‘AU is my happy place’: Learn more at National Transfer Student Week

Augusta University’s Academic Success Center is celebrating National Transfer Student Week from Monday, Oct. 21, to Friday, Oct. 25, to build awareness about the transfer student experience and their needs within the university.

Students from the university’s transfer student honor society Tau Sigma opened up about their transfer student experience and why they came to Augusta University.

Katelyn Weatherford, a senior nursing student, transferred to AU to pursue a career in nursing.

“Augusta University has one of the best programs for nursing,” Weatherford said. “Coming from a small town, there was never a lot of traffic or people, and moving to Augusta I had to adapt to a constantly moving city that always seems awake. Also, being in the nursing program is a huge challenge just in itself, but I have learned so much and have overall become an even better person because of it.”

Senior political science major Ginny Bouchard returned to school as a non-traditional student, the widow of an Air Force veteran who died in 2017 and mother of a 5-year-old.

“When the unthinkable happened, I knew I had to finish school in order to provide for my family,” Bouchard said. “I’ve worked hard and I graduate in May 2020. Juggling a child, household and full-time status at AU has been challenging, but not impossible.”

Bouchard encountered plenty of on-campus support from Military and Veteran Services as well as the Department of Social Sciences and Reese Library.

“The veterans services office has been amazing in helping me understand my educational benefits and registration steps,” Bouchard said. “They were the first faces I met and have been incredible each semester navigating the complicated VA tuition process.”

Bouchard also said she found the Department of Social Sciences to be equally welcoming because they know her by name and they truly care about her goals and success. The research and project assistance at the library has been extremely helpful to Bouchard as well.

“I didn’t know where to start when I first transferred,” she said. “An employee took the time to sit with me for over an hour going over databases and where to find specific information. I love it here. AU is my happy place.”

Transfer students are invited to participate in the following events to celebrate National Transfer Student Week:

Leveraging your Transfer Experience

• 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, in the Academic Success Center Conference Room
• Presented by career services adviser Melissa Hall, this one-hour workshop will go in-depth to harness the experiences and skills of transfer students in their interview and job search process. Light refreshments will be served.

Club T Transfer Student Mixer

• 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, Academic Success Center
• Mix and Mingle with other transfer students over mocktails and light refreshments.

Contact academic success coordinator Amanda Gustafson or student retention manager Abigail Drescher with questions.

Students can also learn more about the week at the next Takeover Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, on the JSAC Patio.

Learn more about the Academic Success Center.