PLYMOUTH, N.H. ? Plymouth State University is home to over three thousand students, but rarely does one stop to think about how we all came to be apart of this institu-tion. There is one crucial element that leaves a huge impression with potential new students and their families, the college tour.
Run by Admissions Faculty and Representatives, the tour can be a make or break moment for a student. As simple as a tour may seem, high school students cling to the informa-tion that is presented to them in just under two hours. When they leave the campus, they take a piece of the atmosphere the tour guide and Admissions faculty offered them, making a decision based off of that experience.
Currently there are forty-two Admissions Representatives at the University , sixteen of those new as of this semester. Each representative donates on average a total of two hours per week. This time is spent answering questions in informative panels, talking to families in the Ad-missions office, and giving tours to interested visitors. Associate Direc-tor of Admissions, David McBride, expressed that many representatives receive much satisfaction from being involved in the program. They are representing the school they love and giving back to the campus. Second, they are constantly learning about themselves through leading groups, discussion panels, and learning how to deal with difficult questions. A student really feels as though they are accomplishing something for the university and for themselves.
A common misconception about a tour guide is that they are scripted and rehearsed. One of the aspects about the program at Plymouth is that the representatives do the exact opposite. Although the representa-tives are extensively trained, they are only given guidelines of what not to say. A tour is not about rambling off facts, figures and numbers. ?It?s real people presenting the school as they see it in a positive light? remarked McBride. ?Your personality is what makes a tour interesting, we don?t clone the perfect representative.?
The forty-two admissions repre-sentatives are truly well respected and valued by the administration. It is because of these students that visitors and first year attendants feel welcome. Plymouth truly shines when all of the great opportunities and experiences are pointed out. ?I can?t even count the number of first year students that come back to the admissions office to thank their tour guide and relay how it was their tour guide that made them choose our college over another, it?s a really great feeling,? remarked Admissions Fellow Sperazzo.
According to McBride, Sperazzo and the Admissions Office, some of the benefits of becoming an Admis-sions Representative are improved speaking and communication skills, increased sense of self-confidence in meeting new people, and increased knowledge of the campus and the admission process. Additionally the program offers the ability to handle oneself in front of large groups, a source of employment recommenda-tions from the Admissions staff and the option to build one?s resume.
The student Admissions Repre-sentative program is always looking for volunteers to share what Plym-outh has to offer and what being a student at Plymouth State has done for them. If you are interested in a great opportunity to help out, you can pick up an application in the Admissions Office located next to Lamson Library, or call David Mc-Bride at extension