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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Ambassador program offers international opportunity

Students interested in representing the United States in Korea at the 2012 World Expo can now apply to be student ambassadors at the USA Pavilion this summer.

While there, they will present the voice of the American people to millions of visitors from around the world.

This year, the World Expo will take place in Yeosu, Korea, a coastal city on Korea’s southern coast. USA Pavilion CEO Andrew Snowhite explained that student ambassadors will help with everything from greeting visitors and VIPs to helping address the media and completing back-house operations, the business side of the Pavilion’s presence.

“Ambassadors will be an integral part of the team in the Pavilion itself,” Snowhite said. “They will really be acting as the face of America to the millions of guests who will visit.”

The World Expo, once called the World’s Fair, has existed in some form since 1851. Since then, World Expos have occurred in cities globally at various intervals. At each, inventors, engineers and thinkers from many nations converge to share their novelties with the world.

For student ambassadors, the trip is an all-expenses paid experience, including a $20 per day stipend, an entry visa and apartment-style housing. Ambassadors will arrive May 2 for a 10-day orientation before the World Expo opens May 12. The Expo will end August 12.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent America on a global stage, earn college credit and have an amazing adventure,” Snowhite said.

Applications are open to student who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, but are restricted to those currently enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students or to recent graduates. Applicants should have good standing at their university and experience in public relations, as well as basic to intermediate proficiency in Korean.

Because the University of Virginia was recently announced as the official partner of the World Expo, IU students may apply online through that school’s study abroad application system at Pavilion2012.org. The application process requires a personal statement of interest in the program, transcripts, a résumé, two faculty recommendations and a $90 application fee. 

“We need a wide variety of folks,” Snowhite said. “Some applicants need to be good in front of a crowd, but we’re also looking for those interested in figuring out how a business runs and doing our back-house operations. Overall, we need people who are open-minded and team players.”

Applications are due Feb. 10.

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