for the New Jersey tour participants; they have several family friends in common. Connecting the dots is one of Minneci’s strengths as a tour guide. She keeps up the patter, never missing a beat, even as she walks backwards, sharing the story of when she actually fell—walking forward—on one of her tours. “I have definitely gotten the hang of walking backwards, but clearly I still need to work on my forward walking skills!” When Minneci confides that she wants to be the next Katie Couric, you believe she has a good shot at making her dream come true. Despite having memorized a 50-page manual during her tour guide training, Minneci never sounds rehearsed. A steady drizzle begins as she expertly guides the group past the Quad (“When the weather clears, I will definitely be getting my tan on!”) and details the many activities that take place there: the weekly farmers market, woodgrilled pizzas, visits by therapy dogs during exam periods, and one of her favorite stunts, students “tightroping” between trees. She also points out that the Quad has wifi, and even features 24/7 webcams, “in case you’d like to say hi to mom and dad at home.” She has captured the imaginations of her tour participants. No one seems to mind the rain, the wind, or the cold. Talking up academic excellence is part of Minneci’s job. She deftly transitions from tightroping to technology, leading the group into Ballentine Hall, home to the College of Business Administration, and pointing out the Bruce S. Sherman Trading Room, which provides students with news and stocks coverage so they can analyze financial information as it relates to world and national events. She provides details about a number of popular and competitive URI majors as she moves the group through the academic section of the tour, visiting the impressive new pharmacy building, where she encourages participants to peek at a simulated “robot baby,” and points out the medicinal garden, naming many of the plants as she goes. Smoothly pivoting, Minneci turns to her next subject, residential life. She is clearly proud of the new Anna Fascitelli Fitness and Wellness Center and its state-of-the-art machinery. A swing by Hope Commons gives her a chance to reassure families that “it’s impossible to get tired of the food here—the variety is endless.” And in Browning Hall, she invites the group to be seated as she thoughtfully explains the housing and dining systems. By the time the tour winds its way back to the Union, students and parents alike are somewhat bedraggled by rain and wind, but thanks to Min-
neci’s infectious high spirits and pride in URI, the weather hasn’t been a factor. She’s wowed the group from start to finish. And it won’t end there. “Every student who comes on tour fills out a prospective student information sheet including home address and intended major,” shares Minneci. “Tour guides follow up with each participant by sending customized postcards. I like to personalize my cards by drawing pictures that reflect their interests, like a microscope for a student interested in biology.” This kind of personal attention makes a difference in yield, says Dean of Admission Cynthia Bonn M.S. ’94, (full disclosure: Bonn led tours as an undergraduate at Boston University). “National research in the field shows that the number one influencer in both the decision to apply and to attend a particular college or university is the campus tour.” Campus Tour Director Erin West Earle ’04, M.S. ’09, who heads up the program from September through May (colleagues Beth Tikoian and Darcy Flaherty ’05, M.S. ’13 handle the summer tours), adds, “We ask every visitor to complete an evaluation. Nearly 88 percent say the tour increased their likelihood of applying or attending.” URI tour guides also receive high marks on the qualitative section of the evaluation, says Earle. “We hear comments like, ‘Tour guide was very intelligent and helpful;’ ‘Great ambassador, very personable and knowledgeable;’ ‘ She was awesome! Clear, funny, entertaining;’ and ‘Fantastic tour! Got a great feel for the campus, student life, and academics. Great guide.’” The guides are good at their jobs in part because of a focus on continuous training. “The philosophy of the tour guide program is that there is always more we can learn about the University and we can always make the tours better,” says Earle, who has been involved with the program for 11 years, including as an undergraduate tour guide. In addition to learning the detailed manual and prescribed tour route inside and out, training includes workshops in public speaking, the art of storytelling, facts and figures about URI, and how to effectively answer questions. Diversity and Safe-Zone trainings are also included, as are visits from guest speakers around the University. “We even give quizzes to be sure the students keep current with their information.” The program also provides tremendous leadership opportunities for students. A student executive board runs the show, with two head program coordinators and five other board members dividing
Tour guides show off campus this spring.
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