AMBASSADORS AS PARTNERS: HOW INCORPORATING AMBASSADORS INTO PROGRAMMING STRENGTHENS, DIVERSIFIES AND ENHANCES THE PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE

The portfolio of the EarthScope Engagement program is diverse, spanning multiple audiences and programmatic foci. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are threaded throughout all programming beginning from the early planning stages. A strong emphasis is placed on belonging, or creating a community that people want to belong to. In our experience, when participants and leaders feel a part of the program, they are more likely to engage and be active members of the community, both to the benefit of themselves and the program. In this way, EarthScope Ambassadors is not a formal program, rather, it is a programmatic philosophy to encourage meaningful contributions to the development, delivery and promotion of EarthScope products and programs. This philosophy manifests as small practices that demonstrate respect for the ambassadors and encourage agency.

Throughout, there is respect for the experience, a focus on professionalism and acknowledging the unique skills of the ambassadors. Typically a stipend or honorarium is provided in a consistent manner across participant types and programs. There is opportunity for contributions to the product or program development cycle including defending program goals, sharing with participants the goals and objectives of the programming as well as the benefit and outcomes for the participant, a check in with participants during the programming and conducting post-programming evaluations and debriefings surveys and feedback.

As an example, one of our internship programs (Geo-Launchpad) recruits student participants by engaging faculty from community colleges. These faculty Ambassadors to the program are representatives of the program and we rely on them for our applicant pool. Following the steps outlined above brings ownership of the program to the Ambassadors and is reflective in their recruitment efforts. This presentation will provide additional examples of how, by engaging Ambassadors as members of our community, we are able to expand our reach, diversify our participants and strengthen programming across our portfolio.