Many transfer students around the University of Tennessee campus seem to share similar opinions when they talk about becoming socially acclimated to UT. 

"The social arenas for [transfer students] are sort of like an ‘academic supplement', as long as we receive a little help, we simply will get by and that's it," said graduating senior, Tynesha Davis.

Even though there are thousands of activities and events yearly, and hundreds of organizations in which to get involved in, many transfer students still find themselves lost in the transfer process when meeting their fellow Volunteers.

"I like UT, but I thought the transition could have been better," said Mary Anderson, junior. "I had no idea what to do, and I felt more like a number instead of an actual student."

In a coordinating effort to act as a home-base for resources, the offices of Student Orientation and Leadership Development, Student Activities and the Dean of Students host many events in the first weeks of the fall semester.

These offices provide the first-year students with many tools for success during those weeks like Welcome Week, Light the Torch and Life at Mind.  Also, the First Year Studies 101 class is offered to help freshmen with study skills and give guidance on how to utilize all the resources on campus.

"There really is no advocate for the transfer students unlike the freshmen who have actual structures setup for them." Anton Reece, Director of Student Activities.

All of these structures give first-year students the opportunity to get involved with their fellow freshmen, but this does not help the transfer students who have already gone through their first year of college and have different needs.

"Transfer students are students who enter the University of Tennessee with at least 30 hours of college credit and are not classified as an Adult Student," states SOLDs transfer student orientation website.

With this classification, transfer students clearly would have different needs than traditional freshmen and adult students. 

"The transfer students' comments are hitting the nail on the head when it comes down to the University's programming directed to transfer students," said J.J. Brown, Associate Dean of Students. "They just don't exist."

As many of transfer students have expressed, a Transfer Student Success Center or a Welcome Week directed to all who are students at UT for the first time might be the trick.

Transfer students need and want help like the rest of the student body gets. They just don't know where to look for it.