First and second-year College of Agriculture Ambassadors shared similar factors which influenced their attainment of communication skills. Focus group findings revealed five overarching domains, including: Ambassador experiences, recommendations for other students, influences on participation as an Ambassador, past communication experiences and personal preparation for speaking. Experiences which most directly influenced Ambassador's communication skills included those which forced students to step out of their comfort zone with regards to communicating with university and industry professionals. The importance of observing others with both strong and weak communication skills was emphasized. Ambassadors recommended that faculty build assignmentswhich promote student attendance at university functions where they can observe professionals communicating. Such assignments could involve students attending poster sessions and lunch-and-learn workshops with industry leaders. Ambassadors also recommended providing opportunities for students to serve as leaders in class discussions. Assignments that create a learning environment where students are comfortable making communication mistakes and can reflect on those errors (such as through video observation) are also recommended.
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