For more than 1,000 transfer and commuter students on Northern Arizona University\u2019s Flagstaff campus, just \u201chaving a place to land\u201d can make a big difference in their college experience.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the rationale behind Transfer and Commuter Connections, a new program for students who might need a little extra help assimilating.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t had a physical locale or a program dedicated to this population,\u201d said\u00a0Jennifer Riddle<\/strong>, coordinator of the program. \u201cThis is seen as a way to help with retention and recruitment.\u201d<\/p>\n The program provides a drop-in space on the second floor of the University Union (room 235), complete with day lockers, computer terminals and some comfortable places to sit.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they don\u2019t have a dorm room or can\u2019t run home, then we want to give them a welcoming environment where they can relax,\u201d Riddle said.<\/p>\n Peer mentoring constitutes another program component, as one graduate student and 14 undergraduates\u2014all former transfer students\u2014offer assistance with the sorts of issues that may arise for those who are new to campus. For example, Riddle said, transfer students may have learned to navigate their previous institution but must \u201cre-navigate\u201d NAU\u2019s structure and culture.<\/p>\n And for those who transferred from out of state, or who commute daily, forming social connections can be a challenge, so mentors collaborate with other campus departments and programs, such as Peer Jacks, to help students learn more about activities on campus.<\/p>\n The program also has a presence in the admissions call center, where mentors speak with potential transfer students to help them move through the admissions process and provide them with an early connection to campus.<\/p>\n \u201cTransfer students are going to continue to play an important role in growing our enrollment, so it\u2019s incumbent upon the university to supply them the resources and support to develop the connections that they need,\u201d according to\u00a0Erin Grisham<\/strong>, executive director of Educational Support Services, which oversees the program.<\/p>\n A survey of transfer students last fall indicated a desire for \u201cincreased connections to their majors, information on how to get involved on campus and better communication from the university about the transfer process.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m confident that what we\u2019ve put together will serve the needs of these students,\u201d Grisham said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"