Year: Senior
Major: Secondary Education
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
HC: What exactly is a Lion Ambassador and how does it differ from a Lion Scout?
EB: One thing that quite a few people don’t realize at Penn State is that not all of the tour guides are part of the same club. When you see the infamous backwards walk, that person may be part of Lion Ambassadors, Lion Scouts, SMART or one of the many other College Ambassador organizations across campus. The largest organizations are Lion Ambassadors and Lion Scouts, and the chief difference between the two is the office that supports them. Lion Scouts, PSU’s largest touring organization, is run by Penn State Admissions and concentrates most efforts on providing support for future students through activities such as guiding them across campus and holding panels and other informative events. Lion Ambassadors, my organization, is run through the Penn State Alumni Association, and while we do lead tours, our events like Lantern Tours and Guard the Lion Shrine focus primarily on community engagement.
HC: What made you want to become a Lion Ambassador?
EB: My freshman year at Penn State were some of the best months of my life, but there were many times that the stress and anxiety brought on by the college transition were a lot to deal with. However, whenever some of these issues would come to a peak, I knew that I had friends that would support me. One of the most influential people was my Morale Captain, Mike Uhas. Whenever I had questions, wanted advice, or just needed someone to lean on, Mike was always there. One day, I realized that Mike always wore the same jacket as some of the tour guides I would see walking around. As someone who never stops talking, it piqued my interest. After hearing about all the things he got to experience as a Lion Ambassador, I knew it was something that I would love. The next year, when applications were open, I initially was hesitant; but, when I received a text from Mike asking if I had turned mine in, I knew I would be disappointed if I didn’t try.
HC: What is your favorite part of being a Lion Ambassador?
EB: One of the things that is a wonderful part of being an ambassador are the connections that form through all the various aspects of the organization. Giving tours to prospective students and running projects provides a unique opportunity to really put how great Penn State can be on display, and the conversations that I get to have with both parents and their children during and after the tours have allowed me to meet a wonderfully diverse range of individuals. In addition to that, Lion Ambassadors has existed since 1982 and has an alumni base of hundreds of former “L’ambs” that adore coming back to the ‘old digs’ to meet the young men and women who are now performing their former role. Getting to share stories of our involvement and hear countless tales of their own time as ambassadors is a way to connect with the past of both our university and organization. I personally find it to be fascinating.
HC: What’s the weirdest question/experience you’ve had while giving a tour?
EB: In addition to tours for high school students, Lion Ambassadors also offer “special assignment” tours for anyone that would like one. These tours can be requested by anyone in the general public. During my second semester as an ambassador, I considered myself a pretty competent guide. So, when a tour came up and an emergency guide was needed, I volunteered to help out. This particular request was from a group attending an engineering conference that was being held off-campus. When the group arrived, I quickly realized from their side conversations that they were probably MUCH more intelligent than I was, and I was worried my go-to tour puns might not have the positive effect that they normally do. I couldn’t have been any more incorrect. The tour ended up being one of the most entertaining tours that I have ever given. The professors were a riot; they cracked jokes left and right and they laughed at everything that came out of my mouth as well as my partner’s. Before the tour ended, they still managed to make references to nuclear fusion and advanced physics that blew our minds. At the end of the tour, they wouldn’t let us leave without a picture and, even though I still don’t understand half of the things they said, I smiled the whole rest of the day.
HC: Any tips on perfecting the backward walk?
EB: It’s all about confidence. Work that backwards walk like you’ve been doing it your whole life. Next thing you know, you’ll be flying across campus. You may hit a pole or two, but once you’ve walked a tour route dozens of times, you’ll barely need to even turn around. The extra toning on your calves and glutes is just an added bonus.
HC: We hear applying to be a LAMB is no easy task – any tips on how to stand out?
EB: This may sound like the most cliché advice that I could possibly give, but the one thing that I think will serve a prospective “lamb” the best is to just be genuine. Lion Ambassadors pride themselves on being “ordinary students” with “extraordinary pride.” While we have crisp uniforms and (sometimes) sound like campus experts, we have strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else. Our interests range from art, to athletics, to academics, and getting to see the different talents that we all have is part of what makes our organization great. Being the truest person you can be may be a bit nerve-wracking, but it also lets you be you, and that’s best quality that I believe an Ambassador can have.