Beginning this fall, students who plan to transfer to the UA can look to gain a sense of community through a new transfer student orientation.
A collaboration between a UA transfer task force committee and the Transfer Student Center, the orientation will cover a wide range of topics, including UA traditions and what resources the UA offers. Students will be welcomed with a large presentation that will focus on the Arizona experience, academic expectations and policies.
After the main session, students can choose to attend a smaller session with a more focused topic, which will include subjects such as technology resources, places where students can find academic support, how to apply for scholarships and getting involved on campus.
“It’s good to have flexibility for the transfer students to pick,” said Amanda Fosmire, a psychology senior who transferred from Pima Community College to the UA. “Everyone knows what they need more help on and I think it gives a more personal aspect to [orientation].”
According to Jeanais Brodie, program director for Transfer Student Services, transfer students are a diverse and non-traditional population which sometimes makes it more difficult for them to create connections and have a sense of community on a large college campus.
“For a transfer student, they come in and there’s no big thing for them. They kind of just become another face in the crowd,” Brodie said. “As a transfer student it’s harder to find out where you belong and make those connections with other people.”
Stefanie Basij, director of New Student Orientation and assistant director of enrollment services, said Student Affairs strives to connect students to campus actives as it helps them become more successful.
“That’s one of the hopes behind going to this one day experience for the transfer students is that they will have a sense of community,” Basij said. “An official welcome from the institution.”
Fosmire first transferred to UA South and attended the UA main campus for an independent study course. While on the main campus, Fosmire said she felt overwhelmed and had a dificult time fitting in.
“Everyone had like their own groups and, you know everyone knew where everything was,” Fosmire said. “I just found the places I had to go to, went there and that was it, and went back to my car.”
Fosmire became an intern for the Transfer Student Center this summer and will be taking courses on UA main campus in the fall. She is also now a board member of the Transfer Student Association, and will be helping new transfer students at the orientation.
The new orientation will help people to meet each other, and put faces and names to other transfer students, she said.
“I just think that this is going to be a wonderful opportunity,” Brodie said. “It’s good for transfer students to be welcomed to the university community like all of our other students.”
