Senior Mitch Ditlefsen is more than just the guy you see walking around backwards on campus. For new and potential new students, he is the face of the university.

Ditlefsen has guided at least two campus tours each week for the last three years. He estimates leading more than 40 tours in each of the last six semesters until a few weeks ago when he tore his ACL in intramural football.

Ditlefsen first got word of the potential opportunity while working at the Williams Center. A co worker told him he would be a good fit for the opening. He turned in the application late, but he still managed to get an interview and land the job.

When Ditlefsen became a tour guide, he thought it would be fun to be outside interacting with people. After years of experience, he has discovered the most rewarding, yet surprising, part of his job.

“It’s awesome when someone comes up to me and tells me that I was their tour guide,” Ditlefsen said. “One of my fraternity brothers was on one of my tours, and told me he was on the fence about UW-Whitewater, and having a good experience on my tour helped him make his decision.”

Ditlefsen is studying sales and said the job helped reassure that he chose the right career path.

“I get to essentially sell the university to not only potential students, but sometimes more importantly their parents,” Ditlefsen said.

Campus tour guides design their own route and are able to showcase their favorite parts of the campus.

“This really helps to keep everything from getting boring,” Ditlefsen said. “We can pick not just what is important but showcase that what we know from what we know, and what is current.”

The 15 other UW-Whitewater campus tour guides are trained and brushed up on the new aspects of campus, so they can make sure to mention all the exciting resources and opportunities UW-Whitewater has to offer.  

While Ditlefsen is currently laid up with his ACL tear, he will be back out walking all over campus backwards as soon as the snow and ice give way to better walking conditions.