SBCC Ambassadors: #YouAreWelcomeHere

Emilio, SBCC Ambassador

Hey there! Emilio and Julia here from the SBCC Ambassadors! We’re here to tell you a little bit about one of the awesome programs that we have on campus. The Ambassador Program started in 2010 as a way to engage the different groups of SBCC and plan events for international students to integrate into the SBCC community.  We collaborate with other groups on campus to put on an event each month that we hope brings together students from SB and around the world!  Most events are free, but sometimes we charge fees for participating in certain activities to raise money for special causes. For example, we charge a fee for participating in the Volleyball tournament to raise money for a student in Rwanda whose college tuition we are sponsoring. Our group is extremely diverse and our current members come from 20 different countries.Although most of our members are international students, we also have Americans in our group!

Julia, SBCC Ambassador

Julia Lastikka I joined the Ambassador program in my second semester at SBCC. As an international student, I was excited to be part of a group that was really diverse and to meet other international students on campus. For me the program has been a great place to meet new people and improve several skills. I’ve learned a lot about communication, teamwork, and leadership. The Ambassador Program is a great way to become a part of the community at school and in Santa Barbara. My second semester I worked as one of the group leaders, which was a great opportunity for me to become more comfortable in a leadership role. Currently, I’m one of the two Ambassador interns and having more responsibility in the program has improved my social, communication, and leadership skills. Even though being an Ambassador might sometimes seem like a lot of work, it has really been a low stress environment where I can have fun with my friends while bringing the community closer together! I have met so many amazing people form all over the world, and I’m super happy to be a part of this amazing, happy group!

Emilio Fuentes I have lived in Santa Barbara all of my life. Once I started SBCC, I wanted to get more involved with the community and the international students on campus. A good friend of mine recommended that I join the Ambassadors. Once I joined, I quickly made lots of friends and I was able to connect with people who wanted to connect with the community on campus just like me. My favorite part of being an Ambassador is planning all of the events. My favorite event each semester is our International Food Fair. Each semester we invite the entire community to come and try food from around the world. Ambassadors cook the food and the community comes out to try it. Being in Ambassadors has built up my confidence, my leadership skills, and my ability to communicate and work in a team. I am extremely proud to be part of such an awesome and supportive group!

We both welcome all of you to join us at our events and also to join our amazing program! You can follow us on social media for the latest greatest news!

SBCC Ambassadors