Tours on campus have begun to return after a mandatory shutdown due to the ongoing pandemic. As SNHU continues to plan for the fall semester, protocols during tours have been modified to better suit the current world condition.
Prior to COVID, tours were offered two times a day throughout the week along with select weekends. One-on-one meetings with admission counselors were offered to prospective students before they’d embark on an hour-long group tour across campus, in which groups had no limit to the number of students and guests that attended.
During remote learning, a virtual link to a campus video was put up in place of in-person tours. Moving into the 2021 spring semester, tours are slowly coming back.
“Tours are certainly different now. Whether it was last year or now, safety and wellness is always paramount, however, in light of the pandemic we certainly have added many procedures to ensure we are intentional with the experience for students,” says Rob Cuzzi, Senior Assistant Director II.
Groups will now cap at a total of ten people, including five students and one guest per student. In addition, meetings with admission counselors will be temporarily replaced with presentations that will take place in Alumni Hall.
Where there are typically 35 to 40 tour guides, there are presently only four – one per group – due to safety protocols.
“What I love most about being a tour guide is meeting so many different people and getting to share my love of SNHU with others. Coming to SNHU was probably the best choice I have made my whole life, so taking part in that process for others and potentially seeing them around campus in the future is so rewarding,” says SNHU tour guide Amber Dee (’23).
The tour route has also been reduced and will only make five stops per tour. Kingston hall lobby, CETA building lobby, the dining hall, student center and library will be seen. Tour shuttles, as well as dorm room viewings, the green center, and the athletic complex will be excluded from the list of locations. Everyone will be required to wear a mask.
Admission staff, which include counselors and guides, will need to take a COVID test each week and utilize the Envoy app. This application allows for staff and students on campus to answer health and safety protocol questions in order to be allowed access to campus for that day. The app can be downloaded for free in the App Store on a mobile device or Google Play.
Currently, tours are being offered on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday during time slots 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Starting in April, options will include Wednesdays along with select weekends.
As of now, only accepted students for the fall 2021 semester are being offered tour schedules.
“I am encouraged based on the current numbers and we continue to monitor the pandemic while working with our campus partners about best practices. We are going to continue to offer experiences that are student-centric and cater to the guest experience to the best of our ability. I am hopeful that as we continue to move forward we will be able to grow our event opportunities,” says Cuzzi.
“I hope students get clarity on where they want to go to college. Whether they pick SNHU or not, trying to find a college you want to go to is tough, let alone in a pandemic. I just want to give students the opportunity to see and understand what life on campus is like, as well as the opportunities they will have,” says Meagan White, (‘22).
