Future Alumni Leader

CAMPUS CONVERSATIONS: As she talks with alumni about life as a student today, Andree says she learns a lot from the conversations. “It’s a great way to gain perspective.”Photograph by J. Adam Fenster

Lara Andree ’20, ’21W (MS) has a full plate. As a political science major with a minor in studio arts, the Dallas, Texas, native fills her days with classes, painting, membership in several student organizations, and working in the Admissions office and at the Warner School of Education.

She is also a member of the Student Alumni Ambassadors program, a select group of undergraduates who serve as liaisons within the University’s alumni community. The ambassadors offer insights into current student life and share their personal Rochester experience. On the River Campus, the ambassadors are easy to spot in their University-blue cardigans marked with a big yellow “R.”

“I love being an SAA,” says Andree, a first-generation student who has been an ambassador since she arrived on campus. “I get to interact with alumni, update them on what’s happening on campus, and give them a glimpse into what life is like here now.”

Accepted into the University’s GRADE program, which grants her admission to the College and the Warner School of Education, Andree will start a graduate program at Warner after she earns her bachelor’s degree. Under the program, she will earn both a baccalaureate and master’s degree in five years.

She has also been awarded a Fifth Year in Teaching Scholarship, which covers the full cost of her graduate program. “I’m incredibly grateful,” she says. “My hope is to teach in the same under-resourced school districts that I’ve grown up in, and to eventually reform the US public education system to benefit both students and teachers.”

Lauren Bradley, the director of student and young alumni engagement, says Andree and her fellow ambassadors are an impressive group of students, noting that the Eastman School of Music and the School of Medicine and Dentistry offer similar programs. “These are highly motivated, friendly, and hard-working students who give alumni and everyone they meet a lot of hope for the future.”

What is the best thing about being an SAA?

I get to meet people that I never would have met otherwise. I stay in touch with many of them, too. Especially as a senior, it’s comforting to see that life after graduation doesn’t have to be as intimidating as I’ve made it out to be in my mind. I especially enjoy interacting with alumni who have had similar experiences, backgrounds, and interests as me. It’s inspiring to talk with people who have been in my shoes.

What is the greatest benefit of being an SAA?

I especially love giving tours to alumni and their families. It’s fun to listen to stories about when they were students and to watch them take in how much the campus has changed over the years. It helps me realize how lucky I am to be a current student making memories that I’ll eventually share as an alumnus. It’s a great way to gain perspective.

When you interact with alumni, what do you want them to know about your experience?

I am grateful to have had so many mentors and advisors as a student. My undergraduate experience wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for the resources that have kept me afloat like the Kearns Center and the University Counseling Center. I’ve felt intensely supported as a student, especially going abroad for a semester to Rome, Italy. I look forward to the day I’m able to pay the same level of generosity and compassion forward to future students, especially those who come from a first-generation, low-income, or minority background.

For more about the Student Alumni Ambassadors program, visit Rochester.edu/alumni/saas.