Walking Backwards Never Looked So Good

One of the highlights of my job is working with current W&M students.  I’m so fortunate to be able to supervise both our campus Tour Guides and our Senior Admission Interviewers.  They keep me informed, they keep me young, and their immense desire to give back to W&M is something I can relate to.  This past week marked the senior Tour Guides’ final tour.  Before each tour began I entered our session room and recognized each of the senior guides individually and presented them with a tour guide mug (a W&M tumbler with our tour guide slogan printed on it: Walking Backwards Never Looked So Good).  As I hugged each guide I was reminded that I have now seen seven classes of student volunteers graduate and to stay here without them always feel terribly difficult (although I know that means that a new class of wonderful tour guides will soon enter my life).  Getting to know each of these students has truly been a pleasure.  I know about their lives, their hopes, and their aspirations.  And while I will likely only see them during Homecoming events I know that Facebook and email will allow us to keep in touch.  They all have special places in my heart.  They make my job fun.  They make it meaningful.  They remind me as I’m reading files at 1:00 a.m. that among those files are future Tour Guides and Senior Interviewers; people who will become my colleagues, my mentees, and my friends.

I also pointed out to each guide that I still have my tour guide mug.  In a way it connects all of us to this office and to each other.  And while that sounds terribly trite and sappy, I think that connection means something.  Tour Guiding is an admired position on this campus (one students compete to volunteer for) and one that has significant meaning to those that serve.  Tour Guiding was how I found a job which turned into a career which turned into an area of graduate study.  My former bosses became my co-workers, colleagues, and closest friends.  Likewise these students are my co-workers, my colleagues, and my friends.  They mean so much to me and I will truly miss them when they graduate.

– Wendy Livingston