Thirty-eight SAGA (Student Ambassadors to Global Alumni) have participated in one of the four sessions of this week’s mandatory training, two in-person sessions and two virtual sessions.

Congratulations to our very first group of SAGA members who have completed the training: Morountodun (Ronnie) Adeseyoju, Vanshika Agarwal, Dhir Agrawal, Redha Alajmi, Haya Alshayji, Ning-Chieh (Nina) Chang, Wei Chen, Eunhae Cho, Dunstan Dirua, Lalitha Gopalan, Nirmit Gupta, Chi Huang, Yunice Ip, Seung Ju (Alisia) Lee, Jiajie Li, Xianliang Li, Yunqi (Giesel) Liu, Junxi Liu, Yuning (Stephanie) Liu, Cristina Mock, Aryan Modi, Aida Muneechai, Sweetalana, Tandin Norbu, Olusegun (Segun) Olamoyegun, Lorine Ouma, Yifan Qian, Afiqah Razak, Jiayuan Shen, Tzuyin (Lave) Su, Sabrina Tseng, Qiaojuan (Tina) Tu, Yufan Wang, Yiyang Xu, Eden Yemesegen, Shixiang Yuan, Asma Safiyyah Zakaria, and Xingjian (Jeff) Zhao.

SAGA’s motto: Expand Horizons!

 

What are Student Ambassadors to Global Alumni (SAGA)?

Student Ambassadors to Global Alumni (SAGA) are student volunteers who serve as a liaison for Penn State in a targeted geographical city, region, or country—in the United States and abroad.

Mission Statement

Student Ambassadors to Global Alumni (SAGA) engage global alumni in meaningful ways to strengthen their lifelong connection with Penn State and positively impact both the individual and the University.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as a local resource for Penn State community in your region
  • Identify, welcome, connect, and support those who are new to your region, including alumni, students, and parents, and help strengthen their connection to Penn State Global.
  • Invite alumni of your area to update their bio information.
  • Strengthen alumni networks in your region, including promoting Penn State alumni membership.
  • Serve as a local resource for study-abroad students in your area.
  • Provide cultural information and language support of the region to Penn State as requested.
• Assist other Penn State-sponsored activities and initiatives
  • Identify opportunities for developing awareness around university priorities and global initiatives as requested.
  • Support communications and the profile of Penn State’s alumni community by sharing global alumni stories.
  • Help local alumni of your region/city/country understand the importance of philanthropy.
  • Foster Penn State’s presence by speaking to the local community of your home country
  • Identify internships and study-abroad opportunities in your region

Expectations of SAGA

• Complete a mandatory training to begin serving on the program
• Provide support to Penn State global alumni in your region
• Identify alumni in your area and connect alumni with Penn State.
• Highlight your Penn State experiences and University initiatives in your region.
• Promote local, global, and digital events and initiatives launched by Penn State.
• If applicable, coordinate and market Penn State’s global alumni reception events in your area and/or Pre-Departure Orientation for new students and parents in the region in alignment with event parameters set by Penn State.
• Document contact information of alumni in your area and update alumni’s contact information.
• Complete an annual survey on activities in the region and your experience as a SAGA volunteer.
• Read and sign relevant Volunteer Code of Conduct and the Confidentiality Agreement as required by Penn State.

Skillsets of SAGA

• Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills in relationship building
• Ability to speak positively and with knowledge about Penn State to your local community
• Strong written, and verbal communications skills

Common Traits of SAGA

• The desire to grow through networking and new experiences
• A passion for giving through service to the community
• A curious and adventurous spirit
• An open mind and heart
• The drive to succeed

Benefits of SAGA

• Develop valuable leadership and communication skills
• Work closely with global alumni to expand networking
• Develop interpersonal and cross-cultural communication, organizational, public speaking, and problem-solving skills
• Enhance your resume-building in areas of student leadership, marketing and global engagement
• Receive a certificate of completion for volunteer service

We Are — Penn State — SAGA!

Expand Horizons!