With the start of each semester, USC welcomes transfer students from all across the country who begin to create their own Carolina community.
Spring transfer students are unique since they enter the university mid-year and don’t have the opportunity to experience the fall semester festivities.
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions considers a transfer student to be any applicant who has attended another regionally accredited post-secondary institution and has attempted one or more college classes.
“I feel like I’ve been able to get involved. I’m going to go compete with (Future Health Professionals) next month,” third-year public health student Sarah Burr said.
Burr, a Columbia native, was the president of her school's chapter of the group in high school and said she knew that she wanted to get involved with it at USC. She transferred to USC this spring from Jacksonville University (JU) in Florida.
“It’s definitely a lot different. It’s very fast-paced. There is always something going on,” Burr said. “Where one day on campus at JU, I might not see anybody on campus. It’s super quiet, but here there’s always something going on.”
Leah Hicks, a second-year social work student, came to USC from USC-Lancaster and connected with the university through her job at the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. There she has made friends that also go to USC in addition to student organizations such as Shandon College.
“I’ve gotten plugged in with a church group, Shandon College,” Hicks said. “That’s like the one way I feel plugged in because that’s how I’m meeting the most people.”
In addition to joining organizations that interest them, transfer students are also able to connect with the Association of Transfer Students (ATS) on campus.
“The Association of Transfer students is here to support transfer students socially, academically and emotionally,” Averi Goodwin, president of the Association of Transfer Students and a third-year nursing major, said. “It’s for transfer students by transfer students.”
Goodwin transferred to USC during fall 2020 and became the president of ATS at the beginning of the spring 2022 semester.
“It was really relatable and it’s really nice to talk to people who are dealing with the same things,” Goodwin said.
Burr has also gotten involved with ATS and said she has been able to connect with fellow transfer students that have similar majors and interests. She recently attended an event hosted by ATS and has plans to be more involved with the organization as the semester progresses.
"It was super awkward at first, but by the end, we were all just laughing and having a good time and we have more plans after that," Burr said. "That was nice to be able to get involved in that too."
ATS hosts many different events throughout the semester such as campus tours and activities that allow for transfer students to have a space to meet.
“As a transfer student, it’s just hard to really put yourself out there again,” Goodwin said. “I want to share that ATS is a safe and welcoming space.”
Students interested in joining ATS can follow its Instagram @uofsc_ats.