Meet the Students Behind DU’s Campus Tours

For many prospective students, a campus tour is their first glimpse of college life—and the tour guide shapes much of that experience. A seemingly harmless choice on the guide’s part, such as breezing past a question too quickly, can lead to a negative impression of the tour—and the entire institution.

On the flip side, when a great tour helps a student decide to commit or the guide makes an entire auditorium laugh simply by being himself, the job is a positive and rewarding experience for everyone. 

DU has a dedicated group of current students who conduct tours throughout the year. Before they lead their first tour, the guides go through about a month of comprehensive training. They memorize the order of all 13 stops and what to say every step of the way—from a breakdown of on-campus housing options to the many services the career center offers. They then have a final oral examination and evaluation tour with a lead guide to make sure they know their stuff and can answer any question that comes their way. 

The DU Newsroom caught up with five of these campus insiders to learn more about what they enjoy about being a tour guide, their favorite places on campus to show prospective students, and some of the questions they hear most often.

Sophia Wismar

A new guide, Wismar is a second-year physics major from Fort Collins, Colorado, who has been giving tours for three months.

Why she became a tour guide: Wismar’s extroverted nature makes her a natural fit as a guide. “I'm a really social person, and I love learning a little bit more about my guests’ life stories and where they come from,” she says.

Favorite spot on campus: The Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, a stop dedicated to discussing DU’s R1 research accreditation. Wismar says, “I feel inspired whenever I talk about the research happening at DU, including my own optical physics research, and I try to impart that inspiration to the guests on my tour.” 

Frequently asked question: Wismar says guests often want to know how they can get involved on campus. “They ask me what students do on weekends and what clubs and activities there are on campus and in the Denver community.” Wismar adds that she loves answering this question because there’s so much to share, given DU’s proximity to nature, the city, and more.

Peyton Eisenach

Eisenach, a third-year student from Washington, D.C., majoring in biology on the pre-med track, has been a tour guide for over two years.

Why she became a tour guide: Eisenach says she was interested in the role for personal reasons. “My dad was a tour guide at his undergraduate college, and I grew up hearing how great a job it was from my family,” she says. The work environment at DU makes it even better. “We all come from such different backgrounds and different groups on campus that it genuinely makes the environment unique. It’s so easy to come to work and laugh with my coworkers. I love that so much.” 

Favorite spot on campus: Her favorite stop to show on campus is Magness Arena. “It’s the one stop where I always hear someone gasp,” she says. “Getting to talk about how we have the most hockey national championships is one of the biggest selling points for people deciding if they should attend DU.”

Franklin Sellner

Sellner, a third-year studying international relations and Spanish, has been a tour guide for about three months. Originally from Minneapolis, he’s been having a great time introducing DU to prospective students so far.

Favorite memory: Sellner already has a meaningful memory from his short time as a tour guide. “During my very first student panel at a Friday@DU event, I was telling a story that I thought was simply giving an informative answer to a question. Apparently, I said something funny enough to make the entire audience laugh. That was one of the moments when I thought to myself, 'Wow, I'm really going to love and embrace this job.’ Since that day, I make sure to share that story whenever I can.” 

Favorite spot on campus: The fourth floor of the Community Commons. This spot has a great view of the mountains, which guests can admire while he talks about why DU is such a great location. “The view is immaculate, with a panorama of the Rocky Mountains and the downtown Denver skyline,” he says.

Danielle Brief-McGurrin

Brief-McGurrin is a truly experienced guide, having worked for the Undergraduate Admission department for three years. A third-year studying theatre and political science, she is from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Why she became a tour guide: Brief-McGurrin understands the gravity of this role. “I remembered how much my tours impacted my decision on what school to go to and wanted to be a positive influence on someone else’s journey,” she says. She describes the job as truly fulfilling: “The best feeling is when someone tells me that my tour has made them want to go to DU. It makes me feel like the work I do is worth it.” 

Favorite spot on campus: The Byron Theatre in the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. “It is the main stage for our theatre department and a totally transformable space,” she says. “It’s a theatre space totally unlike any I have seen before. I love showing people all the amazing things we can build in there [for set designs].”

Leo Murrell

Murrell is a new guide this year and has been tour guiding for three months. A first-year studying sociology and Spanish, he’s originally from Lake Tahoe, California.

Why he became a tour guide: Murrell says one of the best parts of the job is the work environment. “It’s a super flexible job that’s fun and always pushes me to meet new people,” he says. The job has also pushed him a little out of his comfort zone: “I have gained new skills like public speaking and problem solving.”

Favorite spot on campus: The Ritchie Center. “I love talking about all of the amenities that the Coors Fitness Center has to offer—and being able to head up to Magness Arena right after,” he says. This stop also includes talking about the Alpine Club, the oldest and one of the biggest student organizations on campus.

Frequently asked question: Murrell often hears, “How easy is it to go skiing, and can you tell me about the Alpine Club?” Luckily, he’s been heavily involved with the organization himself and is happy to tell guests all about his experiences hitting the slopes, hiking, and ice climbing.