Origionally from Nigeria, Oremosu came to the United States to study through a Visa.  He started at the University of Houston but the travel proved to be a challenge.  ”The commercial buses won’t reach my apaprtment… I was getting late to class and always tired.”  His advisor talked to him about transferring to a closer option, Houston Community College, which turned out to be a great opportunity.

While there Oremosu was invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, which helped him get scholarships to the University of Texas – Pan American and help make the transfer process easy.  ”Phi Theta Kappa encouraged me in making quick decisions and my transition easier.  It boosted my courage and reduced a lot of burden.”

He currently majors in Electrical Engineering and will graduate in December of 2011.

His advice to other international students?  ”Try to have a prior understanding of the potential college.”, he says.  His advisors at both community college and the university were essential to the transfer as well as support from Phi Theta Kappa.

His last word of advice, “Be focused and hardworking.  Sometimes along the line unexpected help might come.”

A junior accounting major, he hopes to eventually become a partner after completing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Lamar University.

“It’s been great. I’m learning about business. I’m learning about myself. One of the senior partners is a Lamar University graduate. He’s been working with me a lot, teaching me about business and coaching me along the way,” Vernon said.

Not all of the jobs Vernon has held since graduating from Memorial High School have related as directly to his long-term goals. After high school, Vernon started going to welding school at night while working as a welder during the day.

He saved his money and enrolled full time at Tyler Junior College. The money didn’t stretch as far as he had hoped. After two semesters he was back home, getting certified in combination welding and going back to work as a welder while going to school at Lamar State College-Port Arthur and San Jacinto College to become a certified welding inspector. “Toward the end, I decided I can’t keep doing this. I don’t want to work outside in the heat. I didn’t know I wanted to do accounting yet, but I knew I had a knack for business,” Vernon said.

He completed a degree at Lamar State College-Port Arthur and transferred to Lamar University. He decided to major in accounting because of his strong performance in his first two accounting classes and the encouragement of Ann Watkins, chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law.

Vernon cites the approachability and availability of faculty and staff as one of his favorite things about Lamar University. “I believe when people see someone who is driven and ambitious and has a well-defined goal, people are eager and willing to help someone like that,” Vernon said.

Vernon expects to be the first in his family to graduate from college. In addition to pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting, he plans to complete his MBA and Master of Science in Accounting degrees at Lamar University. He credits God and his mother as two of the reasons he has achieved what he has so far. “The work ethic and discipline she instilled in us as children at that age has undoubtedly made an impact.”

Army Sgt. Maj. Chris Gunn, a sergeant major for the 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Armored Division, put  academics on hold at Middle Georgia College when he joined the Army.

He left his home in Warner Robins, Ga., and joined the military. As he rose in rank and responsibility, he saw the world – and the benefits of an academic education.

Gunn took some online classes but his academic breakthrough was being selected in 2008 to attend the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas. The nine-month program trains top non-commissioned officers in the U.S.military and foreign countries.

While at the academy, he met a representative from The University of Texas at El   guided him to earn a bachelor’s in multidisciplinary studies in spring 2009.  UTEP personnel encouraged him to register for the master’s in leadership studies hybrid program (half face-to-face, half online). He earned his hood in May 2010.

“The Army wants critical, creative thinkers. (Its leaders) want us to be able to perform outside our comfort zone,” he said.  “It’s amazing how school has opened my eyes and made me more analytical.”

He suggests transfer students keep their options open and keep their eyes on the broader horizon.

Gunn said his ability to tie his Army training and academic education has given him a broader perspective in numerous areas including business and culture that will make him a better military leader and a more marketable civilian.

She decided to go Panola Junior College and get an Associate Degree of Science before transferring on to the University of Texas – Pan American for a Bachelors Degree in Manufacturing Engineering.  ”I had better opportunities starting at a Junior College,” she says. “More scholarships available, smaller class sizes, more one-to-one interaction, and a smaller community.  It was easy to make friends and interact with them.”

The difficulty transferring lied within the paperwork.  ”It took longer and I had to obtain a new visa.” says Cynthia.  The culture change also proved to be an unusual challenge.  Starting in East Texas and then going to South Texas she had to learn ‘Texas culture’ twice!  ”In East Texas I got used to the cowboys.  When I moved to South Texas I learned all about the Hispanic culture.  It took me awhile to get used to it but now I love it!”

Speaking of culture change, “It was harder to interact with other people and make friends” she says.  The international office helped her with those challenges.  ”It had some events, trips, and meetings which helped a lot.”  Now she has a campus job and gets involved in engineering organizations and Intramural Sports to help meet people.

Cynthia’s advice to other international students?  Prepare early.  ”Take classes which are prerequisites for the major you are planning because you will lose time if you don’t have those when you begin at the University.”  And on a broader level, “being international, you can go to any four year university you want, so it is really important to do your research about the school and the area.”

“A lot of them wanted the American Dream,” he says. “But it was impossible for them. Yet here I am, able to take advantage of these things.”

So Dawson, who had been voted the student of the year by his peers at South Plains College, had a plan when he transferred to Texas State University upon his return from active duty.

“Dean’s list every semester,” says Dawson, who is the first member of his family to attend college. “Get involved as much as possible. Make the most of the college experience.”

From academics to involvement in Texas State’s mentoring program, Dawson indeed has made the most of his time at the university. He pledged a fraternity. He was part of the unique program that allows business students to manage a portion of the university’s endowment. He joined the University Ambassadors, an organization that promotes Texas State both on and off campus.

The finance major also found ways to make his experience richer off campus. He took part in the Texas State Study Abroad program, living with a family and studying business in Mexico, and he received a Fulbright grant to teach and do research in Spain.

“It’s turned out to be a dream come true,” he says of his time at Texas State. “I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Durga grew up in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, where he helped in his father’s textbook publishing business during school breaks. He was determined to attend a U.S. university. After scoring well on the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), he attended the University of South Alabama for one semester before transferring to Austin Community College.

Then Upon the recommendation of one of his professors at ACC, Durga visited Texas State and talked to current students. He decided it was the right place to complete his bachelor’s degree in computer science.

“The main reason I transferred to Texas State is the quality education” Durga says.

Staying in the Austin-San Antonio area allows Durga to continue his volunteer work with refugees from Bhutan, a small country east of Nepal in the Himalayas, helping them adapt to U.S. culture.

As for his own adjustment to Texas State, Pathak says, “The orientation was really helpful. My advisors and professors in the computer science department are very helpful and friendly.” He has one piece of advice for future transfer students: “Start your transfer process a little early.”

Transferring enriched his education experience more than Durga could have hoped for.  “It will be the best decision you’ve ever made.”

She chose to use her Post 9/11 GI Bill at Collin County Community College in order to stay close to her family, whom she had missed while on active duty. Once Caroline graduated with an Associate of Science in General Studies in December 2010, she decided that in order to achieve her ultimate educational goal, it was necessary to continue on to complete a Bachelor Degree in Geophysics. Caroline wanted to find a university that would have both a good academic program and a military friendly atmosphere.

Caroline decided to attend Texas Tech University, not only based on their outstanding reputation in the Geosciences and Engineering departments, but also because Texas Tech is rated among the top schools in the nation for providing military veterans the best experience possible. “I was lucky enough to find a school where there is an entire office devoted to veterans. Not only do they help with the red tape that often occurs with the GI Bill, but they also are there to make sure I am succeeding academically as well.”

Caroline is currently completing her Junior year, and is planning on attending Graduate School in August 2013. She is also serving as the Secretary of the Texas Tech Veterans Association on campus, an organization that is very involved in the community to promote patriotism and the understanding of Lubbock Veterans. Caroline enjoys each day that she can use her knowledge, skills, and experience that she acquired while serving in the Navy, as well as those that she gains while at Texas Tech to guide her on the path to success.

“I promised my mother I would complete my degree,” he says. “It was the only way to convince her to sign me into the Army when I was 17.”

William received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and is currently perusing a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration. But, he admits, the path to success is not always easy. “I was way behind in math and science,” he says. “UTSA has exceedingly gifted and patient tutors that helped me make the transition academically.”

After seeing other ex-military transfer students struggle with everything from transition between military/civilian lives to GI Bill payment delays or credit acceptance issues, William offers this advice: “You need to have a plan of attack from day one,” he says. “Contact the Student Veterans Association on your campus and ask for a mentor or sponsor.”

But the most important thing he says is to relax, enjoy your studies and participate in campus activities, especially the ones involving public service.  “We veterans tend to be very good at public service,” he says. “It’s how we were raised.”

“The educational benefits I received from the Veterans Benefits Administration and the State of Texas made it feasible for me to return to school,” he says. “I was not going to let that opportunity go to waste.”  In 2007, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mexican American Studies from UT San Antonio, then went on to receive a Masters of Arts in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies in 2011.

“It’s important to create a mentoring relationship with your instructors,” he says. “With the assistance of my professor, Dr. Josephina Mendez-Negrete, I knew I had selected the right university and the right field of study.”

The last piece of advice David has for future transfer students?  “Take your time. Research the colleges and universities you are interested in. Visit the campus when possible.  And talk to your academic advisor; they are there for you.”

Jeff knows that focusing on his GPA is the first step in being successful at UH.  He notes that, “it is easier to keep GPA high from the beginning.”  Before his transfer, he made sure that he would receive credit for the necessary courses and met with his advisors.

His recommendations are to, “get involved within the first two weeks and start networking and making friends.”  He did just that by joining Kappa Sigma fraternity and becoming an Orientation Leader.  To Jeff, college is more than just class; it is joining organizations and meeting new people that made him love UH even more.

In December 2011, Jeff will graduate with a Business Honors degree and plans to secure an internship in the summer to launch him into the workforce.