Nicolet College Selects 2021-22 Student Ambassadors

Nicolet College has presented its highest student honor to Lisa Hunt and Andrea Olds, naming each as a Student Ambassador for the 2021-22 academic year. 

Selecting from an “incredibly talented and motivated group of nominees, Lisa and Andrea rose to the top,” said Sara Tienhaara, Student Engagement, Career Development and Academic Advisor at Nicolet. “Both are very deserving and I’m confident they’ll do a great job representing Nicolet.” 

Students are first nominated for the honor by a Nicolet staff member and then selected for the position after going through an interview process. 

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Hunt, an Eagle River resident, will serve as the Nicolet District Student Ambassador and represent the college at Wisconsin Technical College System statewide events. 

“It was absolutely amazing when I first heard I had been selected,” said Hunt, who is 47. “I couldn’t believe it. I thought they would want to pick a younger student. It was incredibly exciting to hear the news.” 

To say that her path to Nicolet was a non-traditional one ranks right up there with the greatest of understatements. 

As someone who was living in an abusive relationship, a few years ago she dug deep to muster the courage to leave that toxic environment and regain her footing by moving with her children into a domestic abuse shelter. 

“It’s easy for people in situations like that to feel stuck, that there is no way out,” Hunt said. “I didn’t want to go down that road. I remember thinking, ‘I have six kids. I have to kick it into gear!’” 

The same week she moved into the shelter she also enrolled at Nicolet. This spring she’ll graduate with an associate’s degree in Human Resources, Substance Use Disorder Counseling, and a Nursing Assistant technical diploma. In the fall she plans to enroll in the college’s Nursing program to become a registered nurse. 

“Nicolet has been absolutely amazing in helping me get to where I am today,” she said. “Now I feel this need to serve as a role model for others who are in the same place I was. The feeling of hopelessness and helplessness can be overwhelming and I want to show them that it does not have to be that way.” 

She was nominated by Sara Tienhaara. 

“Lisa has this great can-do attitude and is eager to help anyone she can,” Tienhaara said. “She genuinely cares about others and is driven to help anyone who needs it to lead a fulfilling and happy, healthy life.”  

On April 22, Hunt will join District Student Ambassadors from the 15 other colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System for the virtual state Ambassador Conference which will be held as a YouTube Premiere event. 

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Olds, an Accounting student from Rhinelander, will serve as the Nicolet College Foundation Ambassador. 

“I love that Nicolet is more than just a college,” Olds said. “The close-knit community that offers never-ending support and resources for its students sets it apart from other colleges. If I could tell someone who is considering Nicolet College one thing, I would say: Don’t pass up the opportunities that are right outside your front door!” 

Olds was nominated by Nicolet Accounting Instructor Swapna Patel. 

“Andrea is as passionate about her own education as she is in assisting other students in achieving their goals,” Patel wrote. “Her positive attitude permeates throughout the classroom. She is a great role model for other students.” 

In her duties as Foundation Ambassador, Olds, a scholarship recipient herself, will encourage other students to apply for scholarships, help them with the scholarship application process, and share her experiences as a Nicolet student with Foundation donors.