Since its inception in 2018, the California Community Colleges Community Resources Student Ambassador Program has become an important pillar of student engagement and peer support across California’s community colleges. What began as a mission-driven initiative to connect students with critical resources has grown into a powerful network of student leaders who are transforming their campuses through peer-to-peer outreach.

Over the past seven years, the program has trained more than 600 student ambassadors who have collectively made over 1.5 million student connections through digital outreach, presentations, campus events, and meaningful one-on-one outreach.       

These ambassadors serve as vital bridges between students and the basic needs resources they need to succeed, from food resources to transportation and community connections. The Student Ambassador Program trains California community college students to advocate for on-campus resources and support student success. FoundationCCC collaborates with colleges to train student ambassadors in the areas of basic needs resources, such as CalFresh, California Low Cost Auto Insurance, and Crisis Text Line and the promotion of their own campus basic needs resources on campus. 

Recruitment and New Student Ambassadors

This year alone, we received over 500 applications from students eager to serve their peers across the system. From this competitive pool, 150 students were selected to join the 2025–2026 cohort. As of October 3, 132 ambassadors have already been onboarded and are beginning their work on campuses statewide.

Foster Youth Student Ambassador Program

Recognizing that students are best served by peers who understand their lived experiences, the program has developed specialized cohorts for Foster Youth, LGBTQIA+, Justice-Impacted, and Undocumented students. These ambassadors draw on their own journeys to create authentic connections and provide culturally responsive support to their peers. In Spring 2026, in partnership with the Hilton Foundation, FoundationCCC will launch a dedicated Foster Youth Student Ambassador Program. This program represents our continued commitment to supporting diverse student populations and ensuring that every student has access to peer mentors who understand their unique challenges and strengths. The success of this program would not be possible without strong collaboration and partnerships with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Achievement Program, Foster Youth programs, Fresh Success, and numerous other internal and external organizations that share our vision of student success and equity.

Student Ambassador Leadership Academy

This October marked a significant milestone as we launched our first Student Ambassador Leadership Academy with keynote speaker Dr. César Cruz, a nationally recognized educator and activist. Dr. Cruz delivered a powerful address on “The Power in Community: Organizing, Outreach, and Leadership,” inspiring our ambassadors to lead authentically, uplift their communities, and embrace their lived experiences as sources of strength. His words about the transformative power of education resonated deeply with our student leaders, setting a strong foundation for the year ahead and reinforcing the program’s commitment to leadership development and student empowerment.

As we look forward to an exciting 2025–2026 academic year, we’re building on the program’s momentum. Our student ambassadors are ready to make their mark. Together, they’re connecting students to resources while building a more inclusive, supportive, and thriving California Community College system.

Learn more about the California Community Colleges Community Resources Student Ambassador Program >