The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Philip H. during the 2009-2010 League.
Mission: Tactics - Final Report
As I write this, it has been 351 days since I began the Ambassador League experience. I can honestly say that participating in the program has been much different than I expected. Looking back, it was much more demanding than I ever thought it would be. I am very thankful for those challenges because they forced me to work hard and grow.
Special thanks are due to Senator Alan Cropsey for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to be my mentor. I appreciate his willingness to help me through the program, especially with all of the numerous responsibilities that he has as majority leader in the Senate. However, I can definitely say that I wouldn't have completed the Ambassador League without the help and encouragement of Kendall Wingrove. He has been a true role model to me and many, many other young adults.
All throughout the year (as I am sure many other agents have said) the Ambassador League pushed me to go beyond what was comfortable. Many of the assignments are things which, if left to personal preference, I probably would have never considered. That is why I'm very thankful for participating in the program – it challenged me to do things which I wouldn't have done otherwise.
While it's hard to select on particular assignment that was my favorite or most interesting, I did find that the most profitable assignments required me to interact with various local leaders. Interviewing such individuals and shadowing Mr. John Lazet, chief of staff to Senator Cropsey, taught me more about government and the community. Even more importantly, the men that I talked to and observed are living examples of Christian leaders. In a world that definitely needs Biblical men to be real leaders I was very privileged to spend time with such role models and learn from them.
On many occasions I also had the privilege to meet with elected officials, observe government, and spend time absorbing many aspects of the political process. This year-long series of experiences has verified that God is calling me to, in some form, work in the political field. My internship in the Senate, which stemmed directly from Ambassador League, has given me a front row seat and a chance to see state government through a different lens. All of the opportunities – from the assignments themselves to the internship at the Michigan Capitol - have broadened my interest in government. Although I am not exactly sure what that means at this point, whether I will run for office, work on public policy research, or do something else entirely, it will be interesting to see where God leads me.
One comment that stands out is something that Mr. Wingrove told me. He said that the journey to complete the 36 assignments for the John Quincy Adams award is often more influential than the honor itself. The journey that I have taken has taught me things about responsibility, the power of encouragement, the importance of political involvement, and how to approach issues from a Christian perspective. I give thanks to God for the opportunity to have participated in this worthwhile program. Without hesitation, I recommend that others follow in the footsteps of some of their peers and strongly encourage them to join the Ambassador League.
