Merge pull request #20 from MiaDiewald/main

Student Ambassadors CURIOSS Pattern

Author: CiaraFlanagan

Student-Ambassadors.md

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+# OSPO Student Ambassador Program 
+
+# Pattern Summary 
+
+Create a paid Student Ambassador program that empowers undergraduate and graduate students to promote open source engagement, events and projects across the university. 
+
+ # Problem / Challenge
+An academic OSPO wants to build consistent, authentic connections with the student body while advancing the OSPO’s technical and community goals.
+
+Academic OSPO staff have competing priorities and do not have the necessary time for outreach initiatives that connect directly with students. 
+
+Without proactive outreach, awareness of open source opportunities remains low and student participation in OSPO initiatives will be limited. 
+
+# Pattern Category
+
+* Awareness
+* Community Building
+* Education & Skills
+
+# Context
+
+A research university creating large volumes of research outputs across every discipline.
+
+The academic OSPO may lack full-time staff dedicated to outreach.
+
+# Forces
+
+* OSPO staff are time-poor and lack the capacity to maintain regular contact with students.
+* There is administrative support for paid student positions.
+* Prospective Student Ambassadors will have technical expertise and social engagement skills.
+* Student involvement must be balanced with academic workloads and turnover.
+
+# Solution
+
+Create a Student Ambassador program within the OSPO consisting of a small team of paid undergraduate and graduate students (working approximately 10 - 20 hours a week). 
+
+The ambassadors serve as liaisons between the OSPO and the student body through designated acitivities.  
+
+Activities to consider may include: 
+* Creating and managing OSPO social media accounts to share updates and opportunities.
+* Hosting and [tabling at campus events](https://github.com/CURIOSSorg/curioss-patterns/blob/main/event-tabling.md) to promote the OSPO and open source awareness.
+* Organizing community-building activities such as movie nights or coding sessions.
+* Leading or contributing to open source technical projects that advance university OSPO goals.
+* Gathering student feedback and communicating emerging needs to OSPO leadership.
+
+# Resulting Context
+
+Student Ambassador Programs create visible, authentic, student-led initiatives for the OSPO based on peer-to-peer engagement rather than top-down institutional messaging.
+
+Ambassadors increase awareness and participation in open-source initiatives whilst also delivering tangible technical outcomes. 
+
+The program presents opportunities for students to develop important soft skills in communications, facilitation, team work and leadership.
+
+A combination of graduate and undergraduate ambassadors creates a sustainable pipeline of Student Ambassadors and maintains consistency as students graduate. It also enables broader coverage across academic levels, strengthens continuity over semesters and meets OSPO workload requirements. 
+
+In order to sustain funding for paid positions, measurable program outputs and outcomes should be developed to justify continued university support. The program should also align with both educational and open source values. 
+
+## Additional Learning from the GW Open Source Program Office 
+Two graduates (working 20 hours per week) and two undergraduate students (working 10 hours per week) work alongside OSPO staff to promote open source awareness, organize events and contribute to open source infrastructure at GW.
+
+Early results have demonstrated increased event attendance, successful launches of social media channels and ongoing student-led technical projects aimed at promoting open-source use across departments. 
+
+# Known Instances
+* [GW OSPO](https://ospo.gwu.edu/), George Washington University
+
+# References
+[GeorgeHacks Makerspace 2025](https://ospo.gwu.edu/georgehacks-makerspace-2025) article on the GW OSPO Student Ambassadors' table at a Makerspace event.
+
+
+## Related Patterns
+* [Event Tabling](https://github.com/CURIOSSorg/curioss-patterns/blob/main/event-tabling.md)
+* [Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA)](https://github.com/CURIOSSorg/curioss-patterns/blob/main/open-research-community-accelerator.md)
+
+# Contributors & Acknowledgements
+
+Mia Diewald, George Washington University, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8123-1832
+Ciara Flanagan, https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3153-7673