Grove City College has a wide variety of jobs for students wanting to work while on campus. One job that I really have enjoyed is being a Student Ambassador for the Admissions Office. I have always enjoyed interacting with prospective students and their families, and when I received an email about there being tour guide positions open, I sprang at the opportunity. Being a Student Ambassador means I give tours to visiting families. I also work at various recruitment fairs, such as Senior Crimson Day, which is where high school seniors come and tour the college and get more information about life at Grove City.
The interview and training process to be a Student Ambassador was very thorough. It started with an online application. Then there were group interviews. We were asked questions about Grove City College, as well as doing a team activity where the interviewers could see how we worked together to accomplish a task. After the group interview, I was called back for a personal interview with the Admissions Manager. I was offered the job, and gladly accepted! Training involved shadowing current tour guides, having a few friends follow and evaluate my tour, a written test, and having an evaluated tour. There is a Tour Guide Manual that we were required to memorize key facts and details about the buildings on campus.
The tour lasts about 75 minutes. At the beginning of the tour we are required to say the three pillars that Grove City College was founded on. They are: providing an excellent education in a thoroughly Christian environment, as well as keeping annual tuition and associated costs low for families. Some of the buildings we take the prospective students into are the chapel, a dorm room setup, the gym, science lab, main academic building and student union.
My favorite part about being a tour guide would be all of the new students that I meet. On more than one occasion, I have seen the same students come back to the College, either for an interview or some other event on campus. When the students see me they say, “Oh, she was our tour guide!” I also like to see what majors they are interested in, as well as what clubs or sports they would like to join. The tours are customizable, so I cover topics that interest the prospective students who are touring.
When I first saw the tour manual that I had to memorize, it was overwhelming. There is a lot of information. But, through the training process, I became even more familiar with what to say and where to go. If I do not know the answer to a question, I just tell them that I will ask the Admissions Office when we return from the tour. The training process took a solid three months, so there is plenty of time to study the facts. Also, the main goal is to showcase the spirit of the buildings and the school. While the facts are important to know, most students and parents just want to see the layout of the College and meet a guide who is truly passionate about Grove City College. If you enjoy giving the tours, they will be able to tell.
Being a Student Ambassador is a great job for those students who are interested in meeting new people and making them feel welcomed. Even if you are a new student, you can use your first year at Grove City to become more familiar with the campus, and then decide if you would like to work as a tour guide. I became a guide my senior year, so it is never too late!
