Two distinct groups of transfer students

As I watched the last week play out, I realized we have two distinct groups of transfer students with very different needs. Many of them commute to campus in some pretty amazing vehicles. I haven't noticed a Corvette yet, but I did see a huge yellow Hummer in the commuter parking lot behind the FAB.

The first group is the traditional 19-25 year olds who have, for the most part, the same needs and concerns as the traditional students (both residential and commuters) who came to King as freshmen. They are looking for "the college experience" and should be encouraged by us to make friends, sign up for intramurals, attend sports events, and participate in S.L.A.C.K. activities. Transfer students in this group, at least the ones I met, are coming from local community colleges or have been recruited by a King College coach to play a sport here. These kids are resilient and will adjust quickly to our campus culture.

The second group is much more fragile. These students are older, very serious about their education, and very stressed about meeting the academic challenges that lie ahead. Many in this second group have heavy work obligations, family responsibilities to spouses and children, and their self-concepts on the line. This group is much the same as students enrolled in our G.P.S. programs. We need to get to know these students right away and make sure they have the support they need to survive.

One older student in my KING 2000 class, whom I met on Monday at the transfer meeting, is 45 and introduced himself by saying, "I always wanted to go to college, so I finally decided to do it. I will be a nursing major." Two others I can think of that I met later in the week are at King to become secondary teachers. Another, who is working full time by combining hours on MWF and weekends, wants to be an elementary teacher.

I know that Marsha and Martin both have had much experience with students like these in their GPS classes. Simeon, Annie, and I will need to learn how to serve these students as well as we can. They probably need different campus resources than traditional students, or at least a different emphasis: the A.C.E., the library, the Help Desk, and the Counseling Center will be important to them. Am I missing any?

Now, one week in, the "transfer students" are beginning to have faces for me, and I am acutely aware of these two distinct categories.

Katie