Throughout the year, tour guides can be seen walking through campus, guiding prospective students and their families.

Whether it’s raining, snowing or shining, the tours continue year-round in hopes that perspective students will become UND graduates.

“Guides can customize their tours, but there are certain things that we always show,” Shole said.

“We make sure they see the residence halls, but we also go through the Chester Fritz (Library), Memorial Union, Education Building, Gamble (Hall) and then eat lunchat Squires. We have also started going to the Wellness Center and the bookstore on Saturdays.”

While the majority of tours take place in the summer and spring months, tours can still be seen going around campus during the winter. On occasion, special concessions are made in order for a tour to continue during the harsh winter weather.

“In my time as a tour guide, I’ve never had a tour cancel,” senior Hailie Pelka said. “If it is cold enough during the winter, we will do a driving tour. But a driving tour will only take place if we have a small enough group. It is a regular tour except instead of walking from building to building we drive the prospective student and their guests. Rain or shine or ground blizzard, if a family requests a tour there will be one.”

Pelka is one of 48 tour guide that UND currently employs.

“It is one of the best jobs you can have as college student,” Pelka said. “Not only is it a lot of fun getting to know prospective students but also being able to show other the beauty and wonder of our campus.”

Students not only get a good idea of the campus, but they can also ask questions on anything they want to know about UND.

“There is a lot we discuss on the tour,” Pelka said. “Before a family goes out on a tour they have a meeting with an admissions representative who gives a brief over- view of basically anything, whether it be demographics, different majors UND has to offer and how to apply. Once that is over, a tour guide will then show the family around campus.”

Pelka said safety on campus is a huge topic that comes up regularly, but she enjoys talking about her personal experiences at UND.

“As a tour guide you are a student sharing your passion for UND in hopes to ignite the same passionate spirit in prospective students,” Pelka said.

In 2013 there were a total of 4,279 tours throughout the year.

“We’re in need of more tour guides,” said Suzanne Shole, Assistant Director in the Office of Admissions. Shole has been in charge of the tour guides for the past three years.

Katie Haines is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].