From orange sport coats to walking backward on the concourse, leading a group of teenagers and their families, Tigerettes and Tiger Hosts (TTH), Student Recruiters and War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen (WEGP) are a person’s first interaction with an Auburn student.
Student Recruiters give campus tours to prospective students and volunteer at recruitment events.
Lisa McManus, Student Recruiters president, said everyone who fills out an application is eligible for a first round interview. The first one is a group interview and prospective members will be interviewed in groups of three.
The second round is an individual interview. Prospective members give a five-minute presentation on why they would make a good Student Recruiter. McManus said props are encouraged. She said the most unusual prop she has seen was a door. She said it was a returning member who said they are opening the door to Auburn on every tour.
McManus said ideal members are hardworking and flexible, but she said there isn’t a typical Student Recruiter. She said they look for a wide variety of people. During the interviews, she said it is good to answer questions fully and to show personality.
“We’re looking for personality to shine through,” McManus said.
McManus said quick thinking and being able to answer tough questions are good qualities.
“Can we picture them giving a tour,” McManus said.
McManus said approximately 300 people applied for Student Recruiters last year and 60 were chosen.
While Student Recruiters want a variety of students, Tigerettes and Tiger Hosts want a subset of Auburn students — students who love Auburn football and want to help recruit players.
According to Samaria Terry, former Tigerette and recent graduate in journalism, approximately 100 people are chosen per year.
“We’re like the hostesses of the complex,” Terry said. “When the guys come, we’re like the first people they see.”
Terry said TTH provide campus tours and tours of the athletic facilities, as well as provide hospitality for recruits who come for football games.
“We’re kind of like walking billboards for Auburn,” Terry said.
TTH also has a two part interview, according to Terry. The first round is all Auburn football knowledge.
“It’s really intense,” Terry said. “Sometimes they’ll bring players in and ask, ‘Do you know what player he is?’ Or a coach, or they’ll ask how many seats there are in the stadium — 87,451.”
Terry said the second round is personality based, and the process as a whole is “not that bad.”
The 24 members of WEGP serve as the official hosts and hostesses of the University.
Jon Waggoner, WEGP adviser, said the interview process is two-fold. He said they ask a variety of questions, including history, how they will handle the workload and situational questions.
Waggoner said an example of a situation would be how to entertain a child at a function. Waggoner said the best thing to do would be to occupy the child so the parents could enjoy the event without removing the child.
Waggoner said he looks for openness and professionalism in potential members, and he said the group should represent campus as a whole.
“We actively try to recruit from a number of societies,” Waggoner said.
Waggoner said a candidate should answer questions concisely and answer the question they are asked.
He said anyone who wants to try out should. He said it is a positive experience, and although he didn’t make it his first time trying out, he learned a lot.
“It’s a fun process, even if you don’t make it,” Waggoner said.
Waggoner said adding a personal touch was important to the interview.
“Don’t just tell us the year Samford Hall was built, [tell us] what it means to you,” Waggoner said.
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