Think about the career you want and foster its growth by taking advantage of the opportunities BSU has to offer.
Confusion about advising, navigating course registration and finding a sense of belonging are just some of the challenges many transfer students face.
As transfer students, Sargine Fortin, ’27, and Sarah Landry, ’27, turned their experiences into a research project that examines how transfer students navigate their transition to Bridgewater State University.
While both women said the transfer process itself was relatively easy, learning to find their footing was more difficult.
“I struggled to make friends at first, as many of my peers developed their friendships during their freshman year,” Sarah said.
Sargine faced similar challenges finding her place on campus and often had questions about resources, support services and how to become involved in the university community.
Looking to better understand the challenges and successes of transfer students, the two social work majors saw an opportunity to explore the topic through undergraduate research when Professor Maggie Roga introduced her students to the Adrian Tinsley Program (ATP).
ATP is BSU’s signature undergraduate research program that provides $5,000 summer grants for students to conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choosing.
Intrigued by the possibility, Sargine and Sarah proposed a project examining the transfer student experience at BSU. The goal was to better understand the challenges, successes and needs of transfer students in the School of Social Work.
Participants either completed a 30- to 60-minute interview with Sargine or answered survey questions Sarah created.
They then collected the data and looked for themes and similarities.
“I learned that many students know what specific resources they need but do not know where to find them,” Sargine said.
While the research revealed challenges, it also highlighted some positives. Sarah said one finding in particular stood out to her.
“I noticed that 100 percent of transfer students felt like they belonged in the social work program,” she said. “This was great to hear because it means that the School of Social Work is creating a safe and welcoming space for students.”
Overall, Sargine said the ATP program taught her how to collaborate closely with others, share ideas, and quiet her “imposter syndrome." She believes all of this helps in her quest to become a licensed clinical social worker.
“I definitely feel that ATP and undergraduate research have helped me prepare for my (career) goals because of my newfound collaboration skills and confidence,” she said.
For Sarah, strengthening her research skills was a bonus.
“Personally, I learned a lot more about how to conduct research in a professional setting. This was a great experience, and I loved hearing about my peers' experience,” she said.
When offering advice to other transfer students on how to overcome transfer-specific obstacles, Sargine said it’s important to get involved.
“Apply for different opportunities, because oftentimes you are smart enough and do qualify. You have the ability to do hard things,” she said. “Think about the career you want and foster its growth by taking advantage of the opportunities BSU has to offer.”
Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu