The Dynamics of Motivations to Volunteer as Campus Tour Guides

Abstract

This study investigated the dynamics of university students’ motivations to volunteer as campus tour guides in their leisure time. Understanding the dynamics of motivations is important, since it helps recruit and retain volunteer campus tour guides, who contribute to both application and admission processes. Using a qualitative methodology, we interviewed 16 campus tour guides and asked their motivations to start and to continue volunteering. Five types of motivations emerged, including altruistic, psychological, behavioral, social, and instrumental. We found that respondents’ motivations are dynamic. Helping university applicants, enjoying giving tours, and making friends became more prevalent during the volunteering process, contributing to the university and helping one's future disappeared after volunteering started, and personal satisfaction emerged to retain volunteers. The university administration is suggested to pique students’ interests in contributing to the university, making friends, benefiting future, and having fun when recruiting volunteers. The administration needs to acknowledge volunteers’ contributions to retain volunteers.

Key words:

• campus tour guide
• dynamics of motivations
• leisure volunteering
• university student