President’s Ambassadors Trip Reflections 2011-2012

Our President’s Ambassadors trip to the Bahamas was a perfect balance of growth and rejuvenation. The trip allowed us to refine our leadership skills and rejuvenate for the coming semester, all while sailing through one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Reflecting on my past couple of years, especially the last, the Presidents Ambassadors program has been wonderful and has enriched my experience at GC. I was somewhat hesitant to leave my internship for several days during busy season to go to the Bahamas. I was silly for entertaining such thoughts – I cannot imagine a better way to have spent five days than traveling and cruising in the Bahamas with good friends. The entire experience and relationships developed as a result are invaluable.

The cruise was an absolutely wonderful experience! I enjoyed every minute of it! It was a great opportunity to bond with my fellow PAs and further develop our leadership and public speaking skills while soaking up quality sun rays!

As a President’s Ambassador I have been given incredible opportunities to learn about leadership, about the world, about other student leaders, and about myself. This position has allowed me valuable time and space with President Crouch and with other influential leaders within the Commonwealth and the world. Most recently we were given the opportunity to go on a cruise together (the President’s Ambassadors) where we were allowed time to learn more about the components and dynamics of presenting ourselves, being successful speakers, and allowed more opportunities to interact with others.

On our President’s Ambassador Leadership Cruise I learned that it is okay to unplug from all technology as well as relax and regained energy to finish out the semester. While relaxing and regaining energy it was a pleasure to get to know all of the President’s Ambassadors. But, most importantly I gained wisdom and understanding as well as what it means to be an extraordinary leader.

This cruise has allowed me to experience a lot of firsts. The first time I’ve been on a cruise. The first time I’ve had the opportunity to interact with dolphins, even swim with them. The first time I’ve been able to spend time with my fellow PAs and get to know them in an environment outside of school and fortunately we have created lasting relationships. This was a great opportunity, an opportunity of a lifetime.

After returning from the President’s Ambassador Cruise I can definitely say that I have taken a lot away from the experience. For starters, being one of the twenty-one students chosen is a blessing. I have been able to form meaningful relationships with students that I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to get to know. Also, the trip to the Bahamas gave me the chance to immerse myself in a culture that is different from my own and see how other people live. I have always been fascinated with different cultures and being able to leave the States and visit a diverse place, has truly made me appreciate other cultures.

Flying home from the cruise I can spend some time reflecting about the wonderful people that I have traveled with the last week and had the pleasure of getting to know in the past few years. The presidents ambassadors program can often be difficult to describe to people…Dr. Crouch will describe it as “taking the best 20 students at Georgetown and making them 5% better prepared than other college graduates for finding a job.”. While this is true, I would describe it as an opportunity to better yourself and Georgetown College at the same time. We each get to spend time learning and living together on the amazing trips while representing Georgetown College. The Presidents Ambassadors are the elite group on campus.

Being a part of the President’s Ambassadors program has allowed me to develop friendships with a group of my peers that I, otherwise, would probably have never met. I am grateful to be a part of such an amazing group of young professionals with varying future goals because I know that we will be able to depend upon each other for help not only now as students at Georgetown College, but also in the future as we develop our careers, families and communities. The President’s Ambassadors is truly a special program that could only be successful at a place like Georgetown College.

The President’s Ambassadors leadership training and cruise to the Bahamas granted me a fantastic opportunity to grow as an individual through the enhancement of my own personal abilities, as well as through the relationships that formed as a result of the trip. The cruise experience was fantastic all because of the people I was able to experience it with. I now not only know my fellow PA’s as standout Georgetown College students – I can also recognize them as fantastic individuals as well as friends.

The PA trip was really insightful. Sometimes reading about real culture isn’t enough. Having the opportunity to explore other cultures through leadership and personal experience however, is priceless.