Vanderbilt Tour Guides is notoriously challenging to join, consisting of five rounds of interviews, but how much do we really know about the people within it? Senior and Tour Guides President Kelsey Frederick and junior Vincent Castillo, a new recruit, share the inside scoop on the organization.
Frederick joined Tour Guides as a first-year student but said she found a passion for tours long before that as a tour guide for her high school. She further learned about the importance of a high-quality tour during her college application process. Frederick said she placed great value on the tours she went on and recognized how guides can “spin your experience.” Although her senior year of high school was stressful, Frederick said the kind efforts of tour guides eased her application worries.
“I really do remember those people who just took the time to reassure you and answer your questions, and I always wanted to do that for someone else,” Frederick said.
Castillo also found tours to be a key factor in his college decisions. He regarded his Vanderbilt tour as a deciding factor in whether or not he should apply early decision.
Castillo’s friends inspired him to apply for Tour Guides, telling him that he has “tour guide energy.” He first rushed Tour Guides during his sophomore year but was cut during round three. After reapplying this fall, Castillo found success and was accepted into the organization.
When asked about a standout tour she’s given, Frederick emphasized that the credit for a good tour should be given to the tour group. She said she appreciates when the group interacts with her and makes an effort to build rapport amongst each other.
“I think it’s really the group that makes the best tours, not me,” Frederick said.
Frederick recalled helping a student who was pursuing a similar life path as her. She was able to help ease one prospective student’s anxieties as a fellow political science major on a pre-law track.
“Things like that are great when I can also make more of a personal connection,” Frederick said.
Similarly, Castillo said he aims to make tours special to the group and tries to tailor each tour to the group of prospective students. He added that he finds the conversations he has with the tour group members to be extremely important.
“I love the laid-back nature of tours, and I think, for a lot of families and kids who are thinking about coming here, that’s one of the main factors,” Castillo said. “Obviously, Vanderbilt is known as a great institution. It has all these things, but they really want to see more of the people-side behind it.”
Castillo said he places an emphasis on this social factor after his work with ‘Dore for a Day.
“I’ve been able to work with prospective students one-on-one and tell them what my day in the life looks like,” Castillo said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to do that now through tours which focus on all different aspects of Vanderbilt.”
Out of the many questions tour groups ask Frederick, one remains her favorite: “What makes Vanderbilt special?” She said she enjoys informing tours about unique majors like Human & Organizational Development and Medicine, Health & Society that create excitement to apply. Frederick added that she also enjoys diving into the unique culture of Vanderbilt students.
“People work hard, and they’re talented and brilliant, but most of all, they’re just kind, fun people,” Frederick said.
Over the years of touring, Frederick said she had the opportunity to see members of past tour groups become Vanderbilt students. She even had a class with one such student this semester, which she said “makes [her] day every day.” Frederick also noted that she gave a tour to a current member of Tour Guides prior to their admission.
According to Frederick, Tour Guides has been her most impactful experience at Vanderbilt. She explained that it taught her public speaking, leadership skills, confidence and provided her with many friendships, including her current roommates.
“It’s really given me such a great community,” Frederick said. “It’s also just made me feel very, very attached to Vanderbilt.”
Castillo also recommended that students apply for Tour Guides due to the community and camaraderie among students. He said he feels that Tour Guides forms a welcoming environment of fun and talkative people. Castillo shared that he enjoys weekly meals on the San Antonio Taco Co. porch with fellow guides to take time to recap their lives and exchange tour stories. Tour Guides also hosts a variety of other social events, such as their iconic “Tourmal,” which allow guides to get to know each other better.
Overall, Castillo and Frederick said they found that tours provide a special time to reflect and feel grateful for being a Vanderbilt student.
“I think it’s easy to get caught up in our daily life,” Frederick said. “There’s obviously stressful things like classes and exams, but when you’re giving a tour, you’re essentially talking to 20 or 30 people who want what you have, so it’s a great way to take a step back from your daily little bubble and really get some perspective…Tours really make you appreciate what you have.”
Castillo shared that the “Why Vanderbilt” question, where guides share their reasons for attending Vanderbilt, allows them to add more nuance to the tours besides the facts and tangible aspects of the university that the rest of the tour provides. He said he appreciates the fact that the question allows him to reflect on his time here.
“‘Why Vandy’ is purely your story, so getting to share why you came here deepens your appreciation of why you’re here and why you continue to stay,” Castillo said.
