The UA’s Transfer Student Center celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The event took place at 11 a.m. in front of the center’s doors on the fourth floor of the Student Union Memorial Center. Both senior administrators at the UA and officials from Pima Community College were present for the ceremony along with students from campus.

“We hope that you share in our excitement about having a place as wonderful as this,” said Jeanais Brodie, program director for Transfer Student Services, during her speech. “As many of you know, the University of Arizona can be quite daunting because of its size. There are many resources and people here (at the transfer center) to provide assistance.”

The center will be used as a place to help prospective and current transfer students ease into campus life at the UA by providing academic and student support. This is the first time in decades the UA has had a transfer center where students can go receive assistance on a regular basis, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“So many of our transfer students are already experiencing an academic environment in another campus so it’s not like coming from high school where you know you are starting all over,” said Melissa Vito, vice president of student affairs. “Everyone needs to feel like they have a community to then feel successful in the long run.”

Construction to change the former Career Services computer lounge into the center began last December after transfer services found an opportunity to make use of the space.

“If you came here in December, you would have seen a hallway,” said Brodie. “The transfer center migrated from place to place until finding a permanent home.”

Before the center was built, Transfer Student Services did the bulk of their operations online though their website and with the assistance of outside community colleges. Now students are able to call or come into the center to schedule appointments and participate in workshops.