During the week of October 21-25, Cal Poly Pomona’s transfer students had the spotlight. This was the first year that PolyTransfer and Associated Students Inc. (ASI) collaborated to put on National Transfer Student Week (NTSW), a week-long event that celebrated our transfer students.
Student assistants from PolyTransfer showcased a sense of pride and were eager to start the week.
“Personally, I’m proud to be a transfer student because, for me, I feel that as a transfer student, we’re beating the odds, so a lot of us—as transfer students—we get that look ‘oh, you didn’t get in the first time when you applied for a Cal State or a UC, so you had to go to a community college.’ We’re here to let people know that that may be the route you took, but you can still accomplish your goal of graduating from a Cal State, so that’s what I’m proud of,” said PolyTransfer peer mentor Erik Sanchez.
Monday, 10/21: Coffee Chats: Transfer Community
There was no sweeter way to kick off the week than with coffee and donuts. Students, faculty and staff all had the chance to interact with one another through networking and sharing their transfer stories with one another.
Tuesday, 10/22: Transfer Town Hall
Transfer students represented their alma mater by wearing T-shirts, hats and other college apparel at the Transfer Town Hall. This even allowed transfer students to share with the ASI Student Leaders their needs as transfer students at CPP.
Wednesday, 10/23: Celebrate Your Transfer Story
Wednesday was all about bringing awareness to the CPP community of what it was like to be a transfer student. Students, faculty and staff who were once transfer students wrote about their experience and displayed it for the whole campus to see.
“We made sure students were engaging with other transfers as well as raising awareness with non-transfer students and making sure transfer students are making engagement with staff and faculty,” said Cristal Landa, PolyTransfer Student Admin Lead and ASI Officer of Transfer Engagement.
Thursday, 10/24: The Transfer Experience: Then & Now
On Thursday, we got to sit down with faculty and staff who were transfer students during their college career. Along with sharing their stories, students had the chance to ask about what it was like to transfer, what the college experience was like for them as transfers, and what life is like post-graduation.
Friday, 10/25: Transfer Student Swim Social
We ended the week with a pool party at the Bronco Recreation and Intramural Complex (BRIC, Bldg. 42). Bonds were made through networking, Qdoba and karaoke. Taking a dip in the pool also was a great way for students to interact.
Through NTSW, CPP had the chance to shine a light on our transfer students to show our appreciation in their efforts to get here.
Not only did NTSW leave transfer students feeling recognized and represented, but it left them with an event to look forward to next year and many years to come.
“This is the first year at this level, and it’s just going to get better, so I’m excited about what we learned and what we do for next year and just try to continue to make it a better program and create better services for transfers,” said Lorena Márquez, PolyTransfer coordinator.
What was your favorite event from National Transfer Student Week? Let us know using #CampusCropChat on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
