Post author Katherine Foley is gameday operations intern for Syracuse’s women’s club hockey team. Courtesy photo
As a transfer student, there is a heightened feeling of uncertainty when entering a new school. Though you have already completed what many deem the most challenging year of adjustment, freshman year, you are now faced with another brand-new environment, but this time surrounded by loads of strangers who already know everyone and everything, or so it seems.
To put it plainly, in the months leading up to my first semester as a transfer student at Syracuse University, I was petrified. I was worried about how my transition would go, if I would make any friends, if I would succeed in my classes, and a plethora of other overwhelming thoughts.
After recently completing my first semester at Syracuse, I can very safely say that these worries and anxieties have been put to rest completely. My time here has been filled with opportunity, joy, and support. I have been able to get involved on campus and have created meaningful relationships with those around me.
FACULTY RELATIONSHIPS
Sophomore Katherine Foley
One of the main aspects of my time at Syracuse that I think has undoubtedly attributed to my success and happiness here are the strong bonds I have been able to form with my professors, career advisors, and my dean.
The faculty go above and beyond to ensure success both in and out of the classroom for all students. It is a really great feeling, especially coming from someone who has the tendency to get homesick, to have a strong support system of educated, passionate, and caring individuals leading you in the classroom.
I have formed great relationships with various members of the career center, such as Alicin Welsh and Emily Shaughnessy, and Interim Dean Alex McKelvie at the Whitman School of Management. They truly care about my well-being and push all students to their highest personal levels of success.
Being so involved within the career center has also enabled me to take advantage of a number of great growth opportunities, such as the Business Analytics in the Big Apple trip. This trip was one of the many career exploration trips offered, in which students are given a real glimpse into the world of business in their respective fields through a four-day stay in New York City filled with company visits, Q&A sessions, and alumni networking events.
I was also a member of the Design Your Future Career program this past fall, where a small group of my peers and I met weekly with career advisors to learn more about professional presentation, interviewing skills, and resume and cover letter workshops. This was another great experience of growth in my academic and career preparation.
MAKING TIME FOR FUN!
While it is easy to let academic pursuits overload your schedule, it is also extremely important and accessible to have fun here at Syracuse! I have gotten involved in many different types of extracurricular activities so far, and it really makes the experience all the more enjoyable to have other things on campus to look forward to each week.
I was recently selected as President of the Retail Club in Whitman, and my time so far as a member of the club has been nothing short of amazing. I am really excited to work alongside such a strong group of my peers who share such similar passions as I do!
I am also a gameday operations intern for the women’s club hockey team, where I am able to act as an extra set of hands on gameday and assist on whatever tasks need assistance, such as running the scoreboard or playing DJ for an evening. I grew up playing hockey, so being able to still incorporate this passion into my time here has been fulfilling!
Katherine Foley, center, has kept busy with a number of clubs and extracurriculars during her first semester as a transfer student. Courtesy photo
One additional group I am a part of here is the SUNY ESF bass fishing club team, which has been a fun experience to really step out of my usual comfort zone. Many do not know, but ESF students are allowed to join our Syracuse University clubs and vice versa, so I am actually the sole Syracuse student involved in this organization, but it has been very rewarding to be surrounded by a great group of individuals who have knowledge and tactics pertaining to fishing to share.
Outside of these examples, I am a member of Whitman Women in Business, Fetch Collective, and a tutor for the Syracuse University Literacy Corps where I spend two days a week at East Syracuse Elementary School and work with the children on various subjects.
WORDS TO THE FUTURE TRANSFER STUDENT
To the person who is likely sitting at the Common App transfer portal staring aimlessly at the screen and contemplating whether or not it is the right decision to make the switch, you can do it. It is easy to stay stagnant and comfortable, but it is really life changing to take a leap of faith.
If you had told me six months ago that I would be in the most positive headspace I have ever been in, I would have genuinely laughed in your face. I have grown more than I knew was imaginable in these past few months, both as a student and as an individual. I have found such pride in who I am and my abilities and am very grateful to the people at Syracuse for this newfound positive spirit. Everyone offered their utmost consideration and friendliness in a time of unknown and I look forward to continuing to experience this same care for the remainder of my college years and beyond.
Author Katherine Foley is a sophomore external transfer student at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University majoring in Supply Chain and Retail Management. Katherine is from Fairfield, Connecticut and is involved in many activities including Whitman Women in Business, Fetch Collective, the Retail Club, and she tutors elementary school students through a literacy initiative on campus.
About the Martin J. Whitman School of Management: The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University inspires students for a world of accelerating change. Offering B.S., MBA, M.S., and Ph.D. programs, all accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Whitman School’s faculty includes internationally known scholars and researchers, as well as successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. Whitman continues to be ranked among the nation’s top business schools by U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek. To learn more about the Whitman School of Management, visit Whitman.syracuse.edu.
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