A swarm of guests, young and old, can sometimes be spotted meandering through the Cal State Fullerton campus.

Their only familiar feature is the navy-blue polo-wearing leader they follow.

Smiling and attentive to their group’s questions and needs, these cordial hosts are known as the university’s Titan Ambassadors.

Led by an array of enthusiastic student leaders, the Titan Ambassadors help prospective and incoming students make a smooth transition into the CSUF student body.

Dedicated to soothing the anxieties of first-time visitors to the 236-acre university, Titan Ambassadors provide “daily tours” for interested students and their family and friends and “special group tours” for elementary school and high school field trips.

The tours are for anyone interested in learning more about the home of the Titans.

“We make sure to give a strong representation of the school but ultimately, we want to help people make the choice that’s right for them,” said Serena Cline, the acting senior coordinator for the New Student Programs office.

Adamant about the importance of creating a successful college transition for students, Cline has been part of the New Student Programs staff for two years.

By helping with the student orientations as well as the guided tours, Cline is happy to consider herself a part of a welcoming resource she deems imperative.

With CSUF being one of the most diverse campuses in the nation, those chosen for the Titan Ambassador positions are equally as unique.

“We really want guests to be able to see themselves in the tour guides,” Cline said.

By selecting students from various majors, interests and differing personality types, Cline looks to hire guides who young and prospective students will find easy to identify with while touring the campus.

Aside from fulfilling their academic obligations as students, the responsibility of learning university facts becomes part of the Titan Ambassador’s everyday lives.

Ranging from the typical mascot history, building names, available majors and what student services can be found on campus, they learn to pick up on quirky, student-friendly information as well.

One example being where caffeine-deprived students can buy a cup of java.

The motivation behind choosing to be part of the Titan Ambassador team varies from case to case, but for freshman Katelynn Monday, the opportunity was a perfect fit.

“I just love talking and meeting new people and being a tour guide was a great way to do that and a good way to get involved at school,” Monday said.

The fact that her on-campus job as a Titan Ambassador is extremely flexible with her school schedule did not hurt either, she admitted with a smile. Monday’s perky personality and casual confidence would never betray that it was the 19-year-old’s first semester acting as a tour guide.

For this young student, the responsibility of teaching others about the things she has recently experienced is a gratifying challenge.

Whether guests are escorted by seasoned or fresh-faced student leaders, the journey to showcase what CSUF has to offer begins at the Alumni Lounge.

Located on the first floor of the Titan Student Union, the Alumni Lounge gives guests a taste of what a quiet and comfortable study area at CSUF can be like.

Surrounded by the recreational heart of the campus with the food court, Titan Bowl & Billiards and the outdoor Becker Amphitheatre close by, the Alumni Lounge may seem like an ideal meeting place for guests to gain their first impression of the campus. For mother Linda Seitz and her 18-year-old daughter, Kelsey, CSUF was one of the three campuses they had visited on their quest to finding the ideal college.

As a parent, Linda said she feels that it’s good for students to explore their campus options through tours like those the Titan Ambassadors provide.

When students can “see it, feel it and walk it,” it really does make a difference, Linda said.

“I think tours, as a new freshman, are great and an easy way to see if the university is the right fit for you,” Kelsey said.

While students have a number of reasons for choosing which college they wind up at, the Trabuco Hills High School senior and her mother agree a strong sense of community and safety is a quality every university should offer. Though the Titan Ambassadors have transitioned from University Outreach to New Student Programs where they have been for over seven years, their dedication to helping others remains as important as ever.

With the close of the 2008 spring semester, the New Student Programs office is accepting applications until May 9 for the new wave of Titan Ambassadors looking to step in where their graduating senior ambassadors are leaving. Whether they are motivating elementary students to dream of the college experience or calming the fears of new incoming students, Titan Ambassadors take pride in the campus and everything the university has to offer.

“The most important thing we do [as Titan Ambassadors] is give people the information they need to make the best college decision they can make,” Cline said.