Elon Tour Guides

The Responsibilities of Being Elon Tour Guides

By Uma Nayar

Elon University Inman Administration Welcome Center

Moseley Fron Entrance. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Moseley Front Inside Entrance. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Moseley Common Student Area. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Elon has 99 tour guides that potential students and families can choose from when looking to get an on-campus tour. These students are Elon University's representatives and for many potential students, the tour and tour guides are first-look into life at Elon.

On-campus tour guides are an important process for many prospective students when deciding on a university or college.

But being an Elon tour guide is not all happy smiles and funny stories. There is a long and rigorous process that goes into applying and training to be an Elon University tour guide.

Kennedy Boston, class of 2023 and Sydni Brown, class of 2024, explains that the process of being a tour guide and the expectations that come with representing Elon in the tours.

Kennedy Boston, an Elon tour guide, explains the process of becoming a tour guide in Elon University.

Timothy Boles, the senior assistant director of admissions for campus visit, also spoke on the expectations that Elon has of guides.

"We have the expectations that guides are being professional when they are working tours. We want them to be able to be themselves, but also remember that they are representing the university. Additionally, we ask them to be honest with their Elon experience. We want them to share what Elon is, not what a student or family wants Elon to be"

— Tim Bole, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for Campus Visit

Kennedy Boston and Sydni Brown, both Elon University Tour Guides, talk about the expectations Elon has for its student tour guides

Boles also talked more in-depth on the guides process from an administration point of view. He said that the intense guide hiring process has three parts; a 1-on-1 interview, a group interview and a mock tour. The process is conducted by Boles pro-staff, admission interns and senior guides. The process is used to assess personality, experience and the values of the potential guides.

However, there has been a decrease in the number of student applying for tour guides. Boles noted that this year saw a decrease in application for tour guides, as with all on-campus employment. Yet, when comparing pre-COVID data, Boles stated that the numbers are more consistent.

To note, there has also been an increase in student undergraduate admissions in Elon University.

Elon Undergraduate Admissions 2000 to 2021
Infogram

Studies have found that on-campus tour guides are an important process for many prospective students when deciding on a university or college. 65% of students surveyed by StudentPoll said that college visits/tours were the most influential source to students making a decision on where they wanted to attend college/university.

Influential Sources of Information for a Student Application to College
Infogram

Kennedy, who has been a guide since freshman year, explained that there are 13 required stops. The spots all hit key areas that are usually theming with student life.

Elon's most popular spots that guides try to always spend time at along the tour are the library and Moseley Center.

Kennedy Boston, an Elon University Tour Guide, gives a mock tour of Moseley Center. Credit: Uma Nayar

School of Communication Gear Room Entrance. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

School of Communications Front Entrance. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

School of Communication Hallway. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

School of Communication Student Area. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Turner Theatre in School of Communication: Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Carol Belk Library Front Entrance. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Koenigsberger Learning Center in Belk Library. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Main Area of Belk Library. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Elon Writing Center in Belk Library. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Media Services in Carol Belk Library. Photo Credit: Uma Nayar

Kennedy Boston, an Elon University Tour Guide, gives a mock tour of Elon's Carol Belk Library. Credit: Uma Nayar

Many of the guides hit key areas and give out factual information, but mostly the tours are a mixture of their own experiences as students. Sydni Brown, a sophomore tour guide, explained that she thinks Elon is mostly looking for students with experiences to be tour guides

Sydni Brown, an Elon University tour guide, shares her insight to being a student tour guide and what Elon looks for in a tour guide.

The guides are also an important extension of Elon as for most prospective students, their guide is their first introduction to students. Sophomore Becca Chase talked about her own experience with an Elon on-campus tour and how that affected her decision to come to Elon.

Becca Chase, an Elon University sophomore, talks about how going on an on-campus tour helped her decide to go to Elon University and the importance of having on-campus tours. Credit: Uma Nayar

However due to COVID and safety measures, on-campus tours have had to transition to virtual tours for the 2020-2021 calendar. Elon has had to make adjustments.

Boles said, "On the majority of our virtual programming we have tour guides on the call to share their experience as a student in normal times, and during COVID. We have also had opportunities where prospective students are able to have Zoom calls with just tour guides to learn more about Elon"