Week will celebrate transfer students
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia (Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û) will take National Transfer Student Week, set for Oct. 18-22, as an opportunity to celebrate transfer students and highlight the resources available to them.
A free lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 19 on the Dahlonega, Gainesville and Oconee campuses is one of the highlights of the week. A full schedule is available on Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's National Transfer Student Week webpage.
Each year, about 20% of Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's new students are transfers, and Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û welcomes them with the same intentionality it assists freshmen.
"Transfer students are an integral part of the Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û community," Dr. James Conneely, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said. "We are committed to making sure we meet their needs."
A new resource to aid these students is the transfer equivalency tool that helps students understand how their credits will transfer to minimize the amount of credits lost. Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û also has nine transfer coaches, fellow students who help them navigate the information needed to succeed, and a transfer-specific orientation.
The prevalence of transfer students at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û mirrors national trends as 2.1 million undergraduate students transferred between July 2020 and June 2021, according to the .
Student mobility is reality, and we must create intentional policies and practices that place students at the center of their educational journeys.
Dr. Janet Marling
Executive director of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students
"The transfer students help to enhance the classrooms and majors at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û because they bring unique experience," Dr. Darcy Hayes, director of Nighthawk Engagement and Student Transitions (NEST), said.
Dr. Janet Marling, executive director of the based on Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's Dahlonega Campus and founded in 2002 by Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û President Bonita Jacobs, said a collaborative approach that includes faculty and student affairs professionals is required.
"Student mobility is reality, and we must create intentional policies and practices that place students at the center of their educational journeys," Marling, also an associate professor in Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's College of Education, said.
Kim Anderson, a senior from Port Arthur, Texas, pursuing a degree in psychology, transferred to Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. As a transfer coach, she thrives on helping others with similar paths.
"They enjoy having someone who can answer their questions and relate to them," Anderson said. "They feel reassured, and it relieves their stress."
Mia Cline, a sophomore from Johns Creek, Georgia, pursuing a degree in elementary and special education, came to Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û from Georgia State University. Joining a sorority has eased her transition, and she has advice for other transfers.
"Get connected and get involved. Put yourself out there," Cline said. "Don't be afraid to get outside your comfort zone."
Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û established a scholarship for newly enrolled transfer students in fall 2021. These students were selected based on their exemplary academics and co-curricular involvement. Students who earned the scholarship were: Taralee Arrowood, Nahid Beg, Kelli Burke, Alma Figueroa, Kristopher Fuller, Audrey Gilbert, Turner Griffith-Driver, Hannah Holley, Rafael Navar, and Robert New.
Navar, a sophomore from Buford, Georgia, pursuing a degree in criminal justice, is a former Kennesaw State University student. He enjoyed Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's Weeks of Welcome events and is grateful for the financial support.
"The scholarship is a great help," Navar said. "It helps me focus on the academic aspect because college can be expensive."
Annual event welcomes family and guests
Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û is set to welcome the families and guests of students during its annual Family Day event on Sept. 21.
Students explore career opportunities this fall
Six career fairs will allow Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û students to explore opportunities at events in Gainesville and Dahlonega.
Events introduce students to campus life 
Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's Weeks of Welcome returns from Aug. 9-23 on all five campuses, offering incoming students a chance to connect and interact with their peers as they transition to college. 
Partnership aims to better serve students
Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û is partnering with the National Institute for Success to close student achievement gaps and improve student enrollment, retention and college completion.