University life can be tough for any student, but for transfers, the transition can be even more difficult. They vary in age and life experience, making them a tough population to serve and support, but UC Merced is trying to ensure transfers don’t fall through the cracks.
And
Jeff Yoshimi, director of UC Merced’s
Transfer Student Programand professor in the
School of Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, is making sure the university achieves that goal. Having earned his degree by transferring from a community college to the UC system, Yoshimi knows what transfers need to succeed: smaller classes and opportunities for involvement.
I know that when I transferred, I was overwhelmed by everything, he said. Factors like parenting and work obligations play a bigger role for transfers than for the traditional student population.
Many of the advantages associated with private or liberal arts universities, he said, are here at UC Merced in a research-university setting.
For proof of the commitment UC Merced has to the success of its transfer students, one need look no further than the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts. Recently, the school honored 12 transfer students who had cumulative grade-point averages of 3.5 and above.
That’s almost unheard of, said James Ortez, assistant dean, during a ceremony honoring the students. Most transfer students experience a drop in GPA as they adjust to university life.
Michelle Cantrell, a junior majoring in
psychology, understands how some students’ grades could slip after transferring from a community college to a university.
It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had, the married mother of two said.
Cantrell chose UC Merced, because it was geographically desirable. Her husband, Bryan, attends a Valley university, and she didn’t want to uproot her family to pursue her educational goals. Having a UC in Merced County meant she didn’t have to.
Size and location were also important for senior Natalie Granado. When the Merced native graduated from high school, she knew she wanted to further her education but wasn’t ready to leave home.
I was born and raised here, and I love it, the psychology major said.
Living at home has made the transition from Merced College to UC Merced relatively painless. Painless enough that she’s on track to earn her bachelor’s degree in spring 2008, about four years after she graduated high school.
It was pretty easy, she said, because my major was already in place.
The importance of family support for transfer students is not lost on Yoshimi. He credits his own family for enabling him to reach his academic goals. But the brunt of the responsibility falls on the student.
Native intelligence is a major factor of success, he said. I’ve been very impressed by the caliber of transfer student walking through UC Merced’s doors. I’ve learned as much from them as I have taught.
