The Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement/Community Connections seeks NKU students to be campus guides for our Preschool-12th grade outreach programs and community projects. We focus primarily on grades 3rd-8th. Campus guides act as leaders, hosts, and presenters to local schools who visit NKU. Guides will also be expected to be hosts, greeters, and NKU representatives at university-sponsored and campus events.
These group visits typically:
- Occur most frequently between 9 AM and 1 PM, Tuesday-Friday, but some tours occur in the late afternoon and possibly on weekends.
- Include a campus Walk & Talk where guides will show off NKU.
- Include a classroom experience or academic demonstration, such as a show at the planetarium or a musical performance.
- Include upwards of 120 students per visit.
- Visiting students are broken into groups of 25-35 students per tour group, so numerous tour guides are needed for large group visits.
- The number of group visits varies per week; guides pick and choose the tours they can lead; there is no requirement for minimum hours per week.
- Community events are periodic and could come up at any time.
Primary Responsibilities
In order to lead group visits for Community Connections, you are expected to:
-
Attend a training session.
- Shadow experienced tour guides as a trainee until you are comfortable giving a personal tour.
- Check email frequently and respond to requests in a timely manner.
- Introduce yourself with your name, major, hometown, living arrangements, expected date of graduation, and other fun or interesting information to visiting students.
- Assist faculty and staff in demonstrations and classroom activities.
- Communicate with local teachers and education administration to keep group visits flowing smoothly.
- Arrive promptly, tell the facilitator you are present and drop visiting groups off promptly when the visit is concluded.
- Give campus Walk & Talks to visiting students, showing NKU in a positive light and sharing important and interesting information about the university.
- Keep the attention of the visiting students until Walk & Talk is over.
- Take control when groups become rowdy or chaotic
- Use little or no college jargon; make your language appropriate to the age group.
- Smile and show your excitement.
- Share personal examples, as appropriate.
- Offer the best possible tour experience.
- Do not smoke or drink prior to or during the tour
- Communicate the status of group visits and voice issues, concerns, etc with the supervisor on a regular basis.
- Assist in cleaning up after the groups’ activities or lunch.
Qualifications
Must be able to attend the mandatory training session to be scheduled at a later date.
Must be able to shadow at least three tours with experienced campus guides.
The tour guide must possess:
- An enthusiasm for Northern Kentucky University.
- Knowledge of NKU, the campus, and student life.
- The ability to lead a group and speak publicly.
- The desire to interact with elementary and middle school students and prior experience with youth is preferred.
- Some free time between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at least one weekday per week.
Any candidate offered this position will be required to undergo a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.
Minimum Education Some College Pay Rate $13.00/hr
