A WCC tour guide conducts a campus tour for new students. The group is shown here on the bridge from the WCC Student Center to the Crane Liberal Arts building, Aug. 27.
Shelby Beaty | The Washtenaw Voice
WCC virtual campus tours continue while live tours resume
By JAMES CASON
Deputy Editor
Regularly scheduled in-person campus tours are to resume at WCC this fall, after a 16-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Office of Recruitment and Outreach. Virtual campus tours continue to take place as an alternative option.
“We just launched an in-person campus tour week with twenty different offerings. This was to accommodate those who signed up for in-person tours during the pandemic,” said Jenelle Franklin, a student communication specialist at WCC.
After the WCC campus closed in March 2020, all in-person tours were suspended. It took the staff a while to figure out how to offer virtual tours.
“After collecting still footage of the campus areas that are commonly pointed out, virtual tours were made available,” said Franklin. Trained student ambassadors now conduct online image presentation tours with live commentary via Zoom for private and group tours.
As WCC reopens its doors this fall, many students have never stepped foot onto the campus. Parents, prospective students, and current enrollees will once again have an in-person opportunity to scope out campus resources, make decisions of the right college fit, and get a better grip on navigating the campus on foot.
“We’re all excited to have students back on campus,” said Franklin, who returned to campus full-time in July. “Working without students on campus was a little silent – a little too quiet. We’ve really missed that laughter in the hallways.”
One of the most significant benefits of taking a WCC campus tour is the college-preparatory experience. Recruitment staff members and student ambassadors lead the tours. Tour takers walk through the route of the campus buildings, discuss campus resources, and have the opportunity to walk to their future classrooms and identify the nearest places to park.
“After completing a tour, students and parents are very impressed by how beautiful the campus is,” said Franklin. “It’s larger than what they imagined. We have manicured trails sitting on over 200 acres. It’s large enough to enjoy outside areas while being able to walk from building to building and park close to your classes.”
For those who don’t choose to take an in-person campus tour, the availability of virtual tours will continue indefinitely. Both in-person and virtual tours can be scheduled on the WCC website by selecting the type of tour and time of interest.
“Hopefully, we’re in a position now where we can get a little bit of face-to-face interaction with people through activities on campus,” said Stephen Bloomfield, the student recruitment and outreach manager at WCC. “I want students to get the feeling of unity as we try to bring back that sense of connectedness.”
Quick Facts
2021 WCC Campus Tour Times (as of Wednesday, Sept. 8)
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- Tuesdays @ 9:30 a.m. – In-person
- Wednesdays @ 5:30 p.m. – In-person
- Fridays @ 9:30 am – Online / Virtual
- Third Saturday of every month @ 9:30 a.m. – In-person
How to Sign-Up for a WCC Campus Tour
- On WCC’s webpage type ‘visit’ in the search bar
- From the visit page, sign-up for an in-person tour or virtual option
WCC In-Person Campus Tour Details
- 30-minutes to one-hour
- Student Ambassador and Recruitment-Staff-led
- Walk through campus buildings, discuss resources, learn visual signifiers/landmarks
- Offered year-round
- Free of charge
If you miss taking a tour, don’t miss these things
- Room Locator – located on the WCC Visitor webpage, click on the room locator and select a building to see classroom locations and nearest parking.
- Welcome Center – It’s a one-stop shop for WCC students, located on the second floor of the student center – come and ask for help finding classes or understanding anything about WCC.
- Learning Support Services – Students who have any need for accommodations can visit (i.e. K12, IEP, 504 plans, hidden or physical disabilities requiring testing).
