On-campus tours return to Southern

Davis Cobb, Correspondent

STATESBORO After nearly half a year, Georgia Southern’s on-campus tours have begun once again, resuming last week on August 24.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the office of admissions was forced to shut down in-person tours in mid-March but began working on virtual tours immediately after. While said tours wouldn’t be available until early June, pre-recorded experiences were made available until then.

Accompanying the resumption of the on-campus tours is a set of guidelines requiring attendees to remain in accordance with policies set by the state, region and university. These guidelines are available to all registrants and given out to them again upon arrival for the tour.

“Overall, the reception has been really good,” said Mike Smith, assistant director of events and visitation. “Our Southern Ambassadors were eager to start giving tours again and are thrilled to be back in the swing of things. Based on the level of interest we had for tours over the summer, and the number of future registrants we already have, I would say that our prospective students are excited to have the opportunity to visit campus in person.”

Smith said that attendance has been moderate but that reservations for several upcoming weeks are already completely full.

Virtual tours will still be available for any visitors uncomfortable with an in-person experience, and plans for a self-guided tour allowing guests to explore the campus at their own pace are also in motion.

To sign up for a tour, visit the Office of Admissions website, under “Attend an Event.”