Southeast Missouri State University will celebrate its third annual Transfer Pride Week across campus Jan. 27-31.
Transfer Pride Week underscores the Universitys ongoing commitment to helping community college students plan a pathway to success. The week highlights and recognizes transfer students in the Southeast community. Transfer students are encouraged to pick up special Transfer Pride Week passports from the Office of Admissions or the Office of Residence Life. Students are encouraged to collect stamps at various events and offices across campus throughout the week. Passports will also be available at each event, and can be turned in by 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, to the Office of Residence Life to be entered into a drawing for Southeast swag.
The weeks events will include:
Snack and Activities in the Crisp Museum
Jan. 27, 2-5 p.m., Crisp Museum, 518 S. Fountain St.
Explore historical and artistic exhibits at the Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Museum at Southeasts River Campus. Visitors can paint ceramic tiles and enjoy complimentary snacks.
Make Your Mark in the Dome
Jan. 28, 4-7 p.m., Academic Hall
Meet with University faculty and staff, including Southeast President Carlos Vargas, and sign your name in the Academic Hall dome while you enjoy complimentary appetizers.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner
Jan. 29, 5 p.m., Show Me Center
Complimentary tickets are available to transfer student who would like to attend the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner at the Show Me Center. Angela Davis, an American political activist, academic and author will present the keynote address. The theme for this years dinner will be Women in Action: Pursuing the Dream. To reserve a ticket, email awisker@semo.edu.
Photo Booth and T-Shirt Giveaway
Jan. 30, 1-3 p.m., Kent Library
Visit a photo booth on the first floor of Kent Library wearing a T-shirt from a previous college or university and get a before picture taken, then choose Southeast props and receive a free Southeast T-shirt for an after photo.
Redhawk Gymnastics Meet
Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m., Houck Field House
Support the Redhawksgymnastics team as they take on Illinois State University. Student tickets are free with valid Southeast ID.
Transfer Pride Week is also an opportunity to celebrate the success of Southeasts Transfer Mentor Program. Launched in 2017, the program enhances transfer students transition to Southeast early on to complete their degree.
The free program helps community college students plan and track their degree program at Southeast from their very first semester of college. As part of the program, students have access to academic advising at Southeast and Southeasts web-based degree management system while still a community college student.
The program currently has partnerships with The Borough of Manhattan Community College in New York, New York; Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri; Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri; Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois; and Three Rivers College (TRC) in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Since its launch, 289 students have participated in the program.
The program works well, and students are more successful because Southeast is providing advising access and resources before students transfer, said Brooke Lockhart, assistant director of admissions at Southeast.
The program connects students with a mentor on our campus much earlier so we can begin building a relationship with them, she said. The advising tools and the transfer mentor relationship help them get to know us better and feel at ease when it is time to transfer. We also provide one-on-one advising appointments for students, and our transfer mentors have completed Master Advisor training and are fully equipped and knowledgeable to provide advising information.
Elementary education major Rhonda Heaton said the program was very beneficial, and her Southeast advisors were extremely helpful in guiding her through the transfer process from TRC to Southeast.
The program and Pauletta Burns (coordinator of academic and student services at Southeasts Poplar Bluff Delivery Site at TRC) took the time to help me get my classes and credits correct, and help me through every step of the way, said Heaton of Wapapello, Missouri. To do it on my own would have taken so much more time, but her knowledge helped me to focus on my work and school. Southeast and Pauletta made sure my time at TRC was more cost efficient and my credits transferred over and would benefit me more at Southeast.
Jefferson College student Landon Swallow said knowing his community college classes will count towards his degree when he transfers to Southeast next fall is a high priority for him ultimately reaching his goals.
The transfer mentor program has really helped me track the progress of my degree, he said. The program has also made me more relaxed knowing that Im already working with Southeast and on pace with his academic degree program when he transfers. I like looking (online in DegreeWorks) after each semester and seeing my progress bar increase, knowing I am getting closer to getting my degree.
Additionally, community college partners provide official transcripts each semester at no cost to participating Transfer Mentor Program students.
The program is truly unique because of the transcript sharing that happens between the participating institutions, and all program participants have access to an online degree audit, Lockhart said. Students can easily access their four-year plan at any time to check progress or consider other majors. When they are ready to transfer, Southeast has everything on file and the admission process goes much quicker.