K-State students select 2021 Student Ambassadors
Two students have been chosen to represent Kansas State University as the 2021 Student Ambassadors.
Marissa Lux, junior in communications studies, Olathe, Kansas, and Bennett Shipley, junior in marketing, Olathe, were announced as the ambassadors Oct. 24 during halftime of K-State's Homecoming football game against the University of Kansas.
Established by the K-State Alumni Association in 1977, the Student Ambassador program
elects one male and one female student each year to represent the student body at
Alumni Association events throughout the state and at university activities.
Lux and Shipley will visit with prospective students and alumni; attend Student Alumni Board meetings and activities; assist with programming on campus such as the Alumni Fellows program, All-University Homecoming Committee and other special events; and assist the President's Office as needed.
They were elected during Homecoming Week by a student vote from a group of six semifinalists. The ambassadors serve a one-year term, and each receives the Kirk Family Student Ambassador Scholarship of $2,500, clothing from Manhattan clothing store Borck Brothers and an official K-State ring from Balfour and the Alumni Association.
Typically, ambassador candidates excel academically and are extensively involved in volunteer and philanthropic activities. Lux and Shipley are role models for these qualities.
Lux is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She served her sorority as its 2020 Event chair and as chair of the Homecoming Committee for the Crazy Cat Kickoff event. Additionally, she is involved with Student Governing Association serving as a 2018 intern, a 2019 student senator for the College of Arts and Sciences and 2020 communications director. Lux also serves as a student ambassador for New Student Services, a counselor for Wildcat Warm-up and as a student worker for the K-State Alumni Association's communications team. She is the daughter of Dianne and Larry Lux.
"K-State helped me find my support system and make life-long memories. I have been able to share my love of K-State with incoming students while working at the Office of Recruitment and Admissions, this has showed me how grateful I am to be a Wildcat. I want to continue sharing everything that our university has to offer so that even more students can find their home at K-State," Lux said.
Shipley is member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He has previously served his fraternity as vice president of communications. Additionally, he has served as a member of the K-State Homecoming Committee, the 2019 Wildcat Request Live emcee and has served on the K-State Athletics Student Advisory Committee. Shipley is the son of Rob and Stacy Shipley.
"K-State is important to me because it has been a place where I have been able to grow as a person and learn more about myself. I have also had the opportunity to connect with so many great people and experience some great things," Shipley said.
"Like their predecessors, Bennett and Marissa have a strong love for our university," said Alan Fankhauser, assistant director of alumni programs and adviser to the ambassadors. "The Alumni Association is excited to host them at our upcoming events for the year. We look forward to when they have the opportunity to meet more of the K-State family."
For more information on the Student Ambassador program, visit k-state.com/studentambassadors.