Published on Dec. 1, 2025
Updated on Dec. 2, 2025
By Kampbell Hemeyer
He’s most often seen with an entourage of parents and prospective students. Junior Darin Clayton racks up the steps as a campus tour guide, leading an average of 4-6 tours per week during the school year––and totaling over 400 tours so far.
But Darin Clayton was not always a true Tiger.
Before attending Mizzou as an international business major with an emphasis in marketing and a minor in Spanish, he attended Harrisburg High School, roughly 30 minutes from Columbia. That short distance initially turned him away. Campus felt too close to home, and it was a common choice among his classmates. It wasn’t until he toured that he began to see Mizzou in a new light–– though he remained reluctant.
“When I finally decided, when I got here, it was different. There were places I had never seen or experienced before, and it was easy to acclimate to––but I had to put myself out there more.”
And he did.
Clayton, who is pursuing the Honors Certificate at Mizzou, began attending Bible study at the Christian Campus House and then to joined Tour Team. Later, he became part of the Alumni Association Student Board (AASB), which preserves campus traditions like Tiger Walk, Senior Sendoff and Mizzou 18 & 39 acknowledgements. Through these experiences, he has helped thousands of visitors feel welcomed and connected, all while creating his own network of peers who inspire and challenge him.
The relationships he’s formed through these activities have greatly shaped his campus experience, both personally and academically. The connections made through these involvements have not only provided a network of accomplished students he can utilize in his future career endeavors, but also provided new friends in classes he can turn to for extra notes or a study partner.
As an Honors College ambassador, Clayton shares his experience with prospective and current students, highlighting how smaller class sizes and innovative curriculum can enhance their learning. From priority housing to Honors events and scholarships, he encourages others to take full advantage of what Mizzou offers.
Transitioning from a high school graduating class of 50 to more than 5,500 at Mizzou students was daunting. But Clayton embraced the challenge, carving out a place where he could thrive––and now he helps others do the same.
“Mizzou is big––you could probably go a whole day without talking to anybody if you tried,” he said. “But I remember thinking, these are nice people who really care. They want to talk to me because I’m me––not just the tour guide.”
Through his efforts, Clayton has become a point of connection for so many visitors, guiding them through campus, sharing stories and helping them envision their own Mizzou Journey.
Start building your own Mizzou experience––explore campus and see where it can take you. Schedule your tour.