What do you get when you take eight high-achievers from each incoming USD class and enlist them as student ambassadors? USD’s version of the Secret Service, of course. The elite crew — which dons identical blue blazers — is dedicated to working with President Mary E. Lyons and the USD community as a whole.At a school filled with exceptional students, the Alcalá Club members are the cream of the crop. They need to be the best of the best, as they are called upon over and over during their years at USD to help out at elegant events and mingle with top donors, trustees and other VIPs.

Each spring, this selective club chooses its newest members from a pool of freshmen with at least a “B” average. From there, group and personal interviews and an essay are used to winnow 200-plus applicants to just four men and four women. Character counts. A lot.

“The student’s personality is probably the key factor in determining who gets in,” says club adviser Deanna Wittman of USD’s special events office. Some students may have been very involved in activities and have stellar grades, yet still won’t make the cut: For this post, it’s key to demonstrate that you won’t be overly intimidated by important people you might meet at parties.

Alcalá Club President Heather Hill, who graduates in May with degrees in communications and Spanish, says there’s no getting over some initial jitters, even for those who aren’t easily shaken. “I remember at a couple of my first events — you’re meeting and talking with people whose names you’ve heard 100 times, like the Hoehns and the Manchesters — it’s intimidating at first,” she says. But now she can interact and network with the best of them.

Just in case members don’t start out well-schooled in the finer points of the art of the meet-and-greet, members of this elite squad go through a basic training of sorts in etiquette and business dealings. They learn how to carry themselves and how to talk to and be comfortable with the VIPs they encounter. There’s a separate class just on business interaction, such as the mechanics of a good handshake, and another session that involves looking at photographs so club members can recognize the USD dignitaries they might encounter.

But it’s their connection to the president that’s really special. Each spring, Lyons hosts a private dinner for the Alcalá Club members, where conversation runs the gamut from personal chit-chat to university initiatives. Hill appreciates Lyons’ real interest in the students’ views and the personal connection. “It’s really great to see her on campus. She’ll say, ‘Hi Heather, how are you?’ and give you a kiss on the cheek,” Hill says. “It’s nice to have that personal interaction with her.”There’s a definite sense of fun and friendship among those who take on the responsibilities of joining the club. With members’ involvement in so many diverse activities, Hill calls the Alcalá Club “kind of a magnifying glass into what this campus has to offer.”

Now that she’s helped choose the next group of freshman members, Hill appreciates all the more what an honor it was to be chosen to be a member of this selective squad: “It’s probably the most talented group I’ve worked with on campus.”