Penn staff members who don’t often get a chance to interact with students and parents have an opportunity to introduce prospective students to the University by volunteering at Penn Preview Days.

Each April, admitted students and their families visit campus to get a taste of Penn. Throughout the day-long Penn Preview visit, families meet current students, as well as faculty and academic advisors.

After visiting the undergraduate schools, hundreds of people descend upon the College Houses to get a peek at student residences. 

Student volunteers lead the tours through the dorms, but Penn Preview Days organizers are in need of University staff to assist with greeting and guiding families as they arrive at College Houses. At times, these staff volunteers will need to take on the role of crossing guard to safely get parents and students to their destinations. 

“There are massive waves of people coming through, and parents and students have all kinds of questions,” says Sue Smith, associate director for communications at College Houses and Academic Services.  

Smith, who coordinates the College House tours, is looking for outgoing and friendly staff members who can volunteer for a couple of hours on the afternoons of Preview Days. Volunteers are needed from about 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 5, Monday, April 8, Monday, April 15, Monday, April 22, and Tuesday, April 23.

“This might be an interesting experience for Penn staff if they want to get in there and talk to people,” says Smith. “Some staff may have never been to a College House.”

Smith says staff volunteers will help people navigate campus and assist in making the tours run smoothly by helping to ease congestion.

For more information, email Sue Smith at suesmith@upenn.edu.