96-01-23 Visitor Center to Open in Enarson Hall

OHIO STATE TO OPEN NEW VISITOR CENTER FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

	COLUMBUS -- The building that housed The Ohio State 
University's first student union will be the new location of a 
welcome center to meet and greet some 30,000 prospective 
students, parents, family members, community groups and alumni 
who visit the university yearly. 

	Ohio State's Office of Admissions and Financial Aid will 
open a student visitors center Feb. 21 in Enarson Hall, 154 W. 
12th Ave., to centralize and enhance campus visits by prospective 
students and their families.

	Currently located in Lincoln Tower, the center is being 
moved to central campus in fulfillment of a long-time admissions 
staff goal to direct visitors to a more academic, central campus 
location.

	"It will be in the center of the action," said Laura 
Lembo, coordinator for visitor relations.  "Most classes, 
extracurricular activities and social life at Ohio State revolve 
around the Oval, therefore it is appropriate for the center to be 
near the Oval.  With this location near the Honors House, main 
library and student union, prospective students can see first 
hand what the university has to offer and experience places that 
students use." 

	The center will house resources such as admissions 
publications, promotional materials and a resource library with 
videos of Ohio State and various departments. Admissions and 
financial aid applications will be available, as well as 
information on majors offered at Ohio State, student life, 
residential life, athletics and class descriptions. Walking tours 
of the campus will be led by student guides.  Admissions and 
financial aid overview presentations will be held at the center 
and precede each tour.

	While at the center, visitors will meet "University Hosts"
-- student volunteers who escort visitors around campus, take 
prospective students to lunch, and accompany large campus tours 
to provide personal attention to the visitors. 

	"With the move to the visitor center, University Hosts will 
become increasingly important to our recruitment effort," Lembo 
said. "Their participation ensures that each prospective freshman 
or transfer student has the opportunity to talk one-on-one with a 
currently enrolled student, and that is a key to recruiting the 
best possible students to Ohio State."  

	Other services, such as financial aid and admissions 
counseling will still take place in the admissions and financial 
aid offices at Lincoln Tower, 1800 Cannon Drive.

	Reservations for the university walking tour, held daily at 
10 a.m. and 2 p.m., are required and can be made by calling (614) 
292-3980.

                            #

Contact:  Laura Lembo, coordinator for visitor relations in the 
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, (614) 292-0418.
Written by Tracy Turner, (614) 688-3682.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Tue, 23 Jan 1996 09:59:12 -0500]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.