Two giant reasons for students to volunteer

Alumni

The Adelaide Zoo's two new giant pandas, Funi and Wang Wang, are finally here - and University of Adelaide students will help show them to the world.

In an innovative partnership between Zoos SA and the University of Adelaide, around 300 students will become trained volunteer tour guides at the Adelaide Zoo.

The first batch of 135 will more than double the number of volunteer tour guides the Zoo currently has, and will help cater for the expected influx of visitors to the Zoo when Funi and Wang Wang are unveiled to the public in mid-December.

By mid-2010, some 300 University of Adelaide students are expected to take part in the Zoo's tour guide training program.

Under the scheme, which was developed by the University's Development and Alumni office, the students taking part are predominantly either from China or studying Science. These students will undergo a short, intensive training course that will enable them to be tour guides not only for the pandas, but, like all existing volunteer tour guides, for the entire Zoo.

Science student Katherine Adriaanse and Law and Commerce student Andrew Wong are two of the first 135 students who will become tour guides.
"I'm really excited," Katherine said. "I've studied zoology at uni and I can't wait to show the pandas and all the other animals at the zoo to people."

"I'm proud of my Chinese heritage and I think it's great that the pandas are coming to Adelaide," said Andrew, who can speak fluent Mandarin and Cantonese.

"I'm looking forward to using my skills to help out, particularly with the visits of Chinese politicians and officials."

Zoos SA President Heather Caddick said the students' participation was a further demonstration of the close ties between Zoos SA and the University of Adelaide.

"The impending public display of Funi and Wang Wang has already generated unprecedented interest in the Zoo and its activities, and we are grateful for the hundred-plus University of Adelaide students who have volunteered their time to help with what promises to be a busy time for us," Mrs Caddick said.

"The Zoo and the University of Adelaide are two of the state's oldest and proudest public institutions. Many of our paid staff either studied at the University of Adelaide or continue research through its Faculty of Sciences.

"This partnership is another example of how we are working together to increase our understanding of the animal kingdom at what is a particularly exciting time for us."

University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President Professor James McWha thanked the participating students for their commitment and enthusiasm.

"We were overwhelmed by the response when we put the call out to the groups of students - we had more than 300 students indicate an expression of interest," Professor McWha said.

"I congratulate the 135 students who will soon become tour guides. They have just finished their exams after a long year of classes and assignments, but will be spending their holidays volunteering their time to help others.

"The student experience at the University of Adelaide is much more than attending lectures and tutorials: our students have the opportunity to further themselves outside the classroom in a variety of ways."

Development and Alumni Director Mrs Robyn Brown said the scheme promised to give participating students a memorable and unique experience.

"Current students are considered alumni of the University of Adelaide, and it's been an increasing focus of the Development and Alumni office to further engage with them through programs such as this partnership with Zoos SA," she said.

"This is an experience that all the students taking part will never forget and that they won't be able to get anywhere else - it's exciting for them and the University."

Story by Ben Osborne