Arboretum Ambassadors

Arboretum Ambassadors

Arboretum Ambassadors play a crucial role in fostering a vibrant community and creating a strong sense of belonging among students in the Learning by Leading™ (LxL) program, as well as the broader UC Davis campus population, visitors, and guests of the Arboretum and Public Garden (APG). This team supports the wellbeing of UC Davis students by developing programs—such as Chair Share—that promote Nature Rx principles and highlights the health benefits of spending time in nature.

Ambassadors also help maintain essential visitor experience infrastructure, including cleaning permanent signage, updating kiosks, and ensuring that shared spaces remain clean, welcoming, and accessible. This highly collaborative team works together to make decisions, provide feedback, co-create initiatives, and design and implement programs and events that steward the mission of the Arboretum and Public Garden.

About the Arboretum Ambassadors

Specialized Roles Within the Program

Students in the Arboretum Ambassador program may also serve in specialized roles, including:

• Student Photographer
• Plant Sales Apprentice
• Newsletter Writer
• Social & Digital Media Apprentice

These roles allow students to deepen their skills, explore areas of interest, and contribute to APG’s mission in meaningful and creative ways.

Examples of Programs and Events Ambassadors Support

• Nature Rx
• Plant Sales
• Biodiversity Museum Day 
• Picnic Day
• Second Saturday Volunteer Days
• Davisfest (a UC Davis orientation event)
• UC Davis Parent & Family Weekend
• Take Our Children to Workday
• Thank Goodness for Staff (TGFS)
• APG Donor Stewardship related events 
• LxL Related Events 
• And many more throughout the year! 

Check out our Flickr page to see photos of the work we do throughout the Arboretum and Public Garden! 

Apprenticeship details

• Quarters: Year Long- Fall through Spring with possibility of summer employment
• Schedule: Ambassador Apprentices attend weekly meetings and maintain a flexible work schedule based on the program's needs. Ambassadors are expected to work on certain weekends as well. 
• Units: These positions are currently paid, so academic units are not offered, except under special circumstances. 
• Who can apply: UC Davis Undergraduate Students