Supporting The Switch: Elmhurst University Honors Transfer Students With Transfer Appreciation Day

Calling all transfers! Elmhurst University celebrated its fourth annual Transfer Appreciation Day on Thursday, Oct. 24, to honor its transfer students.

Transfer students were sent emails weeks beforehand to RSVP to the event in the lower level of the Frick Center. With a turnout of 111 students, the fun-filled occasion was organized by the transfer team in the Office of Admission. U-swag, sweets, and giveaways were provided for the students to enjoy.

Transfer Appreciation Day was created by the Office of Admissions and stems from Transfer Appreciation Week, hosted by the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, which provides themes and ideas to help institutions celebrate transfer students.

Students were also able to attend Transfer Talk & Tour by appointment and a Transfer Series Webinar.

As part of its commitment to transfer students year-round, EU welcomes more than 500 transfer and adult students to campus each year. Admissions offers a team of counselors and transfer guides to walk students through the transferring process and has a Transfer Retention Committee, specifically designed for transfer students at EU.

Kristina Black, director for academic partnerships and transfer admissions, and her transfer team focus on building relationships and trust with transfer students to make them feel a sense of security and ease through their enrollment process.

“Students know they can rely on us to communicate important deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and next steps through text, email, phone calls, and individual appointments,” Black said.

The transfer team works with potential transfers one to two years before they transfer, advising them on courses they need to complete while they are enrolled in community college. Students are provided with information on how their credits will transfer through unofficial transfer credit evaluation (TCE) before enrollment and official TCEs once enrolled.

“TCEs lay out exactly how a student’s previous coursework will transfer and which requirements it satisfies,” Black said. “This is a critical piece in supporting students through admission and enrollment as many of our competitors won’t begin to evaluate credit until after admission and, in some cases, after enrollment.”

Rachel Rios, a senior who transferred to EU from the College of DuPage, highlights the smooth process of transferring to EU and what motivated her to transfer.

“My admissions counselor helped me a lot, and I was offered scholarships which helped the cost of attendance,” Rios said. “It was really good vibes at the university and everyone was nice to me.”

“Follow your gut,” Rios advises other students considering a transfer.