Lynn University's work as a UNAI member focuses on Global Citizenship, which is one of the most valued commitments of the university. The organization believes that the only way to truly create global citizens through education is to immerse students in different communities, cultures, and societies. To advance this goal, in 2018 the university created the Ambassador Corps program, which continues to grow in its second year.
The Ambassador Corps program allows ten students to do an 8-10 week internship in emerging markets to work with social impact organizations at the frontlines of social change, encouraging participants to become real changemakers. The ten students participating in Ambassador Corps this year come from a variety of fields from international business to journalism to psychology and more. They are also a very diverse group of students, coming from countries such as Liberia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the United States, Antigua, and others. They have been matched with non-profit organizations and social enterprises in Belize, Costa Rica, Colombia, Rwanda and Liberia, where they will work on an array of assignments in a variety of fields, from environmental sustainability, women's empowerment, to fair trade business models, communication, education, or strategic development of new programs striving to bring change to their communities.
This program requires the organizations on the ground to interview the candidates and ensure that they are a good match for their needs. This year Lynn University was able to provide scholarships to students who were not able to cover the cost of the program via grants.
Before their departure the ten chosen students participated in a one-week, pre-departure training with the Lynn University Social Impact Lab in preparation for their internships abroad. The training included the basics of invaluable skills such as cultural sensitivity, grant writing, project management, and more, all of which will be essential to the success of their assignments.
This is the second year the Ambassador Corps runs as a Lynn University program, and the organizers are excited to see how this experience impacts their students in the long term. The program's motto is Life begins at the end of your comfort zone, which they believe to be a fitting slogan for anyone striving to become a global citizen. Students receive six academic credits for this experience, and as such are expected to submit assignments throughout the summer to comply with the educational components of the program. Upon their return, students reflect on their experiences and share them with others in their classrooms and the Lynn University community at large.