I have been working as a Campus Ambassador with Slice (formerly SlicePay), a fintech startup catering to youngsters, for six months. I’m studying engineering and in my third year engineering in Dayanand Sagar College. Becoming a Campus Ambassador for Slice has been one of the most beneficial and enjoyable experiences of my ongoing college life.
It has opened up doors and presented opportunities to me that I would never have experienced. The program provides a stipend. Performance incentives not only keep me motivated but also assist me in managing my additional expenses on my own. It gives me a certain sense of financial freedom which is very empowering as a student.
Opportunity To Network
One of the biggest perks of being a part of the campus ambassador program is that it has given me an opportunity to interact with students from all over the campus and helped me build a network. People from across branches and in some cases, across colleges come to me with queries about the Slice app and the Slice Card. The quick response for those queries from the company’s side also has helped me build a good reputation around campus.
Training Ground To Learn Management Skills
Being a campus ambassador was the first step in my transition from a student to a professional. I got a chance to interact with a dynamic startup team starting from the founder himself! It helped me understand the nuances of a professional working environment at such an early stage in my life.
I am able to experience on-the-job-learning even before having formally started my professional life. I’m exposed to domains like marketing and sales. For example, getting students to understand and use a product like Slice was a task for me initially. I had to customise my sales pitch and personally cater to the needs of students from various backgrounds. These kind of real-time challenges helps me get a solid marketing experience.
As a campus ambassador, I also have juniors as interns under me who can help spread the word. So, managing them and getting the work done gives me a chance to hone my leadership skills as well.
Development Of A Well-Rounded Professional
Lastly, the program has hugely benefitted me in terms of personal growth as well. It has turned me into a more social person and a confident communicator. It has prepared me to tackle different types of people from all walks of life. Moreover, every day, when I see people around me use Slice to do everyday things like ordering food on Swiggy and Zomato, or pay their bills, or shop, it gives me a sense of achievement that I have met the expectations of the brand and the trust they bestowed upon me.
The best part of this program is that it is flexible, so I can focus on my education and also show some work experience on my CV. I’m confident that the vocational skills and practical knowledge gained by being a campus ambassador would provide me an edge over the others during campus placements.