Enrolling the next class is a year-round process. Admissions leads the effort, with Theresa Wiese an integral part of that office’s team. She has coordinated ISU’s tour guide program for nearly 18 years.
Wiese hires, trains, and manages students who lead tours for prospective students and their families. “They are our strongest recruiting tool,” said Wiese, who has had more than 400 students under her through the years.
There are typically 40 to 60 students on the team. It is not uncommon to have 150 applicants for a dozen openings. The flexible work that averages four to six hours a week is perfect for students who endure an intense interview process.
Appears In“Our guides have to be articulate, have good judgment, think on their feet, be able to deal with difficult questions, and be well-rounded,” Wiese said. They represent a mix of majors and life experiences to reflect ISU’s diversity. Each hones critical life skills such as confidence in public speaking while on the job.
Jon Fulton, a senior early childhood education major, was hired his freshman year. Now a student manager, he will miss interacting with campus visitors when he student teaches this fall.
“I always get such a great feeling when I give a tour,” said Fulton, who sees advantages to having students lead visitors. “They want to know our authentic perspective that comes from us going to classes and living on campus. They want to know what it is like to be an ISU student.”
He can share his experiences performing as a clown in ISU’s Gamma Phi Circus, while Kalilah Howard easily relates to transfer students. She enrolled after attending a community college and completed a degree in history education this spring.
“I like talking to people, and I wanted to learn the campus quickly,” Howard said in explaining her interest in the job. She appreciated the rigorous training that covered everything from ISU’s history to what to do if a thunderstorm rolls in while with a group on the Quad.
“You just never know what is going to happen,” said Howard, who enjoys engaging visitors in simple conversation. She sees the work as a chance to make a positive impact on future Redbirds, noting “We are the face of the campus.”
Allie Beam agrees. “I think the work we do is invaluable for our recruitment process. We can relate to the experience of students who are trying to assess if Illinois State is a good fit for them,” said Beam, who is also a student manager.
A Presidential Scholar who graduated in May after completing her communication sciences and disorders degree in three years, Beam found the work rewarding. “I love meeting students and families and talking about the University.”
That interaction is exactly what motivates Andrew Pietraszewski to continue on the job. A junior communications major, he became good friends with the student who was his tour guide. Filling that role himself has been energizing.
“Having a student as the face and voice for the University is so important because it gives the high school students a glimpse of what their future can look like. They can see that they can come to campus and succeed,” he said. “I help connect the next generation of Redbirds.”
