Drexel Transfer Student Association Helps Foster Community

Drexel Transfer Student Association Helps Foster Community

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Transfer students can come to Drexel University from nearby community colleges or faraway universities, and with just a handful of credits or enough to skip a couple years. But what do they do when they get here? And more importantly, who do they find along the way?

A group of transfer students found each other through their transfer-specific UNIV 101 class, where they bonded over their backgrounds and feeling a little out of place at a new school. They came from different backgrounds - some having earned an associate's degree, or starting at one university that wasn't the right fit, or using the Drexel Promise - but shared the want for community. Once the class was over, though, Genesis Steliga Padilla, behavioral economics '26, wanted to keep the connection going.

"It helped foster that initial connection, but we realized there was a need for something to help us as we exit that class," Francie Miller, accounting '26, said.

Lke Steliga Padilla, Marcus Phelps, real estate management and development '26, graduated from the Community College of Philadelphia and began at Drexel in the spring of 2024, thanks to the Drexel Promise. Getting into Drexel was smooth, he said, but once he arrived, the journey became a little rough.

"There wasn't much of a community at the time," Phelps said. "You're obviously older than the new admission students, and I missed Welcome Week, so I didn't get to meet anybody. But even then, enrichment programs and information are often geared towards freshmen, so it was hard to get into clubs. You get transferred, you go through admissions, you get your classes and then you get thrown to the wolves. Winter quarter was when I finally started meeting people."

Networking was a big need among the transfer students; they wanted to be able to share what they'd learned about transferring credits over, classes they've taken, résumé tips, how to get scholarships and how the co-op system works. Steliga Padilla and her group of friends were shocked to learn there wasn't already a group for this, so they created one - the Drexel Transfer Student Association (DTSA).

Phelps and Steliga Padilla worked hard in the fall of 2024 to get the club officially established and meet with others, including Lia Lehman, accounting '26, who became the chief of staff. Though the club was created in December 2024, they're under a probationary period for 18 months to get officially recognized by the Student Resource Organization Center (SORC). In the meantime, they're taking leadership classes, fundraising and hosting events to build their community.

"We want to provide networking, extra advising and a safe place to come for support and feel a common area with everybody else," Steliga Padilla said. "The purpose is to foster mentorship and community among the new transfer students who need more support and guidance because we do need more support and guidance."

A lot of the members of the DTSA's leadership are from the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business, so they want to focus on diversifying the board in the coming year. Several are graduating in 2026, so they won't see the club become officially recognized, but they want to make sure it lives on. There are currently about 70 members, and the DTSA leadership has been recruiting more members at New Dragon Days, involvement fairs and even classes. Above all, the DTSA wants transfer students to get involved - however they can.

"Drexel can be hard, so we're trying to bond as much as we can," Steliga Padilla said. "We want to learn from each other. We know what classes are best for transfer students, or what majors are going to get you far. Communicating with each other is so important."

Speaking of helping each other, here are the resources that DTSA members recommend transfer students to use to make the most of their college experience.

Patrick McGonigal Academic Resource Center and DegreeWorks

Lia Lehman: My academic adviser was amazing and had really solid academic advice and helped me figure out transferring my credits. I had about 70 credits transfer, so I pretty much knocked out my first two years here. I've used the Academic Resource Center as well, and DegreeWorks [an online tool that allows you to track your progress towards the completion of your degree program] is helpful for making class schedules.

Steinbright Career Development Center

Marcus Phelps: Steinbright has been so useful. When I went to a résumé workshop, they took the old one and chopped it up and tore it apart into a totally new thing, so now I know what people are looking for in a résumé and can help other transfer students and direct them to that resource.

Intensive Course Abroad (ICA)

Francie Miller: I would suggest transfer students do an ICA. Mine was the highlight of my time at Drexel. I had an extra business elective, so my adviser recommended an ICA. It was about economic landscapes, so half the class went to Florence (where I went) and half went to Barcelona for nine days and had to do a project afterwards.

It was a lot of work hard, play hard. We would have class in the morning or afternoon, and then you were free to explore. It was a really cool opportunity.

Center for Inclusive Education and LeBow BRIDGE

Genesis Steliga Padilla: I'm part of the CIES (Center for Inclusive Education and Scholarship). They help underrepresented students, like first generation students like myself, and offer resources like financial counseling and additional assistance, like free printing, student advocacy, peer mentorship and networking. Marcus and I are also both part of the (LeBow) BRIDGE program. This is similar to CIES, but they provide networking, mentoring and a learning community for first generation students in LeBow.