Recruitment and orientation are major parts of the college experience. Not only for incoming students, but for the orienteers interacting with these students. For Auburn, the “big three,” would be student recruiters, Camp War Eagle counselors and Pi Chis. These orienteers see hundreds of students a year and when incoming students arrive on campus, these faces are the typically first ones seen.
It all starts with student recruiters. For Kaitlin Love, recent alumna, being a student recruiter has been a formative experience. During her time at Auburn, Love applied to STUDs during her freshman year. The process of becoming a STUD is a three-round interview process, which Love recalled to be nerve wracking.
Love recalled connecting with many families on her tours, despite having a parent fall on her first tour. According to Love, when the parent fell, she didn’t really know what to do, but “[The parent] was a trooper.” This is also one of her favorite memories from giving tours.
Of course, as a STUD, Love said that the people you meet along the way are the best part.
“I connect with families and we’re all getting along, and I leave that tour thinking ‘that was my favorite tour.' I’ve done that for the last three I’ve given,” Love said.
The same goes for Makayla "MK" McGruder. McGruder is an upcoming senior in nursing and she’s served as a CWE counselor and head counselor for two years. McGruder lit up when speaking about her time working for the First Year Experience team.
“It’s such a rewarding feeling, not to mention so fun […] I love getting to love on and brag on Auburn for a day and a half,” McGruder said.
McGruder said that the one thing she loved most about CWE was reciting the creed for incoming students. She even cited the seventh stanza of the Creed as her favorite, since she came from a military family. Each student getting a Creed card is also what makes this part of orientation “special” to McGruder, as she still has her card.
McGruder always encourages incoming students to be open-minded with their college experience and to take the opportunities that Auburn presents them. She believes Auburn has a lot to offer each student and said they should “Take advantage of every resource Auburn has.”
Rhianna Helmers, recent alumna, was a Pi Chi at Auburn. Helmers applied to be a Pi Chi her sophomore year, recalling that interviews are a two-round process, ending in call-outs, which she said to initially be scary.
Helmers recalled her first Pi Chi group to be intimidating, but also very rewarding.
“You really are one of the first people they meet at Auburn […] Both years I had the most incredible groups — they trust you with everything,” Helmers said.
In Helmers' two years as a Pi Chi, she’s had girls in almost each of the 18 sororities housed on Auburn’s campus. Her favorite memory as a Pi Chi was having two girls in her group “running home” with her on Bid Day.
Helmers commonly gave her group advice, with her number one tip being to “Trust that it’ll all work out,” since recruitment can be a stressful process. Recruitment lasts only a week during the fall semester, ending with Bid Day, in which new members run home.
For Helmers, the Auburn Family will be what she misses most about Auburn. Among the experiences she’s had at Auburn, Helmers shared that she and her friends "Learned so much about [themselves] and each other" in college.
Overall, campus orienteers are here to serve as the face of Auburn to incoming students. Being the first few people incoming students see is a special experience for both new Auburnites and those who have the opportunity to introduce them to The Loveliest Village.
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Brychelle Brooks, senior majoring in public and professional writing with a minor in information systems, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since August 2023. She previously served as the Campus Reporter, Opinion Editor and Newsletter Editor. She is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief.
