Student tour guides bring UCI alive

Every year, about 30,000 visitors get a glimpse into campus life and culture during hourlong student-guided tours of UC Irvine. On average, college-bound teens visit eight campuses before deciding on one. “Tour guides are the face of UCI. It’s their job to bring the campus alive,” says Bryan Jue, assistant director of visitor services. “Visitors don’t remember building names, but they do remember stories and personal anecdotes.” The job starts at $8.50 an hour, and training includes a series of mock campus tours. Longtime guide Liz Seward (pictured) says the best tours are those in which visitors get involved and ask lots of questions.