Tour Guide Talks

KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 24, 2019

Senior Aissata Diallo shares love for job

KSU Tour Guide Aissata Diallo is used to answering questions from prospective students and their parents, so she had no problem fielding questions about her job and what she’s learned over the past couple of years of giving tours on the Kennesaw Campus.

Diallo, who calls Decatur home, was born in New York but spent many of her formative years in Conakry, Guinea, in West Africa. She is one of 18 KSU Tour Guides who work on campus in the Office of Admissions.

Each weekday, she and her fellow associates lead tours for parents and prospective students who are considering Kennesaw State as their school of choice. The 90-minute campus tours are popular among high school juniors and seniors, with nearly 1,700 prospective students and their families visiting Kennesaw State each month.

Diallo shows off the Kennesaw Campus to about 35-45 people on each tour. For the past two years, the pre-med senior has shepherded hundreds from one end of the campus to the other.

What are your favorite questions to answer as a tour guide?

“I love when people ask me why I chose my major, because I struggled to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I listened to everyone but myself, so I decided to shadow different people in their jobs to figure out my passion. I realized what I wanted to do for a career without completely changing my major.”

What was your most memorable moment during a tour?

“It was when a parent approached me saying how she wasn’t sure that KSU was the right school for her daughter. Her daughter really loved the campus, but her mom had another school in mind. This made me determined to show her what Kennesaw State had to offer. Mom was very pleased after the tour, and her daughter even filled out an application at the admissions office right after. Both were extremely happy, which warmed my heart to know the daughter would be going to her dream school.

What has serving as a tour guide taught you about KSU?

“It has allowed me see the beauty of the entire campus. Kennesaw State has a lot to offer, and we have all of the necessary resources. Students just have to go out and take advantage of these resources.”

What’s the best advice you have for prospective students and parents?

“The biggest challenge that many students face is trying to figure out where they belong. I tell them to figure out what YOU want to do with your life, first. Always have faith that everything will work out but failing to plan is planning to fail. I tell parents not to put a lot of stress on the student. Let the student find themselves.”

What is your favorite spot on campus and what are some of the highlights you show folks on the tour?

“Definitely, the College of Science and Math, it’s my favorite spot. I also like to show off our freshman residence housing, the Campus Green, the Betty Siegel Recreational Center and all of the dining options on campus.”

Why do you enjoy giving tours?

“I’ve been guiding tours for two years and still enjoy telling people why I chose Kennesaw State University. The best part of my job is definitely showing off the beautiful campus and meeting incoming freshman or transfer students.”

What’s the most surprising thing someone has asked you on a tour?

“Someone once said, ‘Why don’t you have people who clean the students’ rooms for free?”’

Diallo, who will graduate next month with a B.S. in biology and a minor in psychology, will begin a master’s degree in public health administration.

Campus tours for prospective students are available on both campuses, Monday-Friday, and one Saturday per month. Click here for more information and to sign up.

– Robert S. Godlewski

Photos by Jason Getz