More than 100 volunteers at The University of Toledo are giving their time to help students adjust to campus life the first weeks of the new academic year.
Joanne Houser, senior financial analyst in Finance, left, and Cheryl Thomas, administrative secretary in the UT Learning Collaborative, helped Bennie Clark last week in Rocket Hall. Houser and Thomas are two of more than 100 volunteers in the Student Ambassador Program.
“We want to make the transition to college as easy as possible for our incoming students,” said Dr. Kaye Patten Wallace, vice president for the student experience. “There is so much new information for students to absorb and it can be confusing and stressful. The new Student Ambassador Program proactively places energetic and helpful UT staff and students in Rocket Hall to make sure students get the information they need for parking, IDs, registering for classes, and answers to whatever questions they might have.”
The volunteers include staff and students from across the University, including External Affairs, the Provost’s Office, Finance, Plant Operations, Student Affairs, Information Technology and more. The volunteers will be at Rocket Hall all day, each day for the first two weeks of classes. The volunteers began their work Monday, Aug. 15.
The Student Ambassadors Program is one of a number of changes implemented for the 2011-12 academic year to put an extra emphasis on customer service for students.
The University automated a number of student services, including parking permits, Rocket Card IDs and meal plans, to eliminate the need for students to wait in line at the beginning of the year. The electronic student bills also were redesigned to make them easier to read and understand.
The changes in student services are in response to the work of a committee charged by UT President Lloyd Jacobs to examine ways to eliminate long lines in Rocket Hall and better address the needs of students.
