026
- CALES December Graduation Convocation: TBA
- Additional required events will be shared as available
How to apply (2026-2027)
Submit your online application. For questions about the application, please contact Erin Englund (ekowalsky@arizona.edu).
Application information
A complete application includes:
- Online Application Form
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Recorded responses to the CALES Ambassador Applicant Questions:
- Why are you interested in becoming an Ambassador?
- How would you describe your experiences in the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, and how will those experiences be useful in recruitment or outreach efforts?
- What do you hope to gain from participating in the CALES Ambassador Program?
- One reference form submitted directly from your reference. Please provide your reference with this form.
- Application Deadline: Monday, March 16, 2026, at 5:00pm AZ time.
- Group Interviews held in person, required for all applicants on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
- Panel Interviews and "About Me" Presentation: Applicants selected for panel interviews will be asked to deliver a three-minute "about me" presentation and then participate in a panel interview. The panel interviews will be held in person. Applicants will sign up for a 30-minute interview.
- New Member Notification: April 20, 2026