Volunteer
Want to stay involved with St. Ambrose and use your talents and expertise to help today's students? Check out the many different ways you can donate your time and talent to make a difference at St. Ambrose.
Some of our most popular volunteer offerings are done in partnership with our Admissions and Career Center. You can check out those details below.
If you'd like to help with something else, such as a reunion, a certain event, RAGBRAI, or want to be considered for a volunteer board position (such as the Alumni Association or Wine Festival committee), please contact the Alumni Office for details.
Student Support
Help us welcome our new students to campus each Fall! Our Alumni Welcome Video will be sent out to all of our new students each August welcoming them to campus.
How can you participate? Make a 5-10 second video of yourself and email it to alumni@sau.edu. Please include your name and grad year in the email.
Please see our Video Guide below for some tips and tricks to making the best recording.
Deadline to submit for the following school year: July 20
Examples of what you can say:
"Go Bees!"
"Welcome to St. Ambrose!"
"So excited for you to be a Bee!"
"Welcome to campus!"
"Good luck on your first semester as an Ambrosian!"
"We're so excited you are here!"
"You are now part of an amazing community!"
"I wish you the best as you start the new year!"
CHOOSING YOUR IDEAL SHOOTING LOCATION
- Find a location that is well-lit with natural sunlight or plenty of indoor lighting
- Choose a quiet location with little background noise (street sounds, music, other people)
- Avoid spaces with lots of echo
- Turn off air conditioners and heaters to avoid fan noise
- Provide a seat for yourself that is stationary and quiet (no chairs with wheels/swivels, overstuffed cushions, or squeaks)
SETTING UP YOUR PHONE/CAMERA
- Set your laptop, phone, or camera on a tripod or steady surface (please do not hold your camera while shooting to avoid shaky footage)
- Shoot horizontally (use landscape mode and avoid portrait mode)
- Position camera at eye level (if you can, avoid angles where the camera lens is looking up or down on you)
- Choose a non-distracting background (avoid windows, showing other people, posters/ signs that can be read, etc.)
LIGHTING
- Shoot in daylight if possible
- Position yourself so windows or your main light sources are facing you, not behind you
- Avoid overhead lights
- When shooting indoors, consider using a ring light that clips to your computer/phone to help light your face
CAMERA PRESENCE
- Look at the camera at all times
- Keep your hand movements to a minimum
- Stand/sit up straight
- Keep your hands to your side or gently folded in front of you (no crossed arms)
- Keep your shoulders relaxed
- Smile, especially at the beginning and the end of each response or segment
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
- When answering question prompts, please rephrase the question at the beginning of your response instead of jumping right into your answer (eg, "The events scheduled for this semester will be pushed to a later date" vs. simply "They will be pushed to a later date...")
- Start and end your answers with a second of silence, looking straight into the camera
- Start and end your answers definitively (Avoid starting every sentence with "so's" and "um's" and ending with upward intonations, like you would when asking a question)
- Start your answer again if a noise interrupts your answer, such as a police siren or dog barking
CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES TO AVOID
- Clothing with colors that blend in with your background
- Patterns (stripes, plaids, polka dots)
- Shiny fabrics or jewelry
- Visible labels, logos, text, images
- Wrinkled clothes
- All white or all black clothing
- Noisy accessories that could interfere with your audio
A FEW OTHER HELPFUL HINTS
- If you can, ask a friend/family member to assist you while you record
- Do a short recording test to make sure you can see and hear yourself clearly
- Have water handy for clearing your throat
TECH SPECS
- Check your video camera settings to make sure you are shooting one of three formats:
1080p at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps, or 1080p at 24fps. 720p and 4k are fine too. - On Android phones, the settings are usually in the main camera app behind the gear settings wheel
- On iPhones, the camera settings are in the main settings icon in the photos and camera section
- If you are unsure, no worries: your camera's default setting should generally be ok
We've partnered with our Student Activities Office to support our First-Generation students.
If you were a First Generation College student yourself (neither parent or guardian have received a 4 year degree), we'd love for you to join this initiative! Volunteer opportunities may include interviews, speaking, attending events or giving advice about your own experience as a first-gen student at St. Ambrose.
If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Danielle Spengler.
Thank you for making this program a success!
The Alumni Engagement Office wants to shower our graduates with messages of congratulations. We're asking alumni volunteers to provide the materials needed (cards/paper, envelopes, stamps) and send handwritten notes to let our graduates know that Ambrosians from all over are celebrating with them!
If you'd like to volunteer for this opportunity, please click here to sign up.
Throughout the year we collect names of alumni who would be interested in being a contact for students looking for housing. You can volunteer to help them find affordable, temporary housing (by making recommendations) or you can volunteer to house them yourself. Housing is typically needed for a semester or for 2-3 months in the summer while students are completing internships or clinical rotations. When a student need arises for your location, our office would contact you to see if you were interested in connecting with the student.
If you'd like to sign up, please email Danielle at SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu your city, state, phone number and if you'd like to be a contact and/or a host!
*Due to the COVID pandemic we are still evaluating this process to ensure the safety of all involved. The need is fluid and interest on the alumnus or student's part does not guarantee we will be able to find a suitable arrangement.
Career Prep
Mock interviews are one of the best ways you can help prepare students for the professional world.
Many companies find behavioral interviewing is an effective method for hiring. And while we hold seminars and presentations about interviewing, we believe the best preparation for students is an actual interview.
During our fall and spring Career Fair Prep Weeks students can sign up for mock interviews with employers like you. We make it easy for you to get involved. Contact the Career Center at 563-333-6339 or careercenter@sau.edu.
At an Employer Showcase, you get to shine a spotlight on your company or organization and talk directly to students - who are preparing to work in your field - about why they would want to join your team.
At a recent Accounting Employer Showcase, seven local employers each gave a two minute-pitch and talked about full-time, part-time and internship opportunities. Afterward, the students spent time networking with all of the company representatives.
At St. Ambrose, we offer more than 60 undergraduate programs of study, as well a graduate and doctoral programs. No matter the field you represent -- business, advocacy, engineering, healthcare -- we have students with the skills and drive you need to move your company or organization forward. We invite you to meet them.
Come connect with students during these industry-specific networking events where you have the oportunity to promote your company. These are free recruitment opportunities and space is limited. For more information, please contact the Career Center at 563-333-6339 or careercenter@sau.edu.
Fall 2021 Showcases:
Accounting, September 1st from 5:30- 7:30 pm
Finance, September 16th from 12:30-1:45 pm
IT / Data Analytics September 9th from 12:30-1:45 pm
Engineering September 14th from 5:15-7:00 pm
Spring 2022 Showcases:
Check back for schedule!
Our students could use your advice and wisdom! The Career Center and Alumni Office have partnered for a social media campaign called #AmbrosianAdvice. Your advice could be featured on any of our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat)!
Here's how it works:
1. Download this postcard.
2. Digitally fill out or print and write your Ambrosian Advice to our newest generation of Bees.
3. If you print the postcard, please take a picture of yourself holding it!
4. Email your response (or photo) with your name and grad year to Danielle at SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu. We'll post it on social media throughout the year!
Don't have a way to print it? Please email Danielle Spengler at SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu and we will put one in the mail to you!
We're excited about our upcoming transition to Handshake - a modern platform for college students to connect with employers, alums and each other. Handshake will replace our current networking system, BeeConnection (Symplicity).
Building relationships and gaining real-world insights from our alumni mentors is so important for our students. As we continue to explore ways for students to engage with alumni through Handshake, we will update this page!
The Quad Cities College Career Fair will take the place of ProFair and will be presented by St. Ambrose University, Augustana College, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, Black Hawk College and Western Illinios University - Quad Cities. To register for the fair click here, registration is through Handshake, employers without a current Handshake account may be asked to create one.
The Health Sciences Career and Networking Fair is an event presented by St. Ambrose University. It allows employers to connect with students and alumni who are seeking fieldwork opportunities, internships, clinical experiences, and full-time positions in Human Performance & Fitness, Exercise Physiology, Exercise Science, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology, Physician Assistant, and Public Health. Undergraduate students in Biology, Biomedical Laboratory Science, Chemistry, and Psychology who are interested in health sciences careers are also encouraged to attend. For additional information and to register click here, registration is through Handshake, employers without a current account will be asked to create one.
Please check back for our Spring 2022 date and links to register!
Our students are inquisitive, engaged and have excellent communication skills. And when you hire one for an internship or a job, you reap those benefits (and more) of their liberal arts education!
An internship sets an applicant apart in the hiring process. It shows they have hands-on experience, skills within their intended career path, and (maybe) made some mistakes along the way from which to learn.
You can give our students that edge by hiring one for an internship. And as an employer, you benefit, too.
You'll stay in-tune to what young professionals are seeking in a work environment, groom students for your specific industry, and gain fresh perspective and talent.
Post a job or internship now through our new platform, Handshake! This modern platform for college recruiting has replaced our old system, BeeCareers (Symplicity), and will offer your team many great new features such as:
- Managing all your campuses with Handshake at no cost.
- A mobile experience - update your job postings, view applicants, and more all while on the go using Handshake's responsive design.
- Post jobs, internships, request recruiting schedules, review student résumés, and much more.
New? Set up your Handshake account today!
Tips for Posting and Managing Jobs on Handshake
How do internships benefit employers?
- Internships provide a year-round source of highly motivated pre-professionals who can bring new perspectives to old problems.
- It increases the visibility of your organization on campus and throughout the community.
- Quality candidates can provide temporary or seasonal help for projects, which gives freedom to professional staff to pursue more creative projects of their own.
- Having an intern provides a flexible, cost-effective workforce that does not require a long-term employment commitment, and it is a proven way to recruit and evaluate potential employees.
You can help provide practice interview experience for current education students during Group Mock Interviews.
For more information and to sign up, please contact Tricia Zinger in the Education Department.
Recruit New Students
Alumni across the country can help recruit students by representing SAU at their local college fairs. Please let us know if there is a college fair in your area that you'd like to attend on behalf of St. Ambrose!
Contact: Danielle Spengler at SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu
From October through March, we need alumni volunteers to send postcards to prospective students to congratulate them on their acceptance to SAU. It's a great way to make a difference from the comfort of your own home, and we'll send you all the supplies!
Other Opportunities
These councils are comprised of alumni from various backgrounds who provide their real-world expertise to enhance the programs at St. Ambrose.
Currently, the following Alumni Advisory Councils are in place: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, College of Health and Human Services, Athletics, Campus Ministry, Communications, Computer Science, Engineering, Philanthropy, and Student Affairs.
Council members are personally selected based on a range of criteria. For more information regarding these councils, please contact Dan Haverkamp.
You can join the network of Ambrosians who share stories via social media.
You'll receive one email per month with a story to share. Some stories might be news from campus while other months might have a photo essay. Periodically, you'll be asked to spread a specific message related to your graduation year or where you reside. Together, we keep alumni connected to St. Ambrose!
For more information and to sign up, please contact Wendy Pondell in the Alumni Office.
Each year, Ambrosians give back to their communities on our annual Day of Service, which takes place in the fall.
If you are interested in hosting a location near you, please visit the Ambrosian Day of Service page for more details.
With the help of alumni volunteers from all over the country, Ambrosians from across the nation gathered to toast their alma mater during Bee Happy Hour. This year's event is scheduled for Thursday, June 9, 2021.
Currently, we are considering what this year's Bee Happy Hour might look like. Prior to COVID-19, alumni volunteered to host a location in their area, resulting in nearly 30 Bee Happy Hour locations. While 2022 might be different, we encourage you to look at the host responsibilities below (used in 2019) and fill out the form if you have an interest or would like to learn more.
Responsibilities of the host include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Reserve a venue in your area to host BEE Happy Hour.
- Recruit alumni volunteers to help support the event; serve as contact for volunteers.
- Encourage attendance by calling and/or emailing alumni in your area.
- "Like", "Share" & "Comment" on BEE Happy Hour communications and share our e-blasts and website information to alumni in your area to help increase participation.
- Arrange food and beverages with your selected venue.
- Attend BEE Happy Hour for your location from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Take photos during your BEE Happy Hour.
- Send the check-in sheet, bee in touch forms, receipt, and photos to the Alumni Engagement Office within one week of the event.
If you are interested in hosting location near you, please complete the Bee Happy Hour Interest Form.
Questions? Please contact Elizabeth Hollmer.
Bee Heard, SAU's digital volunteer program, allows alumni to give feedback and input to the Advancement and Alumni Engagement Office.
All members will complete four brief, quarterly surveys per year on topics such as communications, events and alumni programs. Surveys will take less than 10 minutes just once a quarter. We are looking for alumni from all generations and backgrounds to join the program!
Let your voice be heard and join our Bee Heard program by filling out this form!
Please email Danielle at SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu with any questions.
Interested in hosting a webinar?
If you are a member of the SAU alumni association and have an idea for a future webinar, learn more about becoming a presenter.
Or, you can start right now by completing our webinar proposal form or email Danielle at SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu, Coordinator of Volunteer Engagement.
Contact
Danielle Spengler
Alumni Engagement Office
Alumni House: 1527 Brady St.
Mail: 518 W. Locust St.
Davenport, IA 52803
563/333-5837
SpenglerDanielle@sau.edu