Kate Barone wearing augmented reality headset

Office of Admission Launches Augmented Reality Uncommon Tours

Created: November 1, 2021  |  Last Updated: November 2, 2021  |  Category:   |  Tagged:

WASHINGTON, PA (Nov. 1, 2021) - The Washington & Jefferson College Office of Admission is excited to announce the introduction of personalized virtual Augmented Reality (AR) tours, called Uncommon Tours, for prospective students and families beginning November 1, 2021.

In an article published in early October, the Chronicle of Higher Education observed that we live in a world where finding the right college sometimes means only visiting through websites, social media, and virtual tours. Washington & Jefferson College aims to bring the beauty of our campus to your home through augmented reality Uncommon Tours.

Imagine being able to see W&J through the eyes of your tour guide as they walk you around campus, highlighting the areas of the College that you are most interested in seeing. Imagine asking your tour guide questions, meeting members of the W&J community, and hearing how changemakers get their start at W&J. Now, imagine doing all that from your living room live and in real-time!

“At W&J, our students are prepared to adapt, pivot, and thrive in an ever-changing world,” said Nicole C. Focareto, Vice President for Enrollment. “Introducing the augmented reality Uncommon Tours shows the true commitment of how the W&J Enrollment Team is doing exactly what our students are prepared to do. After the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a new problem for us to solve regarding campus visits, we needed to think differently and do things differently, while staying true to our mission. Due to health and safety, we limited campus visits and we continue to take necessary precautions offering limited on-campus visits, while adding virtual visit and virtual event options. However, we found the personal real-time interaction was missing during virtual events. With our AR Tour option, we remove the worry regarding health & safety concerns, while bringing a real-time, authentic tour experience to prospective students and parents. Not to mention, for our out-of-state and international students, the travel barrier is removed with an AR tour to get a preview of what an on-campus visit may bring.”

On an Uncommon Tour, your visit experience is completely yours. You select up to five (5) on-campus locations to explore—where you will learn, sleep, connect, and play. Virtually visit our academic buildings, a residence hall, and other state-of-the-art on-campus facilities like our Clark Family Library, The Commons dining hall, the Eaton Fitness Center, and more.

“We believe W&J is a great college, love everything that W&J has to offer, and want to share the campus with as many people as possible,” said Focareto. “By introducing an AR Tour option, we are providing relevant and meaningful opportunities for more people to see how great W&J is through the eyes of a current student. We hope more students register for an Uncommon Tour!”

Uncommon Tours are available at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m./EST Monday-Friday and on select Saturdays at 11:00 a.m./EST. To register, go to washjeff.edu/visit, select their preferred Uncommon Tour date and time, and complete the personalized form, or call 724-223-6025 to register via phone.

About Washington & Jefferson College

Washington & Jefferson College, proudly located in Washington, Pa., is a historic liberal arts college founded in 1781 that values ethical leadership, professional readiness, and inclusive communities. Our highly customized and intellectually engaging student experience develops professionals of uncommon integrity to lead in an ever-changing world. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.