National Transfer Student Week, running Oct. 20 to 24, celebrates that around one out of every three Oswego students comes in as a transfer and offers a variety of events and opportunities to learn more about transfer stories.

The university’s Advisement Center kicks off the week with a Transfer Student Appreciation Grab n’ Go event, providing free coffee and snacks for transfer students from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Oct. 20. All transfers are invited to stop by 202 Marano Campus Center to grab coffee, tea and/or baked goods, and to stop and talk if they want. An optional transfer registration advising session will be available for students with questions or seeking guidance.

A Transfer Student Pop Culture Trivia event will take place at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, in 225 Marano Campus Center. The event will feature prizes, pizza, snacks and an opportunity to network with other transfers.

Transfer Student Board Game Day, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, will provide board games to play, although transfers are welcome to bring their own as well. Unfolding in 256 Marano Campus Center, the event will also feature pizza, salad, cookies and beverages on top of the fun, friendly competition.

For more information on these events or ways transfer students can thrive, contact Sean Milligan, transfer student success coordinator in the Advisement Center, via email, sean.milligan@oswego.edu.

Transfer success stories

Oswego’s transfer students come from many other institutions and states, sometimes with associate’s degrees (especially from other SUNYs), and sometimes with non-traditional paths, but find Oswego a destination where they feel supported, encouraged and valued.

A meteorology major from Queens, who also has spent time working in Oregon, Sy Sosa Medina transferred from CUNY Kingsborough Community College with an associate’s degree in Earth and planetary sciences. Sosa Medina chose Oswego because of its well-regarded meteorology program’s opportunities, including student forecasting and storm chasing.

“While working in the mountains of Oregon, I fell in love with the sky, and hope to share that admiration and awe with the public as an educator or researcher in the field,” Sosa Medina said. “I’ve gotten close with my professors, and look forward to taking classes with them in the near future.”

Coming in as a non-traditional student, Sosa Medina has found SUNY Oswego exceeding expectations, joining the Meteorology and Geology clubs, Equestrian Team, Student Engagement and Leadership's Leadership Development Program and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP).

“Being able to join many clubs and organizations this semester has been incredibly helpful in building a supportive network,” Sosa Medina said. “Professors are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their fields, and are very welcoming and supportive after class and during office hours. While making the move upstate and transferring as a non-traditional student was challenging and a little spooky, I know I’ve made the right decision -- and feel right at home as a Meteorology student at SUNY Oswego.”

Another non-traditional student thriving is Jordyn Enrile, an information science major who transferred from Onondaga Community College with an associate’s degree but “ready for a bigger campus experience — something that would challenge me and help me take the next step toward my long-term goals.”

“My experience at Oswego has been incredibly meaningful and supportive. I’m a mom of two kids, a caretaker for my mother, and a wife — so life is definitely busy!” Enrile said. “When I first started at Oswego, I was actually pregnant with my second child, and I wasn’t sure how I’d manage school on top of everything else. But the community here really stepped up for me.”

With an interest in “how information connects people” and an interest in a master’s in library and information science after earning an Oswego degree, Enrile also enjoys the support of SUNY Oswego’s ACE (Advancing Completion through Engagement) program, which has provided “structure and guidance” and a sense of community.

“From the moment I transferred, I felt welcomed and supported,” Enrile said. “I’ve met other students who are juggling work, family, and school, and it’s been encouraging to share that journey. Being a Laker, to me, means perseverance and community. It’s about knowing that even when things get hectic — between classes, kids, and caregiving — there’s always someone here ready to help you keep moving forward.”

Connecting and communicating

A public relations major from New York Mills, Gianna LaBella, transferred to Oswego from Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica with an associate’s degree in digital media and marketing. The PR major “appealed to my own skills, which were all types of media, communicating skills, and planning and advertising,” LaBella said.

“Since I have been at Oswego, I joined the Ice Skating Club and WTOP-10,” LaBella noted. “I operate cameras in and out of the studio during sports and productions, and I am learning other positions in the studio, and I am the current PR Manager on the club’s Communications board and I run a couple of our social media postings we have weekly.” 

LaBella also ran camera for the first-ever TEDx Oswego event in the spring, offering a lineup of inspiring speakers. LaBella enjoyed a great start thanks to excellent orientation and advisement once becoming a Laker.

“My advisor at the time entering the school was Andrew Buchmann, and he was always happy to answer my endless questions and concerns as a transfer and a new student to campus,” LaBella recalled. “I think joining a club that helped my interests was another big help in finding my place at oswego. It helped me to make friends, memories and new connections.”

A psychology major from Central Square, Emily Colledge, transferred to Oswego from SUNY Fredonia after earning an associate’s degree in music from Onondaga Community College. Oswego was closer to home and seemed a better fit.

Also a member of the ACE program, Colledge joined the psychology honors program, Psi Chi psychology honors society and enjoyed the vibrant campus life and events like the Color Run/Walk and Great Pumpkin Run. 

“I had a great support system when transitioning to being a Laker,” Colledge said. “My family was very supportive, first and foremost. In addition, I have had wonderful advisors from the very start. This includes my transfer advisor, major and minor advisors, as well as my ACE advisor.”

A broadcasting major and student-athlete from Manhattan, Azariah Raveneau transferred to Oswego from Onondaga Community College. 

“I decided to come to Oswego mainly because of soccer, but I also visited friends who live in the area, and I liked what I saw, which convinced me to come here even more,” Raveneau recalled. The broadcasting major came “because I want to be a sports broadcaster one day, talking about the big games on the big stage.”

“My time at Oswego has been good so far. I'm on the men's soccer team, which has gotten me a lot closer to people, which is good as a transfer student,” Raveneau said. “I feel very supported being part of the ACE program. They have little seminars that teach us about life as a student, and I can always go to them when I need some help.”

Watch SUNY Oswego's social media channels for features and highlights during National Transfer Student Week.