Kansas University is hoping to increase its presence in two places known for their support of Kansas State University — in western Kansas and at the Kansas State Fair.

KU officials have stepped up their events at the state fair in Hutchinson, which begins this weekend, and admissions representatives will crisscross the western half of the state next week to talk to high school students.

“Central and western Kansas are important sources of future Jayhawks,” said Lisa Pinamonti, director of admissions and scholarships. “We especially have not fully tapped western Kansas in the past — but that’s changing.”

KU will have three booth spaces instead of just two at the state fair from Friday through Sept. 14.

“We make it into one big booth,” said Margey Frederick, KU’s director of visitor services. “We have so much traffic, the crowds get kind of large.”

About 300 volunteers — students, faculty, staff and alumni — will apply about 50,000 temporary Jayhawk tattoos and distribute 9,000 Frisbees and 12,000 “I’m a Jayhawk Fan” handheld fans during the weeklong event.

They’ll also hand out pencils, magnets and recruitment information and hold drawings for other Jayhawk merchandise.

Fair organizers hope to see about 350,000 people at the event this year. The booth is similar to the booths set up by other state universities at the fair.

“It’s a way for people to learn about the university,” Frederick said. “It’s certainly a good recruiting venue for us. It’s increased awareness of all the offerings we have at the university and how they benefit the state. And it’s a way to advocate for higher education.”

A highlight of the state fair for KU will be a larger pep rally than the past two years. The full 160-member marching band will attend the rally, which begins at 2 p.m Sept. 13 in the Farm Bureau Arena, which holds about 2,000 people. Last year, a 45-member pep band attended.

The KU spirit squad and Jayhawk mascot will perform. Speakers include Richard Johnson, dean of students; Tracy Bunge, softball coach; and Carolyn Barnes, director of the Kansas Honors Program for the KU Alumni Association.

Sept. 13 also is the final day of a weeklong Rock Chalk Roadshow planned by the Office of Admissions and Scholarships. The first-time event is an addition to regular admissions recruiting visits to the western half of the state.

Six staff members from the office plan to visit 53 schools in central and western Kansas between Sept. 7 and Sept. 13. They also will hold evening information nights for students in Salina, Great Bend, Dodge City, Garden City and Hays.

The 46 Kansas counties west of Great Bend comprised about 6 percent of KU’s in-state enrollment last year, and 4 percent of its total enrollment. There were 1,067 students at KU from those counties last fall.

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Pinamonti said KU was hoping to increase those numbers.

“The University of Kansas wants to be more present in western Kansas,” she said. “We really want to convey what KU can do for students. Our goal is to increase visibility, show what KU can offer and hopefully see more students from those areas attend KU.”