Going above and beyond for future students and their families
As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Thanks to the support of numerous K-State alumni and friends, prospective students and their families are treated to a first-class experience when they first visit the university. New Student Services now resides in the revitalized historic Memorial Stadium, home to the Berney Family Welcome Center, made possible by philanthropic gifts directed through the KSU Foundation. There they have sufficient room to host the 200-plus students and family members that visit a day.
“We feel very fortunate to be able to utilize this new beautiful building,” said Emily Lehning, associate vice president for Student Life and director of New Student Services. “We get rave reviews from guests about the new space; about how beautiful and welcoming it is. It has always been our goal to make guests feel welcomed and to show what it’s like in the K-State family. Now that goal has been translated into this new building.”
The Berney Family Welcome Center has become a central location for many services for prospective students and their families, which was not an option in the past due to lack of space. Visiting students have the chance to meet with representatives from financial aid and housing and dining services.
“We now have room for private meetings where students can talk to assistant advisors in the same building without having to relocate,” Lehning said. “We’re very thankful for the option for more private space.”
New Student Services has been operating out of the Berney Family Welcome Center since June 2016. The north end of the building is home to the Career Center, which assists students with career exploration, planning and placement. The renovated and highly functional space provides a new way of welcoming prospective students unlike any K-State has seen before. Families getting ready to head out for their campus tours are often intrigued by the students waiting outside of interview rooms preparing for job interviews hosted by the Career Center. Combining the beginning moments of a K-State student’s experience with the career development activities is an excellent way to showcase where a K-State degree can take students.
“I’m even more excited to start here because I’ve finally seen the campus today and the people at the welcome center answered any questions we had,” prospective student Natalie Collins said. “I finally felt that family feeling they always talk about having at K-State.”
How many visitors come through the Berney Family Welcome Center?
- 100 prospective students on busy visit day
- +200-300 including parents or other guests
- Upwards to 350 scheduled guests a day; does not include other visitors such as alumni, community members and friends who are welcome to stop by, get information and say hello
To support New Student Services, you can make an online gift or contact Heather Strafuss at 785-775-2146 or heathers@ksufoundation.org.
