Mississippi State’s Welcome Center is in the process of developing a new welcoming committee for university visitors called Maroon Visitor Information Program.Students chosen to be members will assist at the Welcome Center and Colvard Student Union by manning the desks, answering phones and directing traffic on campus during events.
Welcome Center coordinator Jenny Boone said with the growth of the university, it is time to have an organization working with the center.
“We currently work with volunteers that are mainly senior citizen and retired staff,” Boone said. “With all of the school groups and visitors we have, it is time for us to have a little more help.”
Leanne Thornton, student organizer for Maroon VIP, explained the differences between similar current campus programs like Roadrunners and Alumni Delegates.
“We will be working with visitors to MSU. This could be school groups or senior citizens that would just like a tour of campus,” Thornton said. “We will not be working with prospective students or alumni.”
Currently, Maroon VIP is looking for students to found the core group of the organization.
These students will draft the group’s constitution and review recruitment applications.
Thornton said even if a large number of people show up to be a part of the core group, they will all be included and involved.
“We will be electing the main officers at the next meeting,” Thornton said. “We are taking willing volunteers; we are not putting a specific number on the amount of members we can have for the core group.”
Freshman biological science major Anna Drake attended the Maroon VIP interest meeting on Thursday.
“I plan to go to the meeting next week and be on the core group for Maroon VIP,” Drake said. “I am really excited about working with all of the visitors that come through MSU and the Welcome Center.”
Freshman communication major Madeline Hardy said she also plans to be a part of Maroon VIP, specifically the core group.
“I think it will be a good opportunity, and I will get to meet a lot of people,” she said. “We will get to meet people of all ages from young to old and have a very diverse set of visitors to interact with.”
Hardy said she is excited about being part of the founding group for Maroon VIP.
“I think it will be beneficial to be a part of the core group because we will get to participate in making Maroon VIP,” she said.
Recruitment for Maroon VIP members will take place in September. Selection will consist of an application and interview. 0