The Iowa UNA College Ambassadors Program

The Iowa UNA College Ambassadors Program Charlye Willis, 2025-26 College Ambassador from the University of Northern Iowa

The Iowa United Nations Association (UNA) College Ambassadors Program offers students across the state of Iowa a unique opportunity to advance their advocacy and leadership skills while engaging in global issues. A key focus is on advancing the mission of the United Nations. The Iowa UNA engages in this by helping students learn how to advocate effectively for various global issues such as human rights, climate action, and global health.

Ambassadors join as part of an academic-year and collaborate closely with Executive Director Debra DeLaet to amplify advocacy both on social media and their campuses. During the year, students participate in workshops, coordinate outreach initiatives, and create blogs with the mission of raising awareness and support of the United Nations.

In March, the program was able to host the Iowa UNA College Ambassador Workshop on Drake’s Campus. Students were able to deepen their understanding of what the United Nations is and what their role as an ambassador is advocating for. During this time, they were able to explore the core functions of the United Nations and how these global issues connect to issues in their communities.

The workshop was also honored to welcome a visit from Jarrett James Lash, the current UNA-USA Youth Observer to the United Nations. During this, Lash conducted his national Listening Tour. He engaged with the college ambassadors to spark conversation around what challenges are pressuring the youth today. These discussions were insightful and helped create collaboration and community between the ambassadors.

Following the workshop, Lash presented on Youth, Power, and the Future of U.S. Leadership at the United Nations, sharing meaningful insights collected from national survey data. One notable find was that the trust and support for the United Nations has remained stable over time and is consistent across all political affiliations. This is an encouraging sign for the future of the United Nations.

Another opportunity the ambassadors had was to visit the Iowa State Capitol. They were able to take a tour, meet people, and see the importance of civic engagement at all levels. It was another time for these students to get to know each other and learn more about each other’s campuses.

College ambassadors come from various Iowa institutions such as: Drake University, University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Cornell College, and William Penn University. All of these ambassadors have shared a blog this year, participated in workshops, and built relationships as well as advocacy skills. They did not only learn about global issues–they have been actively contributing to the awareness and contributing to connecting people.

The Iowa UNA College Ambassadors Program provides students with a platform to grow as leaders. Ambassadors expand their understanding of international issues and find ways to make a tangible impact within their communities and across Iowa. By empowering young voices and fostering meaningful dialogue, the program demonstrates how local action can support global change.