For a transfer student, starting at a new school can be stressful. After familiarizing oneself with one campus, a transfer student faces the challenge of having to relearn all the little things that make daily life on campus go smoothly.
Michael Blankenship, WSU Vancouver’s former transfer coordinator, said navigation can be the hardest part of transferring. “Being a college student at one school, you’re an experienced college student, come to another college and things are different,” Blankenship said. So navigation is the biggest part.”
Although navigation can be tricky, he said, he believes there is a way students can adjust quicker. “Once you’re here, certainly be proactive,” Blankenship said.
ROAR orientation. (Brody Voge/The VanCougar)
With these challenges, it’s a question of why a student would transfer. There are many different reasons though.
Incoming junior Serena Caldwell, a human development major, is transferring to WSU Vancouver from Clark College. “It was definitely smarter for me financially to go to community college first,” she said. “If it wasn’t for that, I probably would have just gone straight to a university.”
In a different situation, Lauren Ith, a junior biology major spent time at community colleges while deciding what she would pursue as a major.
Both Ith and Caldwell claim they are wary of adjusting to a semester system after coming from community colleges that operate on quarters.
Ith said despite receiving her Associates degree from Clark College, she admits she feels intimidated when thinking about being on a university campus and meeting new classmates that are focused on their field of study.
“They have a lot of knowledge on what they’re in, sometimes I feel like I can be really intimidated by the people I’m going to be meeting in these classes,” Ith said.
While Ith said it is daunting to step on a new campus, she is also excited to meet new classmates with the same interests as her.
Caldwell feels more secure as classes approach. She said she was fortunate to have a close friend graduate in May from WSU Vancouver with the same degree she intends to pursue. “She’s prepared me for what the next two years are going to look like,” Caldwell said.
Blankenship believes there is a unique opportunity for students on campus at WSU Vancouver. “Forge your space here and be proactive. We’re young as an institution, 30 years is really young in university years, so you have the ability to build an identity at this institution, so take advantage of that: be engaged, be involved,” Blankenship said.
Getting familiar with the campus, understanding all the resources available to students and taking pride in being a part of Cougar nation is something Blankenship encourages not just transfer students do, but all students do.
“Even though you’re here in Vancouver, you’re part of something bigger and that’s like the full cougar nation that I think is a really unique difference between not just community college and university, but WSU and other schools as well.”
-Michael Blankenship
Michael Blankenship stepped down as transfer coordinator July 17. Transfer students and potential transfer students are encouraged to reach out to the Cougar Center with any questions or concerns about transferring to WSU Vancouver.
Brody Voge is a junior at WSU Vancouver studying strategic communications.