Transfer Student Association wins Best Club at Sac State for second year in a row
Robby Sanchez - The State Hornet
Members of the Transfer Student Association enjoy an end of the year video at the last meeting of the semester for the club on May 7, 2018.
May 8, 2018
In fall 2016, the Transfer Student Association was founded at Sacramento State with the goal of making the transition to the California State University system easier and friendlier for transfer students.
“We provide support and a community for (transfer) students,” said Sam Smith, president of the association. “We help them get to know the campus, we help them get to know the community and we provide a place where they can come and make friends, meet other people and have fun.”
Smith, a founding member of the association, stated the idea to form this club came from a group of friends joking around about Sac State not having a club specifically for transfer students.
Vanessa Ureno, the association’s vice president, joined the club in its second semester of operation. Like many transfer students coming to Sac State, Ureno was lost and didn’t know much to do.
“I didn’t know anything about Sacramento so I came here and it was like jumping into cold water,” Ureno said.
Ureno found out about the association through a Facebook post promoting one of its events.
“I happened to see a Facebook post by (TSA) about an explore Sacramento trip and I was like I’m just going to go, I’m going to put myself out there,” said Ureno. “I ended up meeting all these really cool people that helped me along the way academically, socially and emotionally.”
Laban Cox joined the club in its founding semester stating that it was an opportunity to be a part of a community and an easy and great way to make friends.
Smith plans to improve the association next semester and take it to the next level by having more club events and offering additional support to transfer students.
Such events include being involved in the welcome weeks of the semester by having events in the first couple weeks of classes. A transfer student week will be hosted in October as well with events specifically tailored for transfer students.
“We’re trying to build a community for transfer students so if they need a space or a friend, we are there for them to destress and have fun,” Smith said.