The KU Visitor Center is the front porch to the Kansas University campus, home to more than 25,000 students.

For the past year, many incoming freshmen have directed their questions and concerns to the Office of Admissions and Scholarships, housed in the center at 15th and Iowa streets.

“Our purpose is to be the open door to all campus visitors,” said Lisa Pinamonti, director of admissions and scholarships.

The mission of the Office of Admissions and Scholarships is to recruit students, process applications, award scholarships and to coordinate campus visits.

“As the Office of Admissions and Scholarships, our goal is to bring in a very strong incoming freshman class and transfer class each year, and to serve as the front door to the university,” Pinamonti said.

The visitor center deals primarily with high school seniors interested in attending KU, but some younger students and their parents also arrange campus visits.

“We host visit programs for as young as seventh grade,” said Pinamonti, who has led the office for a year.

The center also is host to visit days for high school juniors and seniors and multicultural campus visits.

While most of the Office of Admissions and Scholarships days are spent catering to incoming freshmen, they also act as an introduction to Lawrence and the campus. Someone is at the front desk during business hours to answer questions about the city and KU. Maps, flyers and brochures are available there for anyone needing additional information.

“We are here to answer questions,” Pinamonti says. “We have people that are just stopping in to ask directions that aren’t prospective students. Because we’re a visitors center they stop in and say, ‘I need a map of Lawrence’ or ‘How do I get here.’ That’s our purpose (to help them).”

— Kansas University journalism student Becky Rogers was an intern at the Journal-World during the spring semester.