K-State students selected to promote libraries, educate peers
Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019
The newest members of the K-State Libraries Student Ambassadors, front row, from left: Luciana Nieto, Maly Sears, Alissa Rehmert and Codie Boyd; second row, from left: Lauren Mulanax, Yelmy Alvarez and Olivia Burzoni; third row, from left: Denise Quinones, Zoe Thompson and Stacy Vars; fourth row, from left: Jenae Anderson, Aditi Arun and Kate Brull; back row, from left: Olivia Contractor, Jarrod Kuckelman and Margaret Mankin. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Hale Library at Kansas State University reopened its first floor on Aug. 28, 15 months after the May 2018 fire. Now, as academic demands intensify, approximately 7,000 students are using the space every week.
The library's transformation inspired some K-Staters to engage in the competitive process of representing K-State Libraries as an ambassador. Ultimately, 17 students from a wide range of majors and at both the undergraduate and graduate levels were selected to join the ranks of the K-State Libraries Student Ambassadors. This motivated group will have a unique opportunity to promote and advocate for all of the libraries on campus.
Ambassadors serve two-year terms as representatives for K-State Libraries at social, cultural and recruitment activities. They also provide valuable feedback on K-State Libraries' initiatives and services, as well as advocate for the perspectives of the larger university student body. The ambassador program provides students with leadership skills, professional connections and the opportunity to make a positive impact at the university. For more information about the program, visit lib.k-state.edu/ambassadors.
The ambassadors were chosen following an application process and finalist interviews. The interview committee included advisers Sara Kearns, academic services librarian; Darchelle Martin, public relations officer; and Ashley Stark, academic services specialist. They were joined by three current ambassadors.
"We're proud to have such a diverse group," Martin said. "Our students range from first-years through doctoral candidates, and they're studying a broad range of disciplines. That's helpful because they can represent and speak for their peers as we make important decisions about programming, services and even new spaces in Hale Library."
The following students are new K-State Libraries Student Ambassadors for 2019-2021:
Codie Boyd, sophomore in elementary education, Abilene.
From Greater Kansas City: Denise Quinones, junior in elementary education, Kansas City; Olivia Contractor, junior in marketing and sales, Lenexa; Zoe Thompson, freshman in psychology, Overland Park; and Olivia Burzoni, master's student in public administration, Shawnee.
Jarrod Kuckelman, junior in political science, Macksville; Amy Levin, master's student in English, and Margaret Mankin, junior in biological systems engineering, both from Manhattan; Kate Brull, freshman, open option, Salina; Lauren Mulanax, master's student in college student development, Topeka; and Jenae Anderson, junior in psychology, Wathena.
From out of state: Stacy Vars, master's student in creative writing, Angels Camp, California; Maly Sears, sophomore in architecture, Adrian, Missouri; and Alissa Rehmert, sophomore in English, Purdy, Missouri.
From out of country: Luciana Nieto, master's student in agronomy, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Aditi Arun, senior in biology, Varanasi, India; and Yelmy Alvarez, sophomore in architecture, Tabasco, Mexico.
