Day in the Life: Juanita Shorkey

The moment she walks into her office, Juanita Shorkey can “feel the love.” The room is full of Hello Kitty memorabilia, from money banks to plush toys to candy dishes, and nearly all of the items have been gifts from friends, family members or colleagues—including the tour guides Shorkey coordinates. It doesn’t take long to understand why; Shorkey’s positive energy and enthusiasm for her work is practically contagious.

A UVic alumna, Shorkey started working at UVic in 2005, first in Residence Services, then in Campus Security, and later in International Student Recruitment.

“I was trying to find my niche,” Shorkey explains. And she found it, as the Campus Tours and Program Coordinator in the Welcome Centre. “From the first day, I loved it. I love my job!” With a big smile, Shorkey adds, “despite times of insanity.”

And this year was certainly a busy one for the Welcome Centre. Record breaking, in fact. Three years ago when Shorkey started in her current position, the Welcome Centre was averaging 5,000 visitors per year for their tours. This year they’ve already had about 7,000 visitors, and it’s only September! This means more tours, more tour guides, and more work for Shorkey. “It’s been intense this summer,” she admits. Good thing she’s a workaholic. 

Shorkey coordinates a staff of approximately 25-30 tour guides throughout the year, with July and August being the busiest for tours. She hires, trains and evaluates the guides, all of whom are students or recent graduates. “I don’t always hire the stereotypical guides,” Shorkey explains. “Just because someone is an introvert doesn’t mean he or she is shy. I have students from all walks of life who can really lead a tour! It’s really neat to see their confidence build up.”

The tours are delivered primarily to prospective students and their parents. It’s Shorkey’s responsibility to ensure these local, national and international students get the information they need to make the right decision about their future education. “The first thing I tell new tour guides,” says Shorkey, “is that they don’t need to know everything. I want them to speak to their own campus experiences. That way, visitors get a really authentic experience.”

Also on Shorkey’s current to-do list is helping to make the campus virtual tour a reality. The online tour is expected to be released this fall and stars some of the Welcome Centre’s professional tour guides.

When she’s not busy at work, you may find Shorkey with a camera in her hand—she owns a dozen of them—and she enjoys taking photos of pretty much everything. “Between photography, Hello Kitty and work, I don’t have time for much else.” With a thoughtful pause and a laugh, she adds, “oh yes, and my husband, too!”

This winter, Shorkey is also making time to travel to Hawaii. It’ll be her first two-week vacation in the 30 years she’s been in the workforce. Enjoy the beach, Shorkey. I think your colleagues will all certainly agree that you’ve earned it.