Students who want to give something back to NIU and possibly earn cooperative education internship credit, should consider becoming a STAR.

The STARS are required to speak to potential future students and their parents during college nights held at high schools and community colleges. STARS also speak to prospective students who visit NIU.

“This is a great opportunity to get involved and to develop interpersonal skills. People enjoy it and some of them stay for two, three, or even all four years,” Burke said.

The STARS will each travel to about two open houses a semester and distribute materials and answer questions on student life.

Bob Burk, NIU associate director of admissions, said prospective students like to talk to people closer to their own age. He said the peer influence is a big reason for the success of the program. This way the STAR students get involved in students’ lives and become representatives for NIU, Burk noted.

The volunteer program usually recruits between 20 and 30 students who help with the program. The students should have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and have completed at least 24 credit hours.

Students interested in the STAR program should have good communication skills, be committed to students, be involved with campus activities, have a good basic knowledge of the campus and the community and enjoy working with the public and representing NIU.

They also must be willing to participate in training sessions prior to and during the first part of the school year and be willing to work evening and weekend hours. The students should also be excited about being at NIU.

Students are often looking to gain experience and help with their future resume and job searching, Burk said. They can pick up good speaking skills, working with people, get help with their resume and work experience in the program.

When their time with the admissions department is over, the staff will write the students a good recommendation, and when possible, Burk likes to hire the STARS. Presently, there are two former STARS graduates working full-time in the admissions office.

With the staff the admissions department has, Burk said only being able to travel to the top third of the state is appropriate. “We do not want to ignore the schools right in our own back yard,” Burk said.

Burk said he doesn’t feel NIU’s suitcase school reputation is due to the fact that his department doesn’t travel outside of the northern Illinois region. “The location of NIU can be a blessing and a curse. Many students look at NIU because it is close to home, but because of that, we have picked up the suitcase school image,” Burk said.

For all students interested, there will be an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Williston Hall 101. The meeting will inform prospective students about their responsibilities as a member of the NIU admissions team.