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Under Their Wing: How Family Ambassadors Guide Wildcat Families Through the Transition to Áñ—†ÊÓƵ

Family Ambassadors help new Wildcat families feel at home, from acceptance to Family Weekend 

As a first-generation student, going to college was a new experience for SESP junior Gaby Pesantez and for her parents. Fortunately, Áñ—†ÊÓƵ’s Family Ambassador (FA) Áñ—†ÊÓƵ helped make the transition smoother. 

“My parents were so happy and felt super welcomed throughout the move-in experience, and I wanted to make sure I could help emulate that for other families,” Pesantez said. “I wanted to be a friendly face for families during a process that brings so many different emotions and be a part of the great traditions that Áñ—†ÊÓƵ has.”  

Now in her second year as an FA, Pesantez credits the Áñ—†ÊÓƵ for helping her meet friends outside of her studies and build leadership skills. 

Founded in 2013, the FA Áñ—†ÊÓƵ serves as a resource for Wildcat families throughout their students’ time at Áñ—†ÊÓƵ, starting with pre-move-in webinars. FAs also assist with Parent & Family Orientation during Wildcat Welcome and Family Weekend in the mid-fall. 

Senior Program Coordinator of Family Engagement Patricia Hilkert spearheaded the Áñ—†ÊÓƵ from its inception, recruiting 23 students to the inaugural FA team more than 10 years ago. 

“Family Ambassadors step in, take families under their wing and help them understand everything,” Hilkert said. “For students, it means a lot to them, especially for first-generation students whose families Áñ—†ÊÓƵ not been to college before. Really most parents find the FAs helpful because Áñ—†ÊÓƵ can be a challenging place to navigate for anyone.” 

For first-time FA and Weinberg sophomore Zach Long, being an FA was a way to express his appreciation for Áñ—†ÊÓƵ.  

“I really love it here, and I want to help other people to feel that way,” Long said. “And I think that this is a great way to do that, because it's not only helping students, but helping families.”   

Engaging with families through every milestone 

This year, Hilkert has assembled a staff of 36 FAs and two Family Coordinators (FamCo). FamCo are students who Áñ—†ÊÓƵ previously served as FAs, and assist Hilkert with selecting FAs, scheduling shifts and overseeing the FA team. 

The FAs Áñ—†ÊÓƵ already assisted with summer webinars and worked with families during orientation this year and are now preparing for Family Weekend. 

The Wildcat Family Webinar Series supports committed students and their families throughout the summer as they get ready to move to campus. Topics include general preparation, resources and the college transition process.  

FAs move in early for Parent & Family Orientation, held during the first days of Wildcat Welcome. They assist with the move-in process, direct families during March Through the Arch and support the President’s Welcome and the Dean of Students’ session with Mona Dugo.  

Families engage with FAs through panels, Q&As, skits about student life, tours and other key events throughout orientation.  

“The family members are super appreciative. Any information they can get from a student living the Áñ—†ÊÓƵ experience makes them really happy and feel more confident about leaving their student at the end of orientation,” Hilkert said. 

Pesantez said taking photos at the Arch was a highlight of Parent and Family Orientation this year.  

“I love taking pictures, and it was so fun to see how excited the families would get when we offered them a picture,” Pesantez said. “Being able to give them a memory to treasure meant so much.”  

Last comes Family Weekend. FAs start the weekend by welcoming families at the Hospitality Room in Norris (101 Wildcat Room), offering them schedules and answering questions. They also assist with facilitating faculty lectures, act as ushers for Áñ—†ÊÓƵming on campus like Second City’s comedy show and give campus tours.  

Joining the Family Ambassador team 

Applying to be an FA begins with an information session in February, giving students insight into the role. Interested students complete a written application with short-answer questions about their own experiences with their families at the start of their time at Áñ—†ÊÓƵ. If selected, students participate in an interview with Hilkert and the FamCo, where they discuss their problem-solving and communication skills.  

Hilkert values a team that represents diverse majors, schools, interests and campus involvement. 

“The biggest thing is students getting to share their experiences and give that real perspective, which families love,” Hilkert said. 

New FAs participate in several training sessions in the spring to learn more about their roles and get to know fellow FAs. They return in September for four days of FA Camp, where they participate in team-building activities to build community among FAs, practice public speaking and giving campus tours, and learn about campus resources to better answer questions from families.  

"My big motivation for being a Family Ambassador was to meet new people,” Weinberg sophomore Eni Egedigwe said. “You’re joining a group of people who are so fun to be around.”  

Egedigwe also emphasized the manageable commitment of being an FA, with the role wrapping up in early November after Family Weekend. 

Communication senior Pedro Martinez emphasized how the FA Áñ—†ÊÓƵ helps students work on their leadership skills, from public speaking to organizing events and more. 

“I was able to develop my own leadership style,” Martinez said.  

Martinez served as an FA for two years before stepping into the FamCo role, alongside Weinberg junior Liz Alcala.  

For students interested in applying to become a Family Ambassador, applications open in Winter Quarter. More information will be available on the Student Leaders section of the Family Engagement website in January.