The IUP Ambassadors, a student group that promotes interaction between members of the IUP community, has earned three 2012 District 2 awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education: Outstanding External Program; Tried & True Program; and Outstanding Adviser, awarded to Sara Lawer (photo).
The awards, presented by CASE's Affiliated Student Advancement Programs, recognize an organization for its impact on individual memberships, development and growth, and dedication to the organization, university and student advancement profession.
The Ambassadors won the Outstanding External Program Award for their Young Alumni Achievement Award program and the Tried & True Program award for its Tuition Raffle Program. This is the third year Lawer has been recognized with the Outstanding Adviser award.
The group's 50 members serve as liaisons between prospective students, current students, administrators, faculty members, alumni, and friends of the university. Members are active participants in Homecoming activities and 50-year reunions for alumni. They also host activities on campus for a variety of administrative offices, including the Office of the President.
In addition, members are active in student recruitment efforts, making welcome calls to students accepted to IUP and assisting with orientation events throughout the year. The group also distributes a freshman yearbook and organizes a senior recognition event.
In March, the Ambassadors hosted more than 155 students and advisers from 13 universities for a two-day conference featuring educational programming and networking opportunities.
“It is truly a blessing to work with such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of students,” Lawer said. “Their work to serve as the link between current students, prospective students, alumni, administration and the university family is endless.
“I am so glad they received the recognition for their efforts at the conference; they deserved each and every award. I feel honored to be part of the Ambassadors family.”
“IUP is very proud of the students and of Sara,” Bill Speidel, associate vice president for development at IUP, said. “We continue to be appreciative of the hard work that the Ambassadors do on behalf of IUP. This award is very appropriate, and it reinforces what we already know—that this program is a very high-quality one that strengthens IUP in so many ways.”