This week the University is launching the Ask Me campaign for another year. The campaign aim is to give our new students the very best welcome to Sussex by supporting them with any queries or concerns they may have.
Arriving on campus for the first time can be a big step for students, and as staff we can play a huge part in helping them settle in as quickly as possible. This year, returning students are also invited to join in with Welcome Week activities, as many of them will be unfamiliar with the campus and didn’t get to experience a typical Welcome Week last year.
The feedback we received from staff from previous campaigns was overwhelmingly positive:
- “Thank you for launching a very nice campaign. As an international student who was quite nervous when I first arrived in the UK, I am happy to be an Ask Me ambassador.”
- “It felt really good to have students approach me and ask questions – I was delighted to help where I could. I remembered being a confused fresher myself, and I enjoyed being able to help people”.
- “I approached any students that I saw looking a bit lost, or standing at one of the campus maps, and offered to help. Even those who weren’t lost were very appreciative that someone had come up to them to ask if they could help”.
What are we asking you to do?
We would like you to be one of our Ask Me ambassadors. This means wearing one of our orange ‘Ask Me’ badges and taking a proactive approach when you’re walking around campus. This could involve spotting if someone looks lost, passing on any essential advice or simply being receptive and friendly to being asked a question. It could make all the difference to our new students and help them feel really at home.
You’ll probably know the answer to a student’s question, but there’ll be plenty of trained Student Connectors based around the campus, ready to help, if you are stuck. You can also find many answers on the New and Returning Student pages and the Student Hub; if the answer is not easily found you can direct students to the Ask Us contact centre, which offers a webchat and phone facility (01273 075333).
Ask Me badges will be available to collect from 16 September 2021 from Sussex House reception and York House reception.