Working as a student

Fannie B. Jeffrey

Fannie B. Jeffrey was UC Berkeley's first Director of Visitor Information Services, working 28 years in the role from 1965-1993. During her tenure, she befriended many students and colleagues who became lifelong friends. She was a beacon of light for so many who sought out her beautiful face for a word of wisdom, support or encouragement.

To honor Fannie's involvement and achievement with Visitor Services, we annually present the Fannie B. Jeffrey Award to a campus ambassador who embodies the spirit of our mission and purpose. We look for...

Social Media

Connect with Visitor Services and our student Campus Ambassadors through social media!

Facebook: @VisitUCBerkeley

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“A Berk-Life Balance” Part One: Confronting Imposter Syndrome

October 30, 2024
Nichelle W.
“A Berk-Life Balance” Part One: Confronting Imposter Syndrome

People sometimes have concerns that Berkeley is academically cutthroat. As Ambassadors, we love to explain that the culture is much more collaborative than competitive. But it can still be difficult to deal with the “Berkeley bubble” of overachievers; imposter syndrome is definitely real.

This feeling can happen any year, but as a current junior, I feel it’s especially relevant. Many of my classmates have taken up officer positions in clubs while juggling internships...

How I Stay Organized at Berkeley as a STEM Student

October 28, 2024
Mallory S.
How I Stay Organized at Berkeley as a STEM Student

Before I came to university, I always considered myself a fairly organized person. In high school, that meant having a different binder for each class and a to-do list in the notes app on my phone. But flash-forward to my first time reading a course syllabus at Berkeley, and I realized that I needed to change my approach.

Firstly, I think it’s incredibly important to put all of your classes into a calendar. Most students use Google Calendar for this. In university, unlike in high school, your...

What Being A Campus Ambassador Taught Me About Myself

August 26, 2024
Madison K.
What Being A Campus Ambassador Taught Me About Myself

When I got my acceptance letter to Berkeley last summer, I knew I wanted to take full advantage of the new environment that I was going to be in. Although, stepping out of one’s comfort zone is hard and while it was something I wanted to do mentally, physically putting myself out there was very difficult.

I’m not the most outgoing person. Don’t get me wrong, when I’m with my family or my friends I could be the loudest person in the room, but when I’m in a new environment without knowing anyone, I won’t...

The Many Perspectives I’ve Encountered at Berkeley

August 16, 2024
Kail M.
The Many Perspectives I’ve Encountered at Berkeley

Please note that all names used in this article are fictionized for privacy purposes.

I’ll be entering my third year here at UC Berkeley and I can definitely say I’ve met many interesting people here. Berkeley is full of people from all walks of life, and I’ve learned so much from the perspectives of people I call friends. Many of these perspectives overlap and contradict each other, but that’s what make it real… they are complex like life itself.

Here are some perspectives I’ve...

Threads of Growth: Weaving Leadership and Community at I-House

August 12, 2024
Anna R.
Threads of Growth: Weaving Leadership and Community at I-House

Yesterday, we hosted an I-House send-off event. I found myself sitting on the Glade, watching the sun dip behind the hills, and I couldn’t help but think about everything that’s happened in just three months. A year ago, I moved from Beijing to Berkeley—two cities that could not be more different. This May, I stepped into my role as an RA at International House.

I-House lounges overlook the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, like windows into other worlds, each resident carrying their...

Sneak Peek: How a Campus Tour is Refined

July 26, 2024
Nichelle W.
Sneek Peek: How a Campus Tour is Refined

If you’ve been on one of our guided campus tours, you’ve heard our tour guides talk about all the facts and statistics and superstitions of Berkeley. But how do they get to the polished final product that they are? Let me walk you through the journey of a campus tour script.

When we’re brand new campus ambassadors, our first step is to read a thousand-page textbook on the history of Berkeley. Just kidding…kind of. We do get a manual with all the information about campus, and we draw from it to write our tour...

Home: My Commute to Berkeley This Summer

July 31, 2024
Esther Y.
Home: My Commute to Berkeley This Summer

My journey from my home to my new home in Berkeley is quite short. Originally from Sunnyvale, CA, located in Santa Clara County of the Bay Area, going home isn't much of a burden. It takes about an hour down Highway 880, and the Orange Line BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) even takes me directly to the Milpitas BART station, which is just 20 minutes from my house.

As a campus ambassador working this summer—all while enjoying the coziness of my childhood room, my mom’s home-cooked meals (nothing beats her Korean...

A Semester in Washington, D.C.

December 23, 2022
Sydney Hilbush

As I stood inside the Capitol Rotunda, offering a tour to a group of constituents, suddenly a huddle of U.S. Senators emerged from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office and quickly breezed past me to make their way to the Senate floor. As they traveled past me, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to work inside our nation’s capitol and intern for the U.S. Congress. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity would never have been possible without my involvement in the University of California, Washington D.C. (UCDC) program. ...