A glimpse into A-Force

Every day, families and prospective students from around the world come to Cleveland for a tour of Lee. Evidently enough, these tours have taken off and have become a key part of the Lee experience — all thanks to A-Force.

A-Force is a branch of the Admissions Office that seeks to efficiently welcome visitors onto campus. This team is made up of current students who work to share their college journey.

“I love Lee and I want to share that with people that are coming or looking for a college home,” said Raychel Calvert, senior and two-year A-Force member. “As an A-Force member, we have a lot of tasks. Our number one priority are tours for the families and showing them around campus and of the place that we love. If there isn’t a tour, then we are just doing office tasks like putting together folders and packets or sending out hand-written letters or folding t-shirts — just little things like that.”

Calvert also spent time in high school giving tours, and now has carried over that same passion years later to working in admissions. She and her co-workers play a significant role in LeeU Preview Day and Lee Day.

“The impact we have on potential students, whether they come to Lee or not, is my favorite thing about working on A-Force. On tours, you’re really prepping them for college with some things they may have never thought about before; whether they can park their car on campus or how classes look on their schedule,” Calvert said. “You’re showing them what college looks like and a place that they can call home, be safe, and develop their relationship with Christ.”

“More importantly than the resources we provide here (at Lee), we would like to connect with you,” said Dr. Shane Griffith, Director of Admissions.

Griffith works alongside the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Melissa Hill, as well as Campus Visit Coordinator Hanna Kincer. Through these individuals, the environment in the Admissions office is formed.

“There’s a warm feeling about the office that just makes it feel like you’re a part of a family, you’re all connected,” said Skye Clayton, who has now been part of A-Force for nearly three semesters. “It’s really a fun job, and you get to be a part of a community. We all really care about each other, and I’ve built some really great friendships because of it.”

Clayton is a health care administration major and is planning to graduate in December of this year. Like many students at Lee, she was drawn to the university after being shown the campus by a former student.

“The person who led me on my tour here at Lee had such an impact on me. To be able to then give back to others and pour into them what was once poured into me, it’s really just a God thing,” Clayton said.

There are many strengths and qualities within the students of A-Force.

“You have to be organized and have to be able to handle stressful situations. Sometimes things come up in the moment that cause you to kind of have to make decisions on the fly and figure out how best to be accommodating,” Clayton said. “It’s important that you know how to be respectful in talking to people and their families and knowing how to use your words wisely.”

Those who are a part of A-Force are known for having enthusiastic, welcoming personalities. A huge part of the job requires students to speak to large numbers of people, which can be intimidating to some.

“For sure, it’s important that you’re able to talk to a lot of people and be okay with getting attention from a lot of people at one time. I’ve had to get used to that more since I started working on A-Force and it definitely pushes you out of your shell,” Clayton said.

For more information on A-Force and Admissions, visit leeuniversity.edu/admissions or follow their Instagram page @leeuadmissions.