With the school year soon ending, the time has come for the Class of 2018 to apply to become Emissaries. On March 29, Rick Smith, Director of Student Affairs, held a meeting for those interested in becoming Emissaries, who will, among other duties, help usher in the new juniors to MSMS.

During the meeting, Smith went over the reasons for becoming an Emissary, as well as warning the class not to apply merely to “pad your resume,” as the job would require dedication and commitment. He also went over the requirements to apply and retain an Emissary position.

The meeting was held in Hooper Auditorium, and the number of students who attended filled up the entire room, meaning that about one hundred people have some interest in becoming an Emissary. With only about thirty spots to be filled, less than half the attendees can become Emissaries.  

Sydney “Sam” Matrisciano, a current junior hoping to become an Emissary, says she wants to apply for the job “because they represent the school.”

And the Emissaries had such a positive effect on my decision to come to MSMS that I want to pay it forward and help other prospective juniors,” Matrisciano continued.

Excited at the prospect of becoming an Emissary, she was also a little nervous about the application process. “In the application itself, the thing that really worries me is that they didn’t tell us where to turn the essays in, but other than that, just how competitive it is. Like, the auditorium was packed. . . [If I do get in] I will be absolutely ecstatic.”

Baili Zhong, a current senior and Emissary gave some insight on what it means to be Emissary. “I wanted to help my juniors. MSMS did a lot for me in terms of academics and the friendships I have gained, and I wanted to be a part of making MSMS better for someone else too. The resume boost was a bonus.”

Besides being able to give back to the community, being an Emissary also allows the opportunity to learn from new experiences. “I give better tours and sometimes, I find out about something new that I didn’t know about MSMS. I get new perspectives from parents and from the problems that my juniors have to deal with,” Zhong explained.

To those in Class of 2018 who want to apply for the job, Zhong says, “Go for it! Most of the work is concentrated on Orientation Week and events like Interview Day, but the rest of the time, it is carefree. There is no harm in applying, and you can definitely still interact and help the juniors even if you are not an Emissary.”