Campus Ambassador: A Day in the LifeCrystal Hardy, a Junior majoring in American Sign Language & Interpretation and Marketing at Valdosta State University, talks about her experience as a Pearson Campus Ambassador.

Meet the Pearson Campus Ambassadors

We're proud to introduce you to the exceptional students that have been chosen as Pearson Campus Ambassadors. Read about their inspiring backgrounds and learn their motivation for getting involved with the Campus Ambassador initiative.

Pearson Campus Ambassadors work side-by-side with faculty, students, and Pearson professionals to gain real world insight into the daily operation of a global company and develop skills that will prepare them for a career in any industry.

Learn more about the Campus Ambassador program.

Current Pearson Campus Ambassadors

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Haley BaumHayley Baum
University of Central Florida • Orlando, FLMolecular & Micro Biology | Junior
Hayley is dedicated to her pursuit of attending medical school and becoming an obstetrician/gynecologist. She is a member of the Burnett Honors College and alum of the LEAD Scholars Program. She is a proud member of the Pre-Professional Medical Society and President of her chapter of Sigma Alpha Pi—an academic organization focused on leadership and accomplishments. Her most memorable and enjoyable activities thus far include teaching economics through Junior Achievement three times and participating in Knight-Thon, a 12-hour dancing marathon to raise funds for the Children's Miracle Network.
Her continued perseverance and dedication to her interests have never failed to provide success, and it is those traits that will push her to excel in the Pearson Campus Ambassador program. Her highlight of her first year as a PCA was her participation in the PHITS/PHASE conference in Orlando, Florida. She hopes that by re-joining the Pearson Campus Ambassadors, she can gain valuable communication skills and be able to better understand various types of people, as well as be an asset to Pearson.
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Benjamin BirnbaumBenjamin Birnbaum
Pennsylvania State University • University Park, PAAccounting | Senior
Ben Birnbaum is enrolled in an integrated program to receive both his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Accounting from Penn State University. Aside from his responsibilities as a Regional Coordinator for the Pearson Campus Ambassador program, Ben is involved with Pearson as a summer intern in the Upper Saddle River, New Jersey office. On campus, Ben is part of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and serves as Vice President of Penn State's Fraternal Purchasing Association Board of Directors. He is excited to continue working with Pearson, meet new people every day and make a difference in the quality of education for his peers.
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Antionette BookerAntionette Booker
University of Memphis • Memphis, TNInternational Business | Junior
Antionette is entering her third year at the University of Memphis studying International Business with a minor in Spanish. She is a proud member of several organizations including Habitat for Humanity, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black Students Association and the Black Scholars Unlimited Honors Society. She also currently serves as the President of Professional Assertive United Sisters of Excellence. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering at local community centers to help young girls and women. Antionette is excited to work with Pearson and her peers at the University of Memphis.
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Samantha BranciforteSamantha Branciforte
University of Arizona • Tucson, AZPre-Nursing | Sophomore
Samantha is excited to start another year of the PCA program. During her freshman year she was involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Healthy Honorary Fraternity) and P.A.I.N. (Professional Achievements in Nursing). She actively volunteers at Valor Hospice and enjoys helping the community. Samantha is a hard worker and is ready to start her sophomore year and continue to introduce U of A students to the wonderful opportunities Pearson has to offer.
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kristin BrillKristin Brill
Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VABiology & Agricultural Science | Senior
A native of Virginia, Kristin has been a lifelong Virginia Tech Hokie. During her time at Tech she has become actively involved in several organizations on campus. Kristin is the president of the school's club softball team, as well as the school's chapter treasurer of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Additionally, she is a member of the collegiate FFA and participates in many volunteer activities such as the Big Event, Relay for Life, and volunteer coaching.
Kristin hopes to pursue a career that combines both the biological and agricultural industries and allows her to share her interests with others. Kristin is very excited to work with Pearson and looks forward to assisting professors and her fellow students make most of their Pearson experience and educations.
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Breeann BruceBreeann Bruce
Clemson University • Clemson, SCMarketing Major with Emphasis in Sports Marketing | Junior
Bree loves being involved at Clemson University and the work she does with the College of Business and Behavioral Science. She assists with the College of Business and Behavioral Science recruitment tours, participates in I LEAD! — a prestigious leadership program through the College of Business and Behavioral Science — and also is on the Planning Committee for the Annual Womens Conference held at Clemson.
When she isn't on planning committees or studying for exams, Bree loves to play sports, go hiking, or even just lay out by the lake. Bree is excited to play a role in getting student opinions heard by professors, Clemson University and Pearson Publishers. Her goal is to act as a liaison between students, staff and Pearson so that students' opinions don't go unheard.
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Nickolas CalzarettaNickolas Calzaretta
University of North Carolina • Greensboro, NCAccounting | Senior
Nickolas is very outgoing and active in campus activities. He spends most of his time studying. Nick's biggest goal is to become a CPA. When he is not studying he always keeps himself busy, whether it is working as a Senior Student Lab Manager for UNCG ITS - Client Services or volunteering for the Office of Emergency Management at UNCG. Nick helped plan the 2009 H1N1 vaccination clinics on his campus, as well as fire safety simulation for dorm safety. As a Senior Student Lab Manager, he spends his days assisting people with using various types of software that UNCG offers.
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Brendan ChanBrendan Chan
The University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TXMarketing | Senior
Brendan is a senior at The University of Texas at Austin, studying Marketing in the McCombs School of Business. He served on the Pearson Student Advisory Board from 2009-2010 and had a blast working on major Pearson initiatives such as The Pearson Prize for Higher Education and Pearson Free Agent. He is excited to transition into the role of regional coordinator for region 2 and looks forward to working with the Pearson Campus Ambassador program.
At school, he is a team captain of the nationally-ranked UT Speech Team and an active member in the McCombs Diversity Council. His involvement on- and off-campus has reflected his numerous interests, from spending a summer as an Orientation Advisor and playing clarinet in the symphony band to working numerous jobs at the business school. In addition to his work with the PCA program, Brendan is a current contributor to the Pearson Learning Solutions and the College/Career Readiness blogs. He looks forward to the impact that the PCA program will have on students across the country and can't wait to get to work.
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Emily ChristensonEmily Christenson
University of Cincinnati • Cincinnati, OHNursing | Sophomore
Emily is entering her sophomore year in Nursing at the University of Cincinnati. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she plans to pursue a Master's Degree in Nursing Anesthesia. Emily is optimistic about her future and determined to succeed. Emily balances school and three jobs with the goal of graduating debt-free. In addition to her studies, Emily is a Supplemental Instructor for Anatomy & Physiology, where she helps her peers succeed in their classes. Emily loves to meet new people and is excited to be a part of bridging the gap between students and Pearson.
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Lauren DamoneLauren Damone
Pennsylvania State University • University Park, PAPublic Relations | Junior
Lauren loves living in Happy Valley and wouldn't trade her Nittany Lion experience for any other. Lauren is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America within the event planning and communication committees. Lauren also dedicates time to Penn State's biggest prides: football and THON—the world's largest student-run philanthropy organization.
Last year she worked with THON's Communication Committee involving the 19 satellite campuses in fundraising efforts. This year she will also be working with the local chapter of the American Red Cross as an intern. As a Pearson Campus Ambassador, Lauren looks forward to meeting new people and being the liaison for communication between students, faculty and Pearson representatives.
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Kathryn DeschampsKathryn Deschamps
Arizona State University • Tempe, AZEnglish Literature, Political Science, Classics: Latin | Senior
Kathryn is a native Arizonan and proud Sun Devil. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Barrett Honors College, the editor-in-chief of the Arizona State University branch of the Triple Helix, and a member of various student journals and mentoring organizations. She is defending her honors thesis on twenty-first century winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction during the fall of 2010. When she is not on campus, Kathryn spends her time reading novels and blogs. As a campus ambassador for Pearson, she hopes to engage her campus and develop marketing and communication skills that will assist her in her dream career of publishing.
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Crystal HardyCrystal Hardy
Valdosta State University • Valdosta, GAAmerican Sign Language/Interpretation, Marketing | Junior
Crystal is a double major in American Sign Language/Interpretation and Marketing. She loves helping those in need and has led several projects such as a building a playground at a womens and childrens' abuse shelter; organizing a campus and community food drive for Chile and Haiti; and supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Very passionate about environmental sustainability efforts around her campus and community, Crystal stays involved working in areas that allow her to make a difference—Pearson allows her to do just that. She's very excited to begin her second year as a Pearson Campus Ambassador and can't wait to put all the skills she's gained to use.
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Trevor LeCainTrevor LeCain
University of South Alabama • Mobile, ALCommunications & Print Journalism | Senior
Trevor is an employee at the University of South Alabama's Developmental Studies Department. At his job, he has the opportunity to work with incoming freshman as they develop reading comprehension skills they need to excel at the university level. Trevor hopes that becoming a PCA will enable him to promote learning in an even bigger way.
For several years, he has also been a contributing writer and photographer for his city's local paper, The Daphne Bulletin. He enjoys spending time with his family and in the company of the great outdoors when his hectic schedule loosens. His ultimate goals are to teach English at the secondary level and publish books for a living.
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margaret-mchenryMargaret McHenry
DePaul University • Chicago, ILEconomics & Finance | Junior
Maggie is very involved on the DePaul University campus. She is a member of the DePaul Honors program, has been a DePaul Community Service Association coordinator for two years, will be on DCSA Senior Team next year, a Catholic Schools Initiative Intern at Josephinum Academy, a member of Vincentians in Action on campus, has traveled to Kenya through Study Abroad, and will be going on a Service Immersion trip to Ecuador in December 2010. While she studies Economics and Finance, her long-term goals are in education reform and advocacy. Maggie is looking forward to working with Pearson and contributing to that community.
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Bradley MrozBradley Mroz
Indiana University • Bloomington, INFinance | Junior
Bradley is a finance and technology management major at Indiana University in the Kelley School of Business. Outside of the classroom, Bradley is involved in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars as a Financial Advisory Board Representative and also peer-tutors fellow students in a Kelley School of Business prerequisite course. His strong desire to help students succeed has led him to become a Pearson Campus Ambassador.
While working for Pearson, Bradley has given more than 20 speeches to student groups — ranging in size of 25 to 425 — on the technology that students can utilize with their Pearson textbooks. An avid fan of Hoosier athletics, Bradley attends as many sporting events as possible.
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Katie NguyenKatie Nguyen
California State University • Fullerton, CABusiness Marketing | Senior
Katie Nguyen has been actively helping her community at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). She served as the CSUF Volunteer and Service Center's Project Coordinator for Project Step Ahead — a program that assists children of low-income families with necessary school supplies. She raised over $3,000 worth of supplies with that program.
After three years as a University Honors Student and a Business Marketing major, Katie has proven to be a rising star at the CSUF Mihaylo College of Business and Economics. She has earned various recognitions and scholarships such as the Dean's Honors List Award and AmeriCorps Student in Service Scholarship.
Professionally, Katie was awarded a 1st place prize from the Target Corporation's Sustainability Case Study Competition. She has also completed three internships with the Target Corporation, mUrgent Corporation, and Nestle USA. Today, she continues her success and involvements with multiple groups and organizations, such as the Student Liaison for the Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County. There, she hopes to continue helping the community and contribute to the legacy of a great Vietnamese American businesses network.
She looks forward to a memorable senior year at CSUF as a Pearson Campus Ambassador!
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Joshua RavenellJoshua Ravenell
University of Oklahoma • Norman, OKBusiness | Sophomore
AAlthough a native of New York, Joshua calls Tulsa, Oklahoma home. His passion for flying and aviation led him to attend the University of Oklahoma as an Air Traffic Control major. Joshua plays viola in the OU Symphony and is very active in his fraternity Kappa Alpha Order. On campus he is a part of Campus Activities Council, College Republicans and Alpha Eta Rho profession aviation fraternity.
During his freshman year he was named the African American Outstanding Scholar. Joshua is elated about being a part of Pearson to make an impact on his campus and strengthen the connection between student- professor communications at the University of Oklahoma.
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meghana-reddyMeghana Reddy
University of California • Los Angeles, CAElectrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics | Senior
Meghana Reddy has been Student Manager of the PCA Program since 2009; before which, she served on the Pearson Student Advisory Board. A senior at UCLA, she is pursuing her B.S. in Electrical Engineering and her B.S. in Applied Mathematics w/Honors. Meghana's prior work experience includes two internships with the federal government and three years as an analyst for UCLA's Experiential Technologies Center.
At UCLA she is also president of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Undergraduate Math Students' Association, where she mentors and does community service. Meghana loves going to concerts, keeping up with lots of TV shows and attending movie screenings.
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Sierra SeamanSierra Seaman
University of Florida • Gainesville, FLBiology/Psychology | Junior
Sierra is a junior at the University of Florida studying toward a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology. She has a passion for serving others, especially via community projects, volunteering and assisting her peers through programming and student advocacy. Sierra is actively involved in the Honors College at UF. She has been a member of the Student Honors Organization Executive Board which acts as the area government for the honors residence hall and provides programming and support to all honors students. Sierra enjoyed serving as the Chair to the Community Service Committee and also serving as its President last year.
Sierra is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and a Reitz Scholar. In addition, she is a proud member of the Honors Ambassadors, serving honors students present and future. Sierra joined the Pearson Campus Ambassadors to continue serving her peers by acting as their voice in the company to help them get the most out of their college education.
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Breeann SharmaBreeann Sharma
Arizona State University • Tempe, AZCivil Engineering | Junior
Breeann is a proud Sun Devil who has been attending Arizona State in the Math-Science Honors Program since her sophomore year in high school. She is now on her way to her goal of becoming an engineer. She works hard and strives to better herself and to make a difference. She learned that working with the Pearson Campus Ambassadors improves her public speaking skills and helps gain valuable skills for when she finishes college.
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Odalys SolaresOdalys Solares
Florida International University • Miami, FLAccounting | Senior
Odalys Solares is a student at Miami's Florida International University. She is currently on the path to completing a Bachelor in Accounting, and will following that with a Masters in Accountancy/Taxation. As an active member in her community, Odalys has coordinated events such as Passionately Pink Ball for the Cure, Autism Speaks Walk, Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure, and American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.
She believes education is the path to a better tomorrow and is essential for professional and personal success. Odalys is enthusiastic about the opportunities offered by the Pearson Campus Ambassador program to improve learning environment and educational resources nationwide.
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Jennifer StarkJennifer Stark
University of California • Merced, CAPsychology | Sophomore
Jennifer Stark is a senior Psychology major at the University of California, Merced. She plans to attend law school upon completion of her B.A. She began her journey with Pearson two years ago as a student advocate for her local junior college and is now the Coordinator for Region 1. Jennifer is a member of both the State and International Honors Societies and graduated with triple honors from her JC, including being named Psychology Student of the Year as well as Overall Collegiate Student of the Year. Another of her highest honors is being the mother of her 11-year-old son, Nathan.
Jennifer started a Psychology Club on both campuses, one of which was recently named the Club of the Year. She is also a member of UC Merced College Republicans. She is currently on the Chancellor's List and hopes to maintain this standing throughout her senior year of schooling. Jennifer looks forward to leading an outstanding and productive Pearson team; she says Pearson makes this desire easy.
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Rebecca SullivanRebecca Sullivan
University of West Florida • Pensacoloa, FLElementary Education | Senior
Rebecca is a returning Regional Coordinator for the Pearson Campus Ambassador program at the University of West Florida. She has been with the program since its origin in spring 2008. Rebecca has a passion for teaching children and volunteering in her community. She stays active on campus with a variety of student organizations and holds leadership positions in many of them.
Through the PCA program Rebecca has become more confident in her personal and professional life; has honed her public speaking skills; and learned the value of networking. Her favorite aspect about being a PCA is representing the student body to editors, authors, professors and even other students. This year Rebecca looks forward to meeting the challenges set forth by Pearson and representing UWF. In the future, she hopes to follow her dream of teaching in a low-income community.
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Kiedra TaylorKiedra Taylor
San Diego City College • San Diego, CAAerospace Engineer | Junior
Kiedra is in her second year of the engineering program at San Diego City College. She plans to transfer to either San Diego State University or the University of California San Diego to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering. As the president of the San Diego City College chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers, her focus is to serve her community through mentorship and activism. She accepted the Pearson Campus Ambassador position to continue her mission to learn, lead and succeed.
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Rachel WarscoRachel Warsco
Indiana University • Bloomington, INNutrition Science | Junior
Rachel has always been an Indiana girl, but that hasn't stopped her from traveling the world. She has ventured to places from India to Haiti. Her ultimate goal is to become a doctor and work with the underserved in such countries. When stateside, Rachel stays just as involved. She is president of University Coalitions for Global Health, and an active member of the Hutton Honors College, Timmy Foundation, and the Lions Club International. In her spare time, Rachel likes to stay fit by trail-running. Rachel is excited to join the Pearson team and help everyone get the most out of what Pearson has to offer.
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Sarah WilliamsSarah Williams
Louisiana State University • Baton Rouge, LABiology | Sophomore
Sarah is excited to work for Pearson so that she can share her passion for education with her peers. She just finished her freshman year as a biology major at Louisiana state university, and will be pursuing a career as a medical doctor so she can combine her interest in science with her love of helping people. She is excited to have the chance to share the effectiveness of Pearson products with fellow students. She hopes to become more involved in her campus community and looks forward to a great year as a Pearson Campus Ambassador.
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Chris ZimmermanChris Zimmerman
University of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PABioengineering/Neuroscience | Junior
Chris Zimmerman has been exposed to Pearson technologies since his freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh. The way in which this affected his studies and education prompted him to seek work with Pearson, and as a member of the Pearson Campus Ambassador program, he's been able not only to give back to Pearson, but also to forge relationships with professors and students at Pitt. He's a junior majoring in bioengineering and neuroscience. Aside from Pearson, he conducts research into quantum dot fluorescence (Department of Chemistry) and memantine channeling (Department of Neuroscience), and participates in numerous on-campus activities.
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