In 1991, a group of students sold the idea of a Visitor Center to the University of South Carolina administration. Their vision was to develop a place that would showcase the university to current and prospective students.
 
The Visitor Center opened in 1994 where 12 students worked as Information Specialists. The first year, the Information Specialists anticipated serving 5,000 visitors; instead, over 15,000 people visited the new center in its inaugural year. The following year, group tours of the university were offered through the Visitor Center. Students who served as tour guides became known as University Ambassadors. In 1998, these tours moved focus from general visitors to prospective students, offering a glimpse into the lives of Carolina students. 
​
Finally in 1999, University Ambassadors was recognized as an official campus organization, and the Ambassador cohort grew to include 35 students. During the early 2000s, the organization refined its recruitment and training process and began to become more involved on campus, receiving a service award from the Bicentennial Committee in 2001 and winning homecoming spirit competitions in 2008.