October marks the start of Transfer Month, with the third week dedicated to Transfer Week, a crucial time for students contemplating their academic futures. Leading this initiative is Dr. Erin Charlens, the new coordinator of the San Diego City College Transfer Center. Dr. Charlens brings over a decade of experience in higher education and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership to her role. Her mission is clear: to empower students through education, one hopeful at a time.
Dr. Charlens emphasized the importance of the Transfer Center in supporting students: “Our mission is to ensure every student feels seen and supported during this crucial transition. We’re not just a resource center; we’re a community space where students can connect, ask questions, and receive guidance tailored to their unique paths.”
City’s Transfer Center offers a host of services designed to facilitate successful transitions to four-year institutions. These includes personalized counseling sessions, workshops on application processes, and opportunities to engage with representatives from renowned universities such as UCLA, UC San Diego, and San Diego State University. Dr. Charlens remarked, “We actively cultivate relationships with these institutions to create partnerships that will ultimately benefit our students. For example, we’re collaborating with UC San Diego to offer workshops on the application itself along with the personal insight questions which allows universities to see our students as whole people, beyond their academics”.
Dr. Charlens shared a success story of a recent transfer student to UCLA who greatly benefited from the Umoja Program at City College as well as from transfer guidance. “During their time at City College, they had over 30 points of contact - through emails, phone calls, counseling appointments and workshops - that we could measure. Each of those contacts brought them closer to their transfer goal. That’s what it took to meet them where they were and support them through a successful transfer. That’s how we work with our students in programs like Umoja. The Transfer Center provides high-touch support for students as well. We have many, many opportunities that students may take advantage of including counseling, workshops, labs, etc. We want students to feel like they belong at City and are welcome in the Transfer Center and are committed to doing whatever we can to ensure students know about all of the transfer opportunities that are out there” Charlens said.
City’s Transfer Center is set to provide more events and opportunities during National Transfer Student Week to foster community engagement. “We plan to set up tables across campus with snacks and information booths to bring information to students,” Dr. Charlens shared. “We want students to feel empowered, confident and supported as they explore their transfer options.” National Transfer Student Week is October 21-25.
The success stories at City’s Transfer Center highlight its significant impact on student outcomes. By providing tailored support and resources, the Transfer Center is instrumental in helping students navigate both their professional and academic journeys, ultimately encouraging more to pursue their higher education goals. With a strong commitment to support and empowerment, City’s Transfer Center plays a vital role in enhancing student experiences.