Becoming a Husky:

Creating a Meaningful Transition

Daniel Barkley, Senior Program Manager

Meghan Coletta, Program Manager

First Year Programs, Student Academic Services

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Session Goals

• Understanding of the transfer population at the UW
• Understanding of the transfer programming
• Engagement techniques of transfer students

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Reminders:

• Video On
• Audio Muted
• Ask questions in chat!

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Raise hand if you are interested in going into a Breakout room to meet other people in the presentation

Who Is Here?

Or

Share the following information:

• Name, Institution, Role
• What have you noticed your students biggest challenges are adjusting to a remote learning experience?�Input what you talked about in the chat!

2-min Breakout Discussion

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Raise hand to introduce yourself

FYP Response to COVID-19

• Remote A&O
• While the format may be different from other years, the goals of A&O remain the same. After attending A&O, students will have registered for classes, discovered campus resources, and begun to make connections with the UW community

First Year Programs - Student Academic Services Undergraduate Academic Affairs

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First Year Programs fosters a successful undergraduate student experience through strategic programming that focuses on positive academic transitions and the development of learning communities. Through partnerships with faculty, staff, alumni, and student leaders our programs create the space for students to define how they will engage, learn, and thrive at the University of Washington.

First Year Programs

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

Transfer Students by the Numbers

• 87.5% from WA Community Colleges
• Bellevue College
• Seattle Central College
• North Seattle College
• Shoreline College

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• 12.5% from other institutions
• 16.8% International students
• 15% of Undergraduate Population
• Many cannot go directly into major
• Traditional Age (18% 24-27; 60% 20-23)

FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE THEMES

Transfer Student Challenges:

1. Navigating a large university (compounded for First Generation)
2. Competitive/�capacity-constrained majors
3. Finances
4. Academic adjustment
5. Mental health & resilience

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Freshman Student Challenges:

1. Disappointment in grades
2. Learning how to study
3. Prioritizing self-care or managing mental health

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UW Graduation and Retention Study

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Assessment

Isolation - Multiple Touchpoints

Institutional Knowledge

• Campus Survey through IT Research Group
• 2100 students - 23% response rate
• Divider Questions - Not Connected to the UW
• Describe your experience (58% good/great)
• Found community (31% no; 41% somewhat)
• Thought about leaving UW (33% yes-major)

Promising Practices to Engage Transfer Students

1. Inclusive Communication
2. Intentional Transition
3. Purposeful Representation

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Inclusive Communication

• Transfer Student Advocate Card
• Language and Culture
• New Student Convocation vs. Freshman Convocation
• Incoming Class of xxxx vs. Class of xxxx
• Previous Institution vs. High School
• Communicating Class Opportunities (group code)
• Print & Web Presence

Intentional Transition

• Transfer A&O
• Action Steps
• Guided Notes
• Transfer-Specific Dawg Daze Events and Schedule
• Transfer Husky Kick-Off
• Transfer First Year Interest Group (T-FIG)

Purposeful Representation

• Transfer Student Positions
• Orientation Leader
• FIG Leader
• Peer Connection Program- Pilot
• Committee Spaces Reserved

Purposeful Representation �in Hiring & Reporting

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• Consider application timelines. Wait until transfer students are accepted
• Offer trainings, regular meetings and info sessions at flexible times and provide make-up opportunities
• Allow transfer students to bring their dependents to a meeting and trainings
• Consider adding value to previous life and non-traditional experiences when reviewing applications

Commuter & Transfer Commons

Husky Union Building 141

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

“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.”

First Year Programs, Student Academic Services, Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Daniel Barkley, Program Manager, danbark@uw.edu

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Meghan Coletta, Program Manager, mcoletta@uw.edu

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Presentation Online:

fyp.washington.edu/fyeprojects

Questions?

Zoom Etiquette

• Participants Window
• Thumbs Up - To move on
• Raising Hands -To ask questions

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2-min Breakout Discussion

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Raise hand to share your thoughts

Why Does This Matter?

“Our efforts to ease the transition for transfer students matter because community colleges are a crucial pipeline for low-income and underrepresented students seeking a four-year degree.”

~Ana Mari Cauce, 3/7/18

Transfer �Ambassadors

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

Year-Round Engagement

• Quarterly Transfer Events
• Quarterly happy hours
• Stress-management activities
• “Ask Me” Events

Transfer Inclusive Environment

Individually & In Small Groups Worksheet:

1. Organizational Readiness
2. Personal or Organizational Asset
3. Needs of your Students
4. Action Steps