Course Spotlight: Unleash Your Hokie Potential, an FYE for Transfer Students
Transfer students are a unique group with particular strengths and needs and thus require a First-Year Experiences curriculum all their own when they arrive on campus.
“We strive to create programs and resources for Virginia Tech's transfer students to not only meet their needs as new students but also provide them with a supportive community of peers who also transferred to the university,” said Nasim Schwab, associate director of Academic Advising Initiatives.
The course, Univ 2114 Unleash Your Hokie Potential, is taught to about 180 of the 1,000 transfer students that arrive on campus each year. Developed and offered by University Studies, instructors from across Undergraduate Academic Affairs teach sections between the fall and spring semesters.
“This class is an example of one of our many programs in which our instructors and teaching assistants cultivate a community in their classrooms so transfer students feel a sense of belonging and meet other students across the university who can share and normalize their transition to Virginia Tech,” said Schwab.
Unleash Your Hokie Potential started after a 2018 survey of transfer students highlighted several shortcomings in their campus experience. For example, transfers weren’t guaranteed housing on campus and many felt that academic programs for recent high school graduates didn’t address their particular situation.
In response, the Transfer Experience Living-Learning Community was created. The LLC is now housed in Newman Hall with the ability to house up to 187 transfer students. In 2020, the Hokie Potential course became a requirement for students in the LLC but remains open to any transfer interested in the class.
“Giving transfer students the opportunity to meet other transfer students is a big part of the course because many transfer students feel like they're the only ones going through this, the only ones that are trying to figure out Virginia Tech,” said Kendria Mason, Coordinator of First-Year Experiences. “They get to know each other while learning to refine their strengths and what they want beyond their college experience.”
To meet those goals, the course is designed around three concepts: onboarding, professional development, and exploring opportunities.
Onboarding
Unlike many other FYE courses, Univ 2114 Unleash Your Hokie Potential is designed for students who have academic and life skills beyond those of a recent high school graduate.
“Each institution has its own ‘hidden curriculum’ that you have to learn how to decipher, so part of the class is creating a space where you don’t have to know the right answer and feel comfortable asking questions,” said Mason. “Students are able to talk through what they may not know.”
For example, unlike many universities, Virginia Tech uses Course Requests, where students “request” specific courses and are later notified if they got their preferred schedule. For a student from another school the process can be confusing, and if unprepared, can leave them with holes in their schedules if they aren’t placed in their requested classes.
The teaching-assistants for the course are all recent transfers, providing another valuable resource for students taking the class.
Professional Development
Compared to most undergraduates in FYE courses, transfer students are far more focused on their careers and goals after commencement.
“The course recognizes that transfers are on an accelerated timeline; most are on campus for only two or three years,” said Allison Silknetter, Assistant Director of Transfer Student Initiatives at Academic Advising Initiatives. “A first-year student might not look for an internship because they feel they have time, whereas transfers feel the pressure to find one right away.”
Job fairs such as the Engineering Expo and Business Horizons happen early in the semester, so the course has students working on their resumes in the second class. Class time is also dedicated to a presentation from the university’s Career and Professional Development office to help create Handshake or LinkedIn profiles and explain how to incorporate their previous school into their application materials.
“Transfer students know their time on campus is limited, so another goal for the course is to take issues and stressors - such as finding a summer internship or preparing to apply for graduate school - and develop a practical plan where they feel empowered to move forward,” said Mason.
Understanding Opportunities
With less time on campus before graduation, many transfers may feel they’ll miss out on some parts of the typical undergraduate experience.
“Just because transfers have a shorter amount of time on campus, that doesn’t mean they have to compromise their experience,” said Mason. “Transfer students can still have the same Hokie experience of a four-year student.”
The syllabus includes talks about studying abroad and undergraduate research, with support from academic advising. Transfers also hear about opportunities for service learning through VT Engage, the university’s hub for community engagement.
Ultimately, the course aims to help create a complete college experience for transfers by addressing their academic, professional, social, and leadership goals and needs.
“Transfer students are a valued part of our university and probably hadn’t received the attention they deserved in the past,” said Mason. “This course allows them to feel ‘seen’ and helps them maximize their time at Virginia Tech.”