Bradley’s transfer student program will be undergoing a few changes in the next year.
“Currently we have an orientation that takes place during Welcome Week that’s geared to explain resources and services on campus,” said Joyce Shotick, the executive director of student development and health services. “Last January, student aides had an opportunity to interact with upperclassmen, give tours and see student insights.”
Shotick also said there is an EHS 120 class available for transfer students only during their first semesters at Bradley.
“It’s different [than the EHS class freshmen take],” she said. “It doesn’t offer as much assistance but caters to transfer students with topics such as how to research in Bradley’s library.”
Sophomore advertising major Bronson Good said he transferred to Bradley in the fall and attended the EHS class for transfer students.
“I didn’t find it very helpful,” he said. “It’s good that they’re changing it, hopefully more transfer students will be able to benefit from it.”
Shotick said one of the things she wants to add to the transfer orientation program is a Webster tutorial.
“I’d like to show them how to register for classes, since Webster is different from what they’ve used before,” she said. “This will mirror freshmen orientation because they will be on campus to learn this. It will be much more personable and engaging for students, faculty and staff.”
Shotick also said she wants the Transfer and Admissions Department to be a service for referral to appropriate resources.
“We’re the first people at Bradley they see because of orientation,” she said. “They should feel comfortable asking us questions.”
Good said he found his peers more helpful than the admissions and transfer programs.
“It was easier to ask them questions than to call up a faculty member for every little thing,” he said. “But I guess not everyone who transfers into Bradley knows someone they can ask.”
Shotick said Bradley is working on attracting transfer students from community colleges and acclimating them from being non-residents to the experience of campus life.
“A vast majority are from community colleges, mostly ICC,” she said. “Some live in apartments, others commute and some choose to live in singles, not so much the residence halls.”
She said the Admissions Office is trying to make a mentor system for those who transfer in from out of town institutions. They would be paired with upperclassmen that know their way around Bradley and the Peoria area.
“We get around 300 transfer students a year,” Shotick said. “There are probably 600 transfer students at Bradley currently, which makes up about 10 percent of the student population. If they’re outgoing they will approach faculty. Most don’t, so we want them to matriculate into activities and get involved. We want to make sure the ones who don’t get involved have at least this office for someone to assist them.”
