The Ultimate Autodesk Ambassador Event Guide

Hi everyone, I'm Cameron! I've been a part of Autodesk's Design and Make Ambassador program for a while now, and over the past year, I've had the honor of hosting around 20 events across USC's campus via different student organizations. Now that I'm returning to the fall semester with more experience, I thought it would be important to share with all the new (and seasoned) ambassadors what hosting an event can look like! I'll also be providing some tips and tricks I've found handy while being in the program, so feel free to use this Instructable as a reference if you have trouble figuring out how to get started!

This Instructable will include information from the Handbook (which you can find on the LinkedIn group), as well as information on navigating the SocialLadder.

I also want to give credit to Michael Hidalgo, who is another ambassador with an Instructable about leading an on-campus event as a student! You can find it using the link below:

https://www.instructables.com/A-Students-Step-by-Step-Guide-to-Leading-an-On-Cam/

If you're not an ambassador and are interested in what the role entails, definitely check it out by using the link below! (Note that you must be a college student attending a school in the United States)

https://www.instructables.com/autodeskambassador/

Thinking of an idea for an event is easily the hardest part of the process. Thankfully, there are lots of ways to brainstorm! When in the early stages of planning an ambassador event, use some of the following tactics to your advantage:

1. Teach what you know if you are familiar with Autodesk software already. Tutorials that educate other students on things you have prior knowledge of can help you brush up on your proficiency. If not, take the time to familiarize yourself with Autodesk and all the cool things they are involved with!
2. Collaborate with clubs, whether they be related to design, STEM, or anything in between. This is the easiest way to guarantee a turnout and will also benefit the student organizations you work with. Start with ones you are already a member of- by using this method, I have been able to provide snacks for my clubs and friends (which you will see in the images to follow). Bonus points if it leads you to join a new club!
3. Pay attention to class schedules. Midterm and final seasons are stressful, but Autodesk can help! With a large enough group, late-night study sessions turn into Autodesk sessions where you talk about your favorite program or convince them to become an ambassador.
4. Involve your interests so you can be passionate about your event. If you have a love for coding, run a hackathon! If you like to design, host a contest for people to show off their skills! You being excited will make your audience excited too. Lots of professionals will also mention interesting things about their careers during the Autodesk Office Hours, so hop on the weekly Zooms to gather inspiration.

When it comes to planning an event, you'll also need to consider other factors. Think about whether you want your event to be in person or online, and if you need to go through your school or department to book a room. Consider the dates you and your audience will be available, or when conflicts due to major events would occur. As a new ambassador, clubs will be your best friend as they already typically have available spaces with set times and members (don't forget you will need at least 10 people at each event). Your appreciation box gives you all the tools you need to keep track of ideas so you don't forget anything!

Note: Talk with other ambassadors. Get to know them and the organizations they are involved in. Teaming up to host events will make planning more efficient, so reach out to each other if you need more advice! Take event ideas from one another and incorporate them in as many places as you can!

Now that you have your idea, you'll need to get it approved and request materials from Autodesk. Once you log into the SocialLadder online (I would recommend having the Community by SocialLadder app handy on your phone), navigate to "Challenges" and open the details of "[CAMPUS] CREATE YOUR OWN EVENT (STEP 1)".

Keep in mind that if you need PHYSICAL materials, such as merchandise, you will need to submit this form at least three weeks before the event happens. You can also request guest speakers sourced from Autodesk, in which case I would, in addition to filling out the form, recommend giving ample time and working directly with the program manager (Grace).

Follow the instructions as given in the description and open the Airtable form. You'll need to estimate the number of people attending, which will be a basis for the amount of support you need. When budgeting, think about what kind of food/drink you want, and material costs if it is a hands-on activity (for example, in addition to snacks, I will usually buy 3D printing filament or paint if it is needed). In terms of food for large groups, pizza, donuts, and bulk chips/soda packages usually work well. I've also gotten Dave's Hot Chicken fry and tender boxes, which were a hit in my studio section!

Once you submit the form, go back to SocialLadder and check off that you submitted the form. It may take some time to be approved, so just sit tight! If it says your challenge is approved, you are free to move forward with your event. If not, you will receive a follow-up email from your program manager, who will help you make the needed changes to have it approved.

With the event now approved, it's time to start advertising! There are lots of ways to get your event out there for everyone to see, and I would recommend the following strategies:

1. Physical flyers are super easy to put up on bulletin boards around different buildings, as long as it is somewhere that has been approved. You'll want to use your art/architecture friends to your advantage as well, since we have access to plotters that can print anything up to three feet long and as tall as we want!
2. Social media posts are the easiest way to engage an audience online. I'm not going to explain how to make an Instagram post (as I am sure you know how), but I will say to make sure you also put it out on the club's account if you are collaborating with one, and to repost it on as many stories as you can.
3. GroupMe, Slack, and Email are all more formal ways of spreading the word online. Take advantage of your department's methods of communication, and have your social posts forwarded in the weekly emails many student organizations send out to members.
4. If you are giving a Class talk or tabling for Autodesk, don't be afraid to bring up your upcoming event! You can briefly mention it in a slide or conversation, since word of mouth is a great way to share ideas. Both class talks and tabling are other amazing ways of working with Autodesk as an ambassador, so be sure to check those out in the SocialLadder as well.

In a similar light, a lot of my marketing will kill two birds with one stone by advertising the event within another Autodesk challenge. I attached my “announce you’re an ambassador” LinkedIn post as an obvious reference, since not only did I do that challenge, but I also mentioned an upcoming event I was planning to host. In fact, if you’re reading this Instructable because I posted it on my LinkedIn, you can know for sure this method works since I posted it in combination with a contest :)

If you are struggling with templates, don't forget that some sample formats are provided in the SocialLadder description, which will take you to Figma for editing. The LinkedIn group also has the brand hub linked, which will bring you a host of visuals and assets available for your disposal.

Note: It will also be around this time that you receive an email from "Autodesk Ambassadors" about "Autodesk Ambassador Support". Once opened, you will be able to see a collection of gift cards to choose from, including everything from Target to Amazon to Uber Eats. Simply click on the gift card you need, and follow the steps to receive a code you can redeem at checkout. If none of the options work for you, or you need to source materials from multiple different places, there is also a pre-paid Visa or Mastercard gift card option. It will require more steps to create an account and have a second eGift Code link sent to your email, but once completed, you will have access to purchase anything you need. Before your event, take the time to collect everything, while considering how long items will take to ship or deliver.

This is the fun part! Make sure to show up early to set up all your materials and have a good time! While you are running your event, don't forget to count the number of participants and take a significant number of pictures for documentation purposes (you will need these later). Be interactive, and gather feedback when you wrap up via Q&A sessions or an online form.

I want to specify here that this program is what you make of it. I've been able to impact so many people simply because I am an Autodesk Design and Make Ambassador. I've brought funding to clubs that have needed it, food to other architecture students struggling to stay awake during final pin-ups, and software tutorials that many people have genuinely gained a newfound interest in. I've been able to facilitate outdoor picnics, buy groceries for fancy alumni dinners for my professional fraternity, and grow the ambassador team by having many of my friends apply (and of course, 3D-print around 20 gnomes for painting). I was even invited back to my high school for career day, to give a presentation to juniors and seniors on this program (which you can also do!). This ambassadorship is incredibly versatile, so take advantage of all the doors it will open for you, and leave an impact on your campus that will make you proud to look back on.

To fully complete your event, you'll need to wrap things up on SocialLadder. Open up [CAMPUS] CREATE YOUR OWN EVENT (STEP 2), and then open the Airtable form to fill out your post-event survey. Follow the instructions, and be sure to include the pictures you took earlier during the event. Write a small blurb on your key findings and lessons, and check off that you submitted the form in SocialLadder once you've done so. That's it! You'll eventually see the event marked as approved, in which you will then receive the full amount of points. Now, just rinse and repeat! If you ever have any questions about anything, don't be afraid to reach out to your program manager or campus experts!