Ilana Black is a senior who has truly embraced everything Michigan has to offer. As a Communications major, she took her classroom skills out into the real world. She uses her marketing knowledge (and love of the university) to convince prospective students to come to Michigan as both a Campus Day leader and the student coordinator for prospective student tours. Although she will be sad to leave U of M, she has scored an amazing job where she will continue to use her communications skills developed from her work and studies here. Thankfully, she will not be too far away from Ann Arbor, so we can be sure to see her cheering passionately for the Wolverines for many more football seasons to come.
HC:How did you get involved with giving campus tours? What is your current position?
IB:I originally got involved at The Office of Undergraduate Admissions by applying to be a Campus Day leader during my sophomore year. After a very rigorous application and interview process, I was so excited to be hired and join the team. Campus Day is the admitted student program that takes place throughout winter term. It entails panels, tours, and more along with working with admitted students and their parents to convince them that Michigan is the place for them! From there, the prospective student tour program needed some tour guides, so I started working for them as well. I enjoyed doing that so much that I applied to become the Student Staff Coordinator for Prospective Student Tours, and have been honored to have that position for the past year! I have my own office in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and work with my 80 employees (tour guides) to schedule all the prospective student and special group tours. It is a lot of hard work, and I have learned a lot about working with large groups of people and am constantly fascinated by everything that happens behind the scenes at Admissions. I’m also pleased to still be on the Campus Day Team as well as being a philanthropic tour guide to prospective donors and noted alumni that visit campus. Basically I give three types of tours, and my life has become fully encompassed in Admissions – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
HC: Why do you enjoy convincing people to come to Michigan?
IB: It’s almost too easy. Not only do I get to practice my marketing and communications skills and work with a wide range of people and personalities, I get to talk about my favorite place on earth. (Did you know there’s even a song called “Goddess of the Inland Seas” where people wrote that although Greece and Italy are nice.. they have nothing on Ann Arbor? Amazing.) Michigan sells itself with its programs and opportunities, I just get paid to walk around, relate my personal experiences and talk about why coming here was the best decision I have ever made.
HC: What is your favorite tour spot and why?
IB: It’s hard because I love the whole campus, and there are certain spots I love telling particular stories because the tour groups are always so impressed. However, although I’m sure it’s a favorite for most guides, the Law Quad is my favorite spot on campus. It is (obviously) stunning, but the history is really fun and incredibly telling of the University.
HC: What has been your favorite part of being a Michigan Wolverine?
IB: Well ask anyone who knows me, and you’ll instantly find out that I’m a bit crazy when it comes to Michigan sports – most specifically, Michigan Football. One of the reasons I actually chose to attend UM was because of our football program, and despite the fact that I’ve been here for 3 of the worst seasons in the program’s history, football in the Big House has been my favorite part of being a Wolverine. I equate that to the overall Michigan spirit though. No matter where you are in the world, people know Michigan. They know “Hail” and “Maize & Blue” and it’s so incredible to be part of this community of people so dedicated to their University. I believe it is best displayed on those Saturdays in the fall surrounded by your 109,000 best friends decked out in maize and blue!
HC:What are your plans for after graduation?
IB: I don’t even want to think about next month, but unfortunately graduation is inevitable. I am lucky enough to say that I have a full time job in Chicago working for Coyote Logistics. They are a wonderful firm that was just voted the Top Mid-Sized Firm to work for by the Chicago Tribune. I got the job through going to the Career Fair, so I can’t be more of an advocate of utilizing those resources on campus! Although, here’s a fun story about employment and being a tour guide: Last year I was giving a tour when a wonderful family and I got to talking. The mother liked me so much that she gave me her business card and said if I ever wanted an internship to contact her, so I did… and wound up working for Fox Broadcasting Company in LA this summer! I got to spend the summer going to SYTYCD tapings, meeting Fox stars, and working to ensure those stars’ happiness with the broadcasting company. It was truly an unforgettable experience and so cool that I got it through giving a tour!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mich chapter.