Transfer Student Ambassadors at NISTS Highlight the Need for Colleges to Reconsider Tuition-Free Policies
In the world of higher education, the journey of transfer students often presents unique challenges. However, four students from different universities are using their experiences to make a difference and advocate for systemic change.
Herman Luis Chavez, a UCLA Class of 2022 student, transferred from Colorado State University (CSU) into the UC system. Despite none of his previous credits transferring to UC Irvine, Herman found a supportive network of faculty and staff at UCLA that helped him navigate his academic path. His mentor, Cesar D. Favila, Assistant Professor of Musicology at UCLA, has been instrumental in his academic success.
Meanwhile, at UC Irvine, Jan Paolo Canteras, a student pursuing a BA in Psychology and Sociology, created a Student Transfer Engagement Access and Mentorship (STEAM) course to help other transfer students. Paolo's course aims to address the challenges he faced during his transfer, including the financial burden and lack of support. He also expressed concern about food insecurity and mental health support for students in the UC system.
Katie Ibsen, a senior at UC-Berkeley pursuing a BA in anthropology, is another transfer student making a difference. Through her work at Accepted Consulting and her YouTube vlog, The Vintage Academic, Katie helps other transfer students navigate the process. She believes that organic relationships between content creators and their audience are crucial for the success of a university-administered channel.
Noelle Dana, a student at The University of Notre Dame, shares similar sentiments. She felt excluded during her transition to Notre Dame, as the university prioritized first-year students over transfer students. Noelle wishes for a greater emphasis on fully integrating transfer students into the campus community.
Recent research by Stephen J. Handel and Dr. Eileen Strempel, in their book Beyond Free College, offers several key recommendations for universities aiming to improve support for transfer students and enhance degree completion rates. Their recommendations typically focus on addressing the systemic barriers that transfer students face and fostering institutional practices that promote equity and success.
These recommendations include streamlined transfer pathways, improved advising and counseling, institutional collaboration, data and accountability, inclusive campus culture, and funding and resource allocation. By implementing these recommendations, universities can reduce barriers in the transfer process, provide comprehensive support, and ultimately improve degree attainment rates among transfer students.
In a notable recognition of their efforts, all four students—Herman Luis Chavez, Katie Ibsen, Jan Paolo Canteras, and Noelle Dana—were named NISTS 2022 Transfer Student Ambassadors. Their stories serve as a testament to the potential of transfer students to thrive and make a difference in their academic communities.
Katie Ibsen's YouTube vlog contains videos on every step of her transfer process and life at UC-Berkeley. Jan Paolo Canteras' STEAM course at UC Irvine offers valuable resources for transfer students navigating the UC system. Herman Luis Chavez's positive transfer experience at UCLA is a testament to the university's supportive network. And Noelle Dana's advocacy for a more inclusive campus culture at Notre Dame is a call for change that resonates with transfer students nationwide.
As these students continue to make their mark, they remind us that every transfer student has the potential to contribute significantly to their academic communities and beyond. Their stories serve as a beacon of hope for the countless transfer students who face challenges in their educational journeys.
The students' experiences in education-and-self-development and career-development validate the importance of skills-training and learning, especially for transfer students who often face unique challenges. By implementing recommended practices such as streamlined transfer pathways, improved advising, and fostering an inclusive campus culture, universities can promote personal-growth and degree attainment for transfer students. These students' accomplishments serve as exemplary models for other transfer students, inspiring them to pursue their own paths towards success.
