By Kara Hayes
Tuesday, April 26 is the First PSU Transfer Appreciation Day, a day all about celebrating our transfer students! Fun Fact: Transfer students make up the majority of our undergraduate student population at PSU. (Nearly 60% of our degree seeking undergraduates are transfer students.)
“Transfer students make up the fabric of our university. As a transfer student, it can be hard to give ourselves a pat on the back for our success. Transfer Appreciation Day is an opportunity for our students to take a moment, to take a breath, and feel gratitude from the university.“
Nya Mbock, ASPSU President
For this celebration, the Transfer & Returning Student Resource Center (TRSRC) has teamed up with ASPSU (Associated Students of PSU) and more than a dozen departments and centers across campus to hand out snacks and swag, hang signs of appreciation, and open up their space for engagement. We want our transfer students to know that we see them and to thank them for being a part of our community. The day will also include events to build academic and social connections.
Top 5 Transfer Appreciation Day Festivities
- Stop by the TRSRC & ASPSU tables between Smith and Cramer Hall from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. for a chance to win some swag
- Pop in and visit some of our campus partners and grab a snack or small gift (sleep kits, succulents, and more!)
- Connect and socialize with other students at our Transfer Climb Night or the Transfer Happy Hour
- Participate in our Instagram Giveaway for a chance to win one of three prize packs (@psu_trsrc, @portlandstate)
- Take a moment to say thank you to your Transfer Champion, let them know how much their help or support meant to you!
PSU Rebound is one of the organizations participating in Transfer Appreciation Day. “It is important that we work to ensure that all students know where to find the resources and support systems they may need as they go forward in their educational journey,” said Michelle Harris, former transfer student, current graduate student in Conflict Resolutions, and Peer Support Specialist for PSU Rebound. “Transfer Appreciation Day gives us the chance to take a moment and really show that support.”
See a full list of activities at the Transfer Appreciation Day website.
“It is important that we work to ensure that all students know where to find the resources and support systems they may need as they go forward in their educational journey. Transfer Appreciation Day gives us the chance to take a moment and really show that support.”
Michelle Harris, former transfer student, graduate student and Peer Support Specialist
You Belong at PSU
The TRSRC exists to help transfer and returning students (students returning to PSU after a break in their undergraduate degree) smoothly transition to PSU and support them on their path to degree completion. The TRSRC offers:
- Academic and career advising to incoming transfer and returning students
- Assistance in accessing PSU resources and services
- Workshops and events specifically for transfer and returning students
- Programming and outreach efforts for peer-to-peer connection (e.g. Peer Connection Network)
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The Transfer and Returning Student Resource Center is located at Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH) 342 (Third Floor). Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p. m. Mon-Fri. Contact TRSRC at (503) 725-2445 or trsrc@pdx.edu.
About Kara: Kara Hayes (she/her/hers) is the Student Success Manager at the Transfer and Returning Student Resource Center (TRSRC), bringing programming, communications, and social media to our student community. She has worked at PSU since 2011, serving roles in New Student Programs, Admissions, and the Office of Student Success, and is passionate about the student voice and experience. In her spare time, Kara is a dancing nut (known for Thriller flash mobs) and hosts craft chocolate tastings, teaching classes at PCC!