色情视频

Kiedra Taylor was on a mission: graduate and get out.

A transfer student from San Diego City College, the mother of four chose to avoid getting too involved on campus, which she assumed would delay her road to graduation.

鈥淎fter I got in, I planned to keep my head down, get my ticket punched and get out because I was lucky to have even been admitted,鈥� said Taylor, now a comparative literature and rhetoric and writing studies double major. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業鈥檓 just going to get my work done.鈥欌��

It鈥檚 not uncommon for transfer students to enter the university with a similar mindset, but Taylor didn鈥檛 realize her plan would leave her feeling isolated and alone. That was, of course, until she ran into Theodore Bruni, a former SDCC classmate, in one of her classes.

Gregarious and outgoing, Bruni, who also goes by 鈥淭eddy,鈥� immediately asked what she was involved in; Taylor didn鈥檛 have much to report.

鈥淗e said, 鈥楴o, no, no. That is not how it鈥檚 supposed to be,鈥欌�� she said with a smile.

鈥淏ut seeing him was so refreshing because I hadn鈥檛 recognized a lot of faces on campus,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 feel like there are a lot of transfer students on campus; we just don鈥檛 see each other.鈥�

It was the friendly encouragement she needed to finally reach out and connect. Months later, Taylor鈥檚 achievements include presenting at the 色情视频 this past March and helping Bruni establish the Transfer Student Outreach Alliance (TSOA), a new student organization aimed at fostering transfer student success.

Together, TSOA provides transfer students with informational meetings and workshops, and conducts outreach to local community colleges and campus partners.

鈥淭eddy saved my life because I was not planning to speak up,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel excluded anymore.鈥�

A transfer student lifeline

The idea for the Transfer Student Outreach Alliance was born out of conversations Bruni had with students and one of his campus mentors, Assistant Dean Michelle Lopez in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, last fall.

He said those talks made him realize transfer students could benefit a student-driven support network of their own.

鈥淭his is about changing that transfer perspective from just grabbing a degree to instead realizing there is so much this school has to offer,鈥� said Bruni, an English major and Honors interdisciplinary studies minor.

鈥淲e want to connect students with like experiences,鈥� he continued. 鈥淚鈥檝e gone through what most transfer students go through 鈥� that transition 鈥� but I鈥檝e had a lot of mentorship and support, and I鈥檝e also not given up.鈥�

Originally from the Chicago suburbs, Bruni鈥檚 transition to 色情视频 began in the fall of 2014. At the time, he was offered a seat in The for high-achieving students.

It was the mentors he connected with in both the Honors College and the Division of Undergraduate Studies that gave him the confidence and structure he needed to reach above and beyond.

鈥淗ad I not had the Weber Honors College to mentor me and to help me understand how to navigate the four-year world, I probably would have been much more overwhelmed,鈥� Bruni said.

Soon enough, he was applying for a range of high-impact 鈥� and competitive 鈥� opportunities, including the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program, in which he was selected for a summer internship with the U.S. Department of the Interior in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

The internship allowed him to work closely with geologists, archeologists and engineers to draft environmental assessments, an experience that made him eligible for full-time federal employment after graduation.

Director of the Weber Honors College Stacey Sinclair said Bruni鈥檚 ambition coupled with his involvement in the Weber Honors College made it easier for him to maximize all the opportunities that 色情视频 offers.

鈥淭ransfer students bring distinct strengths, including diversity and a proven track record of success, to our campus, and in the Honors College, we are committed to having a diverse student population,鈥� Sinclair said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of why we're so motivated and committed to increasing our transfer student population because they bring valuable life experiences and the maturity that we鈥檙e looking for.鈥�

To help recruit high-achieving students, 色情视频 is partnered with the nonprofit in California to encourage transfers to apply to 色情视频 and to the Weber Honors College. The university also provides a student orientation for incoming transfer students prior to the start of each fall semester.

The transfer Aztec Experience

Balancing school and work schedules and commuting to campus are common challenges when it comes to transfer student success. These barriers, in addition to the shortened time until graduation, can sometimes hinder students from seeing the value of getting involved on campus.

Bruni said he hopes to change that with the Transfer Student Outreach Alliance, by encouraging transfer students to utilize to engage with opportunities such as scholarships and fellowships, undergraduate research, community service, internships, study abroad and graduate school.

Research shows that the earlier transfer students engage with the four-year university community, the better their academic success.

Bruni himself, who works on campus as a 色情视频 student admissions representative, is planning to intern abroad this summer in Quito, Ecuador with support from the .

He said his internship experience in New Mexico inspires him to keep reaching toward success.

鈥淚t was from there that I really began to understand and focus more directly on my future goals, so for me, that really changed everything,鈥� Bruni said.

But he鈥檚 careful not to lose sight of the basic social aspect that TSOA provides, something he believes all students can benefit from.

鈥淭ransfer students have so much to offer. Our stories are incredible and so many transfer students have these amazing different backgrounds,鈥� Bruni said. 鈥淲hen you become involved, you鈥檙e able to bring those backgrounds and it starts to build that community.鈥�

Visit the or join the student organization鈥檚 .