Leadership lived: Transfer student helps prospective students and parents learn about UIS

As a transfer student, Cambry Bennett says she had a smooth transition to the University of Illinois Springfield thanks to the UIS Admissions Office. Now she’s helping prospective students learn about UIS as a Student Ambassador.

As a Student Ambassador, Bennett gives campus tours to high school students and their parents who are interested in attending the University. She is also a part of UIS Preview Days where large groups of prospective students visit campus.

“I have the privilege of showing them around,” said Bennett. “First, we introduce ourselves, just to get familiar with them, see what they're interested in so we can help show them things that would specifically interest them in the campus.”

Bennett, a liberal students major, says she enjoys meeting new students and learning about their educational goals.

“I think it's very cool to see them when they do accept UIS and we see them on campus and they say 'hey you gave the tour'! I think that's really cool to be a part of because you're already part of their experience at UIS before they even start,” she said.

As a commuter student, Bennett lives in her hometown of Pawnee, Illinois and drives 20 minutes to campus each day.

“I'm able to still be involved in my community as well as share my community here at UIS,” she said.

On campus, Bennett is a member of the Commuter Student Association and sings in the UIS Music Choir Ensemble. She’s also a member of International Student Fellowship, a group which aims to help international students feel welcome in Springfield.

This past summer, Bennett traveled to seven foreign countries with the group Youth With A Mission as part of an educational Christian mission trip.

“It allowed me to teach music as well as teach English through the music abilities and to also learn different cultures, different languages and things like that,” she said.

Following graduation from UIS, Bennett would like to continue to travel world-wide and teach English through mission work.

“I believe UIS has been a key point to what I want to do in the future and I believe that it has helped me to be able to grow in my experiences of not only learning to be a leader, but also to be able to work with people. I'm so glad I made the decision to come to UIS,” she said.