New CWRU-branded trolleys enhance campus tour experience
As the new academic year kicked off this week, members of the Case Western Reserve University may have noticed some new vehicles around campus. This past summer, the university unveiled five new CWRU-branded trolleys to be used for campus tours.
The trolleys, which each have distinct yet cohesive designs, were made possible through multi-unit collaboration among the Office of Enrollment Management, Campus Services and University Marketing and Communications.
“Our campus is expanding and there are so many things we are eager to show off,” said Bob McCullough, vice president for enrollment management. “The trolleys help us do that, while creating an experience that is memorable.”
Given the challenge of capturing a sprawling 267-acre campus in a brief tour, the trolleys allow admitted and prospective students and their families the opportunity to see more of CWRU’s promise. It also gives guests—and tour guides—relief from the elements.
Tour guides appreciated the break from the heat in the air conditioned vehicles this summer, and look forward to their refuge once the temperatures dip in the winter.
Feedback from prospective students and their families has been positive.
“Families appreciate having the chance to get off their feet (and during these warmer months, into the air conditioning!) while seeing some special parts of campus,” McCullough said.
Given the sheer size of campus and limited time available for tours, the addition of the trolleys makes it possible to access portions of campus that are difficult to reach by foot alone, including the biology lab. This gives prospective students an up-close look at one of the university’s state-of-the art research facilities.
Additional stops on the tours include a look at the renovated Fribley Commons and inside the common areas of Mary Chilton Noyes House.
The tour extends beyond the bounds of campus, with a drive down a portion of Euclid Avenue in Uptown for a glimpse of local eateries and around Wade Oval to see our dynamic cultural neighborhood in more detail.
The updated tour is paired with insights from passionate tour guides to give an enriched perspective on life at CWRU.
Tour guides Natalie Nottingham and Ahmad Dib agreed that the air conditioned trolleys offer a welcome break and allow them to share more of campus with guests.
“It lets us see way more aspects of campus that we would have never seen if we were walking,” said Dib, a third-year student majoring in biochemistry and cognitive science. “I think the trolleys were a good upgrade.”
