Karen Clowers, who works at the Kansas Capitol, stopped to look over some history of Kansas University presented by Jim Modig, director of KU's Design and Construction Management, during KU Day at the Capitol. The goal of the event is to remind lawmakers how important the university is to the state.

Topeka ? Not only can they build a race car but they also figured out how to get it through the doors of the Capitol.

“Hey, we’re engineers,” said Charlie Whitfield, a senior at Kansas University from Jefferson City, Mo.

Whitfield and Cameron Miller, a senior from Iola, were showing off the School of Engineering’s home-built race car on Monday during KU Day at the Capitol.

KU had more than two dozen information display booths set up on the first and second floors of the Statehouse during the fifth annual event.

KU key chains, pencils, maps, flags and other memorabilia were flying off the tables as tourists, legislators, lobbyists and Capitol staff crowded around the booths.

“These kind of events are very helpful” in getting KU’s message across, said Shane Lyle, a geologist at the KU Geological Survey.

“We’re just trying to get out the word about the innovative research that is occurring at KU,” said Michelle Ward, public relations and marketing coordinator for KU’s Information and Telecommunication Technology Center.

KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway said the purpose of KU Day was to remind lawmakers how integral the university was to the state.

“KU works for Kansas in so many ways – from training physicians who treat patients throughout the state to preparing law enforcement officers to protect our communities,” Hemenway said. “Our commitment to knowledge and learning extends across Kansas and to all ages.”

KU partners with the KU Alumni Association to put on the event. Last year, $1,650 in private funds were used to pay for the effort, officials said.

And while students and staff were spreading the KU brand in the halls, the House chamber honored former state Rep. Carl Krehbiel of Moundridge for his $4 million gift to KU to build a new scholarship hall.

Krehbiel, a 1970 KU graduate, was flanked by Hemenway, Provost Richard Lariviere and the Douglas County delegation as he received a certificate of thanks.

And Krehbiel’s gift came with an additional donation of $400,000 to establish a maintenance endowment for the building.

Paying for deferred maintenance projects continues to be a hotly discussed topic in the Capitol. KU officials manned an information booth thanking Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and the Legislature for additional funding to address a backlog of projects. But they noted that more will be needed to resolve the problem.