The university’s visitor information manager has been interviewing first-year students for 20 out of her 30 years as a UofL employee, identifying a dozen or so each year who would be best suited to be the face of our campus – leading tours for prospectives and their families, providing information for visitors, guiding donors and dignitaries and more.

Her formula is simple: They have to be able to carry on a conversation with her and their peers.

“I can usually tell right away whenever I start a conversation with them during their interview. If they can talk to me about everything – sports, hobbies, lipstick color, whatever – I know they’re going to be able to talk to parents and maybe set them at ease about sending their kids here,” Lawson said.

Lawson started her UofL adventure in 1991 at the School of Nursing. Not long after, her job was cut so she stayed at home with her children. When her marriage didn’t work out, she returned to campus, working for temporary services, then development, then environmental health and safety. All of those roles were part time.

She eventually found a permanent position at planning and construction, working for Ken Dietz and alongside others she calls “the best people I’ve ever met.”

“I was so proud to be a UofL employee and now I was full-time. I had three small children, the insurance and benefits were amazing. Plus I had already met so many people I just loved at UofL and they felt like they were my family,” Lawson said.

Still, she missed working directly with students. In 2001, an opportunity came up to be the assistant manager, tour coordinator through the Office of Communications and Marketing and she took it.

Little did she know that UofL family of hers was about to become much, much bigger.

“I knew I had to get this job and work with students again. I just had to,” Lawson said. “I had to interview with a student panel and I was a nervous wreck. They were my first group of Ambassadors. I still talk to them.”

In fact, she can recite what they all do professionally, where they live, whether they have gotten married or have had kids, and so forth. And she can do this about her first group of ambassadors from 2001, to her most recent graduates. She’s been to their weddings – “15 or so” – and has met nearly all of their children.

“One of my students adopted my son’s dog. My husband works on their cars,” she said. “If you check my Facebook account, nearly all of my friends are former students of mine.”

She boasts about some of her former ambassadors who are returning to campus as part of their professional journey. Former Central High School Principal Raymond Green, for example, was recently hired as the executive director of undergraduate programs for the College of Business. He is one of Lawson’s former ambassadors.

Nick Peak, also one of her former students, was recently brought on as a policy and budget analyst at UofL. Dillon Miles, director of development, is also a former ambassador. So is Nakia Strickland, associate director of alumni relations. 

They don’t all boomerang back to campus, however. Lawson’s students have gone on to become lawyers, doctors, dentists, entrepreneurs, sports broadcasters – name it and chances are she’ll beam with pride at their very mention.

“I had the first female athlete Fulbright student, Liz Halet. She was a swimmer. She is an attorney now. She was pretty quiet but once she started working here, she opened up and fit right in. All of my students are successful and special, but I don’t care what they do for a living, I’m just so proud of all of them,” Lawson said.

Lawson also admits the students have changed her. Despite their pleas, she used to not attend their graduations because it was “too hard to say goodbye.” She eventually changed her tune after her own children graduated, and has since attended all of her ambassadors’ commencement ceremonies.

“When they walk across the stage, I always get emotional. It all started to make sense to me. I had them for all those years and watched them study and struggle and now I was watching everything they had worked for and it made it all better,” Lawson said. “I realized it wasn’t a goodbye, but rather a part of their life they had completed. Since I keep in touch with all of them, I know now that is true.”

Even after 30 years on campus, Lawson isn’t yet considering retirement. She jokes to her students that they’re stuck with her, but in fact it’s because of the students that she wants to stick around. 

“I’d say I love the university but it’s the people that make the university what it is. I love the job but I love the people who work with me,” Lawson said. “I love the students. They’re my babies.”

Admissions has hosted this event before, but took a few years off before bringing it back in 2017. Attendance last year more than doubled and is expected to be strong again this year.

Megan Adams, assistant director of Admissions, said the event was initially created as an opportunity for admitted students to visit on a Saturday and to see campus again or maybe even for the first time. It is also an opportunity for them to meet faculty and staff and take care of administrative needs that are required prior to freshmen orientation.

“We hope that students who have not yet made their college decision choose to come to UofL in the fall, and we hope that students who have already decided on UofL can get some things checked off their to-do list and feel good about their decision,” Adams said.

Full schedule

Admitted Students Day is just one of the office’s special events. In addition to hosting daily and twice-per-month Saturday visits, Admissions hosts about a dozen events on campus each year, not including orientation programs or off-campus programs. These include targeted events, such as out-of-state and transfer student day, UofL family and friends campus visit day or LGBT day. The busiest events are Accolade and Cardinal Preview Day, both of which bring more than 1,000 visitors to campus.

Admissions keeps its schedule full and diverse on purpose.

“We consistently hear from attendees, regardless of what program they attend, that everyone is so friendly and that they didn’t just feel like a number but were able to really make connections with faculty and staff. Having more programs that attract a smaller number of guests that all have something in common really allows us to maintain that atmosphere,” Adams said. “UofL is also very committed to enrolling a diverse class and having events focused on African American families, LGBT students, Hispanic and Latino, out-of-state students, etc., demonstrates to families that we truly value every student and what they bring to our campus.”

To achieve these objectives, the Office of Admissions relies on its visits and events team. The six employees are directly involved with planning and hosting each event.

“However, we couldn’t possibly host these programs without the support of our entire office and other offices on campus. We count on support from faculty, academic advisers, parking, catering, facilities, IT, Financial Aid, Honors Program, Housing, Communications and Marketing and many more departments,” Adams said. “We want to make sure that UofL makes a great impression – from sending out invitations to hosting the event to the post-event follow ups.”

In addition to making a great impression on prospective and incoming students, Admissions’ objective is to be as transparent as possible. Adams said this is important for students and their families who are navigating an overwhelming experience and often trying to choose between multiple schools.

“We are up front about academic programs, admissions requirements, costs and scholarships,” she said. “We want them not just to choose UofL for their freshman year, but to stay with us and graduate.”

To help students succeed during their time here, the Office of Admissions offers the following suggestions:

• The time students spend on campus is about them – what do they want to see? Who do they want to meet? What questions to they have?
• Spend time with current students and talk to them about their UofL experiences, whether that means going on a campus tour or eating at the Ville Grill;
• Trust your gut reaction. Do you feel at home on campus? “We will do everything we can to ensure that the answer is yes,” Adams said.

Facebook Live event

** Update: Because of Wednesday’s snowstorm, Admissions has rescheduled this event to March 29.

Prior to Admitted Students Day, UofL’s Office of Admissions will host a Facebook Live Q&A from 7-8 p.m. March 21 for admitted students and their families. Executive Director of Admissions, Jenny Sawyer, and two current UofL students will be answering questions during a livestream from the office’s Facebook page.