I have been involved with admissions for almost two years now. Right off the bat as a wee little freshman, my RAs told me that the Student Ambassadors club on campus was something I needed to be a part of. Starting out, I shadowed tours and worked my way up to becoming a certified tour guide. This past fall, I was fortunate enough to be hired as an Admissions Ambassador meaning I’d give two tours a week and complete a total of 8 hours of work in the Admissions house.
Since the very beginning, being an ambassador has taught me so much about myself and my school. I’ve learned how to communicate effectively, improved my public speaking, gained self-confidence, and learned the ins and outs of a college admissions office. When I first joined the club in the fall of 2014, I didn’t know just how much it would change my life.
When touring colleges as a prospective student, I didn’t think about all of the effort that went into making my visits go as smoothly as they did. My tour guides made it look so easy that I just figured they were born knowing everything about the particular school I was visiting. After going through training myself, I know that isn’t true. I have learned so much through working under my admissions counselor and with the entire office of enrollment management by helping them with projects and various tasks around the office. But, of all the things I have learned from admissions, I know it isn’t the facts that will stick with me through the rest of my life - it’s the ability to believe in myself and understand the purpose a tour guide serves.
When I first got hired to be an ambassador, I was terrified. I didn’t think I’d be able to give tours that were as great as my fellow students or the students who had given me tours when I was in high school. I was scared I would forget things or say something incorrect or take the wrong turn and get my group lost. What I started to realize, though, was that I was capable. Being an admissions ambassador doesn’t mean you need to always have the answers. It doesn’t mean you need to memorize a script. It means that you get an amazing platform to share your story with prospective student - you get the chance to show them why your school means so much to you. If you can’t answer a question, you make sure you take the time to find someone who can for the family that asked you. If you accidentally take the wrong turn on tour, you give them the scenic route and make them think it was all planned.
I can’t say it enough - admissions is hard work. It is definitely not an easy campus job, but in the end, it is worth it. Being an admissions ambassador, you make a difference. I am beyond blessed to be able to work with such amazing people with the same goal - to show prospective students why our school is so special.
