With Transfer Pride Week coming to a close, the progress within the transfer community is ever more clear. The transfer community is vast and diverse – diverse not only in ages but also in past experiences and the road taken to get to UCLA. However, there is one thing that unifies the entire transfer community, and that is our ambition and determination to reach our highest potential. All of us transfers have come to UCLA, one of the best public universities in the world. If it were not for our drive for the best, we would not all be here.
Show Me the Ropes is a mentorship program I started this year which links incoming transfer students with senior transfer students to aid in the strenuous transition into UCLA. Mentors and mentees were paired according to major and a variety of other factors including goals during and after school, as well as interests and hobbies. The Show Me the Ropes reveal, in which mentor and mentee pairs were finally released, kicked the week off in high gear. If a group of senior transfers banding together to help incoming transfer students is not a beautiful sight, I do not know what is.
Transfer Pride Week was filled with a variety of events and programs that enriched every Bruin’s third week. Tuesday afternoon the Internal Vice President’s office and my office united and executed a fun photo campaign in which Bruins told the school why they love transfer students. Tuesday evening commenced with an awesome kickoff carnival where different transfer organizations hosted carnival games for students to play, making for a fun environment and generating laughter and friendship among the transfer community. The rest of the week was packed with other events and informational sessions for transfer students and any other Bruin interested to attend. I want to give a personal thank-you to Heather Adams and Melissa Sinclair, program directors of the Transfer Students Program, for all their hard work and their continuous commitment toward the transfer community.
As I mentioned before, the transfer community is vast and diverse, and so are all the organizations associated with it. That should remind us that a transfer resource center is crucial for our university to implement as soon as possible so students can find all their resources housed in one space, consequently generating efficiency and collaboration. Transfers make up one-third of the undergraduate student population; as of now, there is only a small space in the Bruin Resource Center that simply cannot host the needs of transfer students. My office and the Student Veterans Association have come together and have been in continuous talks with administration to complete this endeavor. A common thought among the transfer community is that we are not given the same opportunities that traditional students get because of the fact that we only have a limited time here. The importance of a transfer center is applied here as it will serve as the best resource transfer students will have. Yes, we all are Bruins; however, transfer students are comprised of commuters, parents, nontraditional students, veterans and more. This is not just a space that is wanted, but a space that is needed and will further advance our university as a world-renowned institution providing for all its students.
Although Transfer Pride Week is only one week out of many throughout the quarter, transfer pride does not end here. This week comes and goes rapidly. I see its purpose as to generate a positive momentum for transfer students to connect to each other and to connect to the campus. Transfer students should continuously strive for excellence throughout the entire year.
Rafalian is the Undergraduate Students Association Council transfer student representative.