Twelve tables with volunteers were stationed around IU’s campus on Monday to help new and old students, faculty and visitors find their destinations.
Armed with campus maps, highlighters and bus schedules, these volunteers are the Office of First Year Experience Programs’ IU Guides.
The IU Guides program began 10 years ago. Sarah Nagy, senior associate director in the Office of First Year Experience Programs, said approximately 150 people, including faculty, staff, alumni and returning students, volunteer as guides each year.
“The IU Guides program helps students to see IU as a caring community, and since faculty, staff and students volunteer, it helps personalize this large institution,” she said. “It also reinforces the idea that students should ask for help if it is needed and someone will be there to assist.”
Rob Meyer, assistant director of Activities and Events at the Indiana Memorial Union, said he has participated in the IU Guides program for the past few years.
“My shift started 30 minutes ago, and I’ve already helped about 10 people,” he said. “It’s fun to help out the students on their first days of classes.”
Freshman business student Jason Biggs said without the IU Guides stationed beside Sample Gates, he would not have found his next class in the Kelley School of Business.
“I was on the complete opposite side of campus and had no idea where I was going,” he said. “I tried to write directions on my hand the night before, but talking to a person was much more helpful.”
Sophomore law and public policy student Bailey Hussung said she decided to be an IU Guide as a continuation of her experience working as an orientation leader this summer.
“It’s really scary to be on this huge campus and to feel lost and alone,” she said. “IU Guides help students navigate campus those first couple days and feel a little less lost.”
Junior informatics student Will Raymer said this is his second time working as an IU Guide.
“I got really lost during my first few days freshman year, and the guides really helped me out,” he said. “I wanted to kind of ‘pay it forward’ to other freshmen who need help as much as I did. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll work with them as a guide.”
Raymer said the most common question students asked him is about the location of a building.
“Unless you’ve been here for a few months, all the buildings look the same, so it’s hard for new students to tell if they’re walking in the right direction,” he said.
However, Raymer said not all of his shift’s 30 visitors were freshmen.
“Two or three new professors asked me for directions to their next class, and the last person I helped was a senior who had never been to that part of campus,” he said.
The annual IU Guides program occurs the first Monday and Tuesday of the fall semester.
The Office of First Year Experience Programs plans many events for freshmen and transfer students throughout the year, including the Freshman Family Weekend, orientation and conversations on first-year student success for IU faculty and staff.
