Upon leaving the annual WiSys Ambassador orientation and training in August, members of the 2017-18 ambassador class were already brainstorming creative new ways to inspire innovation across the UW System comprehensive campuses. One semester later, many of their ideas have come to fruition, from new student organizations to special campus events.

For many ambassadors, their first task was to simply have a presence on campus and become known as a resource for innovators at any level. UW-Parkside Ambassador Nikolai Lumpkins presented to many student organizations on his campus throughout the fall semester and is working to revive the UW-Parkside Marketing Club to provide a platform for business-minded students to network and exchange ideas on campus.

UW-Eau Claire Ambassador Anneka Johnson took over as president of the Researchers & Innovators club, which was originally started by another WiSys Ambassador. The club aims to provide educational and networking opportunities for campus innovators from all backgrounds. They had three meetings during the fall semester, each with fantastic attendance from many different majors.

Johnson's counterpart at UW-Eau Claire, Kasey Berger, hosted WiSys' first-ever Science Slime Night, during which she invited students to de-stress during finals by making their own slime while learning about how WiSys supports science and entrepreneurship on campus.

While their individual activities may differ, each of the 2017-18 WiSys Ambassadors is working toward exciting things for the spring semester, including TEDx-style talks and new student idea competitions.

The 2017-18 WiSys Ambassador class is made up of 19 undergraduate students from the 11 UW System comprehensive campuses. Their majors vary from biomolecular chemistry to communications, but they are united in their commitment to help WiSys build a culture of innovation on each of their campuses. 

WiSys accepts Ambassador applications on a rolling basis. For more information or to apply, click here.