Last week, Pavilion VIII was unusu-ally full of blue and orange striped bow ties and clicking heels. The occasion: fall tryouts for the University Guide Service, easily one of the most competitive and well-known organizations on Grounds. According to Elizabeth Stafford, Guide Service probationary chair and fourth-year College student, about 175 to 225 University students congregate in the pavilion each semester, after studying facts about the Lawn and committing the Rotunda's history to memory, to lead a trial tour of the Lawn with current University Guides.
After participating in a rigorous selection process, which culminates in an interview with existing Guide Service Members, only 24 of these students will be initiated into the organization this semester. The number of students trying out each semester remains constant despite the demanding nature of the Guide Service, the large time commitment that it entails and the fact that it is a volunteer organization, unlike the guide services at other state universities.
Current University Guide and third-year College student Michael Ehmann attributes the popularity of the Guide Service to the tremendous opportunity that the service gives to students, enabling them to share their love for the University with others while at the same time giving them the opportunity to potentially influence
the decision-making process for prospective students.
"I had a phenomenal tour when I was a prospective student here, and I knew that when I came to the University, I wanted to shape others' impressions of this school in the same way," Ehmann said. The Guide Service "is a great group of people who want to share their knowledge of the University with others."
Theodore Canaras, a first-year College student and aspiring University Guide, said his tour experience while a prospective student influenced his decision to attend the University.
"I'm from New York, but my family came down here in the fall to see Monticello," Canaras said. "When I got here and saw how beautiful the grounds were, I made my parents stay so I could go on a tour. I loved the U-Guide I had, and the tour definitely convinced me to come here."
Another first-year College student, Jessica Chiarello, also decided to try out for this organization because of a positive experience with the Guide Service she had before attending the University.
"When I came here to visit the University, I spent the night with one of my friends, and we visited the pavilions and hung out with some of the U-Guide members," Chiarello said. "My tour was one of the main reasons I came here, and I decided that I wanted to be a tour guide."
Other contenders for open Guide Service spots were students who were trying out for the second time. Third-year Commerce student Luke Holeman remained optimistic about his chances of getting in because of his fondness for the organization.
"I love the people that I have met in the service," Holeman said. "My first-year roommate got involved with it, so I heard about all the fun he was having. And there are so many members in the organization that I would always know someone walking around Grounds."
However, despite the affection that the University guides and the hopeful prospectives have for this organization, differing opinions exist amongst the student body about this group. Some students view the Guide Service as an asset to the University and a welcoming organization for first years, while others believe that the members of the Guide Service, and their tours, offer a limited view of student life here at the University.
Third-year College student Brian Taaffe holds a favorable view of the organization and believes that the Guide Service helps to preserve some of the oldest traditions at the University.
"The Guide Service represents the 'older' U.Va. look by getting dressed up for tours," Taaffe said. "In doing this, they are preserving a tradition that is being lost. They help play the role of the preps."
Third-year College student Stephanie Blatch holds a different opinion. She said she believes the Guide Service is biased in the way in which it chooses new members.
"I don't think the results of the selection process provide a good variety of the student body," Blatch said. "The Guide Service seems to be looking for a specific type of person with similar social circles when they hold try-outs."
However, not all University students share these negative opinions about the Guide Service. Third-year College student Margaret Schiller said she believes that the people who are initiated into the organization are chosen because of their powerful personalities.
"I don't have any stereotypes about the group," Schiller said. "They all seem like great people who are pretty enthusiastic about the University's history. And their parties are fun."
Many of individuals who tried out this year, however, said the experience they had so far was a positive one. Many of the students said they believed all the hard work and time they put into the try-outs paid off, and by going through the process, they erased any negative stereotypes they might have previously held about the Guide Service.
"At first I thought the University Guides were really preppy, but then you realize that all the guides aren't like that," Chiarello said. "You have to be out-going, friendly and able to interact with people well if you want to be a good guide."
Second-year College student Shannon Spurgeon said, even if she did not make the cut this year, she would repeat her experience again.
"I feel that this experience has given me more confidence because surprisingly, the tour wasn't as difficult as I expected," Spurgeon said. "I'm pretty confident I'll try out again next semester."
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