When it comes to transferring the application process can be overwhelming, mostly for first time applicants. It can be hard to choose from various universities around California and find one that best suits students.
The University of California, Los Angeles held its annual Student Transfer Outreach and Mentor Program (STOMP) conference on Friday Mar. 15, 2019. The STOMP conference is a free event that host 1,00 students and community colleges in California. It is mean’t to assist students in the admission process, provide workshops and presentations on how and when to transfer.
Director of Transfer Center Sunday Salter and her staff are committed to bringing students the necessary tools and knowledge that will help them succeed in their transfer process by attending this conference.
“The STOMP Conference is an opportunity for all students to get more familiar with the UC campuses and the UC transfer process while also gaining insight into their own motivation toward transfer,” Salter said. “The event often provides the inspiration our students need to get serious about the transfer, whether it be to a CSU, UC, Private or out of state university.”
UCLA’s Assistant Vice President for Academic Partnerships Alfred Herrera did the opening speech for the conference highlighting the impact of receiving transfer students and how their history, culture, and values enrich their university.
“Programs like this make a difference,” Herrera said. “I’ve spent over 35 years here at UCLA making sure that transfer stays at the front burner, making sure that transfer is acknowledged and appreciated, making sure that our institution develops a transfer receptive culture or a welcoming environment for you when you make your way to University.”
STOMP also provided three sessions throughout the day with a variety of workshops about UCLA admissions, evaluation criteria, diversity at the campus and the different resources UCLA offers to the communities.
James Morris, a career guidance counselor assistant, said that a diverse and healthy environment in a university is key for students when deciding on where to transfer.
“The workshops can be about how to get in, what majors to choose to the experience you will have depending on your background,” Morris said. “If you are Asian-Pacific Islander or Native American, you can see what type of experience you will get if you identify with that group.”
Pierce College student Sowgol Sadeghi said she applied for multiple universities and is hoping to get accepted soon, but Sadeghi wanted to make sure all her questions or doubts were cleared before transferring.
“It was really good because I’ve been to conferences a couple of times, but I wasn’t sure about everything, so it was really informative,” Sadeghi said. “They answered a lot of my questions, so I felt like this is my place.”
The conference also brought a University of California Panel, which included universities such as Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced, UC Irvine, and others and spoke about resources for transfer students such as financial benefits, free housing and studying abroad.
Salter said that this year they had an overwhelming response of students interest in attending the STOMP Conference.
“We had to turn away over 50 students,” Salter said. “I would love to secure additional funding and bring more students next year. In collaboration with other departments on campus like EOPS and the Umoja Program, for example. I would also love the opportunity to connect with some of our student clubs next year as well. We will start planning now.”
