School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) Outreach & Ambassador Program (SOAP)

SAF students discussing at a table

What is the School of Accounting and Finance Outreach Ambassador Program (SOAP)

Are you passionate about connecting with prospective students? Interested in representing the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) at events like open houses, conferences, and specialty tours? Want to make a meaningful impact in the SAF community?

Then the SOAP Ambassador Program is for you!

SOAP (School of Accounting and Finance Ambassador and Outreach Program) is a volunteer initiative that partners with the SAF recruitment team to showcase the vibrant experiences and opportunities within our academic community. As a SOAP Ambassador, you'll help introduce future students to SAF and share what makes our programs special.

Some common events that our ambassadors have supported:

  • Fall and March Open House 
  • You @ Waterloo Day 
  • Ontario Universities Fair (OUF)
  • Be the Future Conference
  • Alumni Excellence Gala 

These positions are open to all SAF students in all years (that includes you first years!). Students who were previously ambassadors are not guaranteed positions for the upcoming ambassador presentation and if interested in participating again must complete the application.

Applications are now open!

Application forms are open now and are due Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at 11:59 pm. Any questions about the application or the SOAP Ambassador program, feel free to reach out to the Recruitment Coordinator, Samantha Bedard. 

Ambassador Roles

All ambassadors are given the opportunity and expected to participate in prospective events (open houses, OUF, classroom visits, etc).We've divided the other tasks into two/three groups: Marketing Ambassadors and Unibuddy Ambassadors.

Marketing position: ambassadors must volunteer for at least five SAF marketing initiatives before your contract ends. This could be a mix of social media, photoshoots, events, multimedia sessions and high school visits or any combination of the above.   

Unibuddy position: ambassadors are responsible for creating a Unibuddy profile for our student online messaging platform. Responding to all prospective student inquiries within 24hrs using the Unibuddy platform/app. Write a blog that could be featured on Unibuddy and possibly the SAF website, and take part in recruitment presentations on Unibuddy and other online platforms

NEW! Outreach position: As SAF works towards increasing our community ties, SOAP Ambassadors have the opportunity to get involved in related community outreach! Where recruitment is geared towards marketing a specific university, school or program, outreach is focused on creating exploration opportunities supported by a specific university, school or program. This branch of SOAP Ambassadors is in a pilot stage. Involvement may look like supporting high school visits on campus, creating workshop content to be delivered in classrooms across the district and/or connecting with community partners to establish trust and allyship.

Requirements
  • Completion of the following:
    • SOAP application
    • Online Interview (Successful Applicants through first round)
    • SAF information and program training session
  • A strong desire to help enhance and be a part of the SOAP
  • A one-year commitment to SOAP (from October - October)
  • A sense of responsibility to the advancement of SAF’s reputation and goal of attracting outstanding students
  • A clear understanding of the SAF messaging, especially as it pertains to future students
  • A passion for and knowledge of the School and your program
  • Advanced skills and/or characteristics in the following areas:
    • Communication (written and verbal)
    • Leadership
    • Resilience
    • Commitment
    • Responsibility
    • Motivation/drive
    • Passion
    • Team player
    • Ability to make a great first impression

Eligibility

Any student who is registered in a full-time SAF program:

  • Accounting and Financial Management (AFM)
  • Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountant (Biotech/CPA)
  • Computing and Financial Management (CFM)
  • Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountant (Math/CPA)
  • Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM)

and meets the above-mentioned requirements can apply to the SOAP program. From there, representatives from the SAF Undergraduate Marketing and Recruitment team will contact a select group of students to move forward to the interview process.

Please note: Due to recent changes within the SOAP program, Fellowship students and previous Ambassadors are no longer guaranteed a position within SOAP for the 2025/2026 recruitment year. Therefore, if you're interested in continuing your Ambassador role, please submit your online application.