Transfer Transition through First Year Programs

​

Carlos Guillen, Associate Director

First Year Programs, Student Academic Services

University of Washington - Seattle

Today’s Agenda

• First Year Programs
• Transfer Students by the Numbers
• Strategies we use to support transfer students...

• Inclusive Communications
• Intentional Transition
• Purposeful Representation
• Year-Round Engagement

First Year Programs

fyp.washington.edu/fyeprojects�fyp@uw.edu

Transfer Students by the Numbers

• 15% of Undergraduate Population
• 80% from WA Community Colleges
• Bellevue College
• Seattle Central College
• North Seattle College
• Shoreline College
• 20% from other institutions
• 12.5% International students

Common Challenges Of Transfer Students Transition*

• Isolation
• Multiple touchpoints
• Institutional knowledge
• Major
• Difference between CC And UW

​

​

*Study in 2017

Inclusive Communications �Directly to Transfer Students

Print & Web Presence

Website transfer.uw.edu�Email address trengage@uw.edu

Videos

Specific focus on the transfer student experience.

• University 101
• Dawg Daze

Monthly Emails

• Campus Opportunities
• Scholarships
• Information appropriate to that month

Intentional Transition

Programming and Events

Transfer Advising & Orientation

• Earlier admissions timeline
• Student Veteran paperwork
• Small group time with Orientation Leader
• Individual or Group Advising Appointments
• OMA&D Luncheon
• Space held in transfer-specific classes

Dawg Daze Transfer Highlight

Transfer-Specific �Event Titles

• Pre-Health Transfer Info Session
• Strengthening our Seattle Central Transfer Community at UW
• Former Transfer Student Panel Discussion- Avoiding "Transfer Shock"
• Transfer Students Sail Away to Alki Beach
• Transfer Husky Kick-Off
• Transfer Connections: Health Sciences
• Transfer Connections: LSJ/POL S/ART/BUS
• Transfer Students Husky Stadium Tour
• UW Libraries Tours for Transfer Students

​

• Transfer Students Leave Your Major at the Door
• Undergraduate Research for Community College Transfer Students
• Transfer Student Social with Departmental Librarians and Advisers
• International Transfer Student Meet-N-Greet
• Transfer UW Power Plant and Steam Tunnels Tour
• Foster School of Business Transfer Student Mixer
• Happy Hour on the Ave for Transfer Students
• Transfer Students Wedding Band
• Kids' Story Time @ Odegaard

​

Transfer Husky Kick-Off

• Transfer-specific reception with President Cauce
• Family-friendly event
• Join all first-year students for the W photo
• First T-FIG meeting

Transfer FIGs (T-FIGs)

First-year Interest Groups

• Fall & Winter Quarters
• Clustered & stand alone T-FIGs
• Partnership with Public Health
• T-FIG Leaders
• Transfer-specific Assignments

Purposeful Representation �in Hiring & Reporting

​

• Adjusted application timelines
• Flexible meeting times & opportunities to make up missed information
• Protected seats on advisory boards
• Transfer-specific data in reports

Transfer �Ambassadors

• Low commitment, volunteer
• Support Transfer A&O, Dawg Daze events
• Share experiences
• Focus group

Transfer Orientation Leaders

• Full-time, summer position
• 15% of OL staff are transfer students
• Lead small groups of first-year students & parents.

Year-Round Engagement

Commuter & Transfer Commons

Husky Union Building 141

• Kitchenette
• Day Use Lockers
• Changing Room & Lactation Station
• Academic Tutoring & Advising
• Studying
• Printing

“Carrying everything I need over the course of a day can be burdensome. The CTC lightens that burden, both literally and figuratively.”

“I love the supportive community in the CTC, which I found especially helpful during hard times in my life.”

Quarterly Transfer Events

• Quarterly happy hours
• Stress-management activities
• “Ask Me” Events
• Thursday Transfer Connections
• Mentorship opportunities

Transfer-specific Data

• Highlight transfer student demographics
• Specific impact
• End-of-year reports & presentations

Transfer Transition through First Year Programs

First Year Programs

fyp.washington.edu�fyp@uw.edu