As part of the Transfer Initiative the Transfer Center recently hosted its second annual Transfer Achievement Dinner on Friday, May 20 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the Fireside Dining Room. The event is designed to bring awareness to transfer and to continue to build the culture of transfer at Skyline College. More specifically, the evening highlights the success of Skyline College students who have been accepted and are transferring to a 4-year college or university this coming fall 2016. In the weeks leading up to the event many students shared with us that they were excited and happy to see that they will be able to celebrate with their family and classmates their transfer success.
With over 130 students and families attending to celebrate this major accomplishment, the event was well attended. Attendees had the opportunity to meet with fellow transfer students. The evening’s program included inspirational stories and advice from a student guest speaker, the Dean of Counseling, and the San Francisco State Transfer Articulation Bridge Program instructor, Paul Mendez, who received a Certificate of Appreciation for his years of dedication to Skyline College students. Additionally, for the first time, the Transfer Center awarded Transfer Recognition Cords for students to wear while attending commencement. These cords symbolize their efforts and success toward transfer.
Feedback from both students and parents was overwhelmingly positive. Many students shared their appreciation and excitement for the event. One parent said that this was the first time he had attended a transfer recognition event and found it to be very meaningful to him and his family. Another student expressed their excitement to be participating in the event since they were not earning an associate degree, “this is my way of celebrating my transfer accomplishments with my family.”
With that, the Transfer Center would like to thank the staff and Student Ambassadors Ashely Cabrera, Allyson Roa, and Nu Nu N-Dwang for assisting with the preparation and set-up. Thanks to Pacific Dining Services for providing our menu for the evening. A special thanks to Forest Jensen for playing the piano and providing us with the entertainment. And thank you to William Nazcouzi for documenting our evening by taking photos of the event. Thank you to our guest speakers, Jessca Gonzales, Vanessa Aragon, and Dr. Luis Escobar.
We are looking forward to hosting the event again next year for our next round of transfer students.
Article by Michele Haggar | Photographs by William Nazcouzi