Rain or shine, Baylor continues its campus tours for prospective students, making the experience as positive as possible by handing out ponchos, umbrellas, and blankets while smiling and cracking jokes.
Texas weather can be unpredictable. Yet, Baylor admissions keep their tours running regardless, only canceling for lightning or tornados.
“We monitor the forecast in advance and check for any potential weather disruptions," associate director of campus visits, Meredith Roberts said. "Safety of our guests is a top priority, but if it is just kind of drizzling, provided there isn’t lightning, we try to get our guests out as much as possible."
Roberts said they have backup options during extreme weather conditions, including shorter tours in sprinter vans or a virtual tour shown on screens at the Hurd Welcome Center.
If there is rainy weather in the morning but the forecast looks clear in the afternoon, Roberts said they work diligently to reschedule groups on later tour times. If there happens to be an unexpected tornado warning during a tour, Roberts said they have precautionary action plans in place and will stay indoors until the warning subsides.
Tavis King, a senior who has worked at the tour guide office for two years, said they “work to make the families as comfortable as possible” by parking the tour shuttles under covers during rainstorms, carrying around towels during tours to wipe off seats and keeping morale up by staying optimistic.
When asked how he stays motivated to work during dreary weather, Tavis said “it doesn’t take much motivation at all.”
“I love my job. God has given me a great life here at Baylor and I’m just excited to tell families about it,” he said.
To learn how to schedule your own campus tour, visit the Baylor Visits website.
This story was produced by Baylor Student Abbey Ferguson and is part of the Baylor University Student Journalism Collaboration with KWBU.