Transfer Connect APRIL 12,2007 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4 Reflections By: Chris Hockey, Transfer Coordinator Well...being that the academic year is almost over, I thought it might be a good idea to reflect on the first year of being in this position. It�s hard to believe that I�ve been here for almost a year, and what�s even harder to believe is how much I�ve accomplished in that year. While I admit that I like patting myself on the back and giving myself �props� when I deserve them (and sometimes when I don�t deserve them), I truly believe that I have accomplished a great deal in the first year. I think probably the biggest accomplishment was just learning. There is so much information out there about transfer students and how to improve their experiences, that it was overwhelming. I�m by no means a total expert on transfer students but I�m certainly more knowledgeable now than I was a year ago and it�s probably safe to say that I�m the expert on campus when it comes to transfer issues. The creation of the website was also a great success and one that I�m very proud of. I think as technology, my position, and my funding grows, the website will only continue to improve. Although, I did not do as many as I had originally hoped, we were able to complete some new articulation agreements for future students in Music and Graphic Design. There are a lot of these that are in progress so the next year should see an increased number of these. I see great things ahead for Tau Sigma. While not a lot of changes were made this year, there is a great group of students being inducted and I can�t wait to work with them more in the near future. There are other intangible accomplishments as well, like being more comfortable talking to a group of incoming transfers. All in all, this has been a great year and for those of you who I�ve met and talked to, you are wonderful people and I know that you are all going to be very successful. Thank you all for the great year!! I�ve Graduated, Now What? By Michelle Tackett-Spinner, Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Relations In just a few short weeks, you will cross the threshold at Commencement, and thus, become an alum of Oswego State. Right now you may be busy writing those last term papers, planning your family�s visit for graduation weekend, and trying to figure out how and when you�re going to pack! It may seem a long couple of weeks, but once you�ve finished, you may be asking yourself�� now what? Now that you�ve graduated, does this mean you are no longer connected with Oswego State? Absolutely not! In addition to the Oswego Alumni Magazine that is issued and sent free to all alumni three times a year, there are many other ways for you to remain involved with Oswego State as an alum! We have clubs in many different parts of the country where alumni of all class years gather at different types of events to socialize, network, do community service, and more. This is a great way for you to get to know other alumni in the area where you�ll be living! You may also want to stay connected by giving back to the college either through financial donations or volunteering your time to help current students. You can become an ASK Mentor, an Alumni Admissions Contact, or a visiting professional to campus. We are also starting a new program called GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) focused on providing services to our recent graduates and have a new online community just for Oswego Alumni! To start, it is imperative that you keep the college informed of your contact information to receive the magazine and be invited to events. To update us and find out about all of our opportunities for you as an alum, feel free to visit our website at www.oswego.edu/alumni. Good luck with all your future endeavors! LET�S TALK Office of Transfer Services 611 Culkin Hall Transfer Coordinator Chris Hockey P: 312-3638 F: 312-5183 transfer@oswego.edu AIM: OzTransferHelp www.oswego.edu/transfer Important Events April 16-20 Honors Week April 18th Quest Day No Classes April 20th Honors Convocation 3:00pm-5:00pm Hewitt Union Ballroom April 23rd-25th Penfield Library Book Sale Monday, May 7th Chris� Birthday! Friday, May 11th Last Day of Classes May 14th-May 18th Final Exams TRANSFER CONNECT PAGE 2 The Office of Transfer Services is looking for transfer students who want to mentor and help new transfer students in the fall. Be a part of the MOST Program. For more information, go to www.oswego.edu/transfer and click on the �Most Mentoring Program� link or contact Chris at chockey@oswego.edu. Student Spotlight This month we highlight Heather Bivens. Heather will be graduating in May with a Bachelors in Fine Arts. She is a McNair Scholar and is currently doing an internship at SU as an Artist Assistant: Q: Why did you decide to transfer to Oswego? A: I realized that I wanted a more indepth study in Fine Art. As a Fine Arts student I have been given improved my undergraduate education and encouraged me to obtain a terminal degree. Q: What do you enjoy most about being at Oswego? A: I have enjoyed being involved in programs, such as the McNair Scholars Program, but also having the opportunity to present my research at Quest. Q: What do you do in your spare time? A: I spend a great deal of time preparing for exhibitions and developing new work. My spare time is usually during the summer when I spend time outside and visit Beaver Lake. Q: What has been your best experience so far? A: It is hard for me to choose one experience, but I have really enjoyed receiving letters back from the graduate programs I have applied to. Q: If you could change one thing about your experience so far, what would it be? A: I wouldn�t change anything from my past experiences, but I have learned from them and I apply it to future endeavors. Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? A: I see myself showing my work nationally and teaching sculpture to undergraduate and graduate level students. Serving to Learn, Learning to Serve By: Laura Hermanson, PR Director of CSLCS SUNY Oswego's Center for Service Learning and Community Service offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. Through these programs, students get the chance to do more than just attend classes, as they also get the opportunity to better the community through service. Some of the most popular programs run through this office include Mentor Oswego, Habitat for Humanity, Adopt-a-Grandparent and Special Olympics. Mentor Oswego brings SUNY Oswego students together with local school-aged children to help them with social and homework support. Through the Adopt-a-Grandparent program, volunteers interact with residents of local nursing homes through various activities. Service Learning is a program in which students not only take part in community service opportunities, but also apply the knowledge gained from this experience in everyday situations. According to the National Service Learning Exchange, �Service Learning is a method of teaching that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools or communities through careful integration with academic curriculum.� Service Learning can either be incorporated into another class or can be taken alone. GST 302 Service Learning is a 1-credit course. There are over 130 Service-Learning placement sites to choose from. The requirements for GST 302 are to complete a minimum of 20 hours of service, submit three written assignments and journals, and to participate in three discussion groups. Service Learning and Community Service are great ways to reach out into the community and also bring together students of SUNY Oswego. Through these various programs, volunteers truly do impact the community while bettering themselves in the process. To find out more about these and other volunteer opportunities, visit the Center for Service Learning and Community Service in 217 Hewitt Union or go online to: www.oswego.edu/commserv. The Office of Transfer Services is dedicated to improving the academic and social experience of all transfer students. Through collaboration with our regional community colleges and SUNY Oswego�s faculty and staff, the Office of Transfer Services aims to provide programs and initiatives that will ease the transition process for transfer students, improve academic performance and learning as well as create opportunities for social interaction and growth. Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible. -- Frank Gaines (Forbes)