Meet Cooper Sago, a transfer student from Desloge, MO!

Cooper transferred to Missouri State University from Mineral Area College. Cooper is pursuing the Design/Graphic Design program at Missouri State University.

When asked why Cooper chose to transfer to Missouri State University, Cooper said, “My brother went to MSU and had an enjoyable experience. He now lives in Springfield, so I was able to have a family connection while living 3 hours away from home.”

Cooper says that moving away from home was the most challenging part of the transfer experience. “I lived at home while going to MAC, so going from living at home to an environment where I didn’t know many people was challenging. These feelings come back occasionally, but I’m able to push through and keep going.” Cooper says that the, “MSU faculty and staff were all very friendly and open to help with the process”, which made it easier to get acclimated to Missouri State University and Springfield. Cooper says, “Springfield is a fun place with lots of things to do and ways to get involved.”

Cooper’s advice for a new transfer student would be to know that “things will get better. The stress will go away, and you’ll get into a routine that will feel like a new normal. Open yourself up, talk with people, and try to make friends.” Cooper cautions that students should “know their limits and take breaks when needed.”

Cooper would like to take this opportunity to give a shout-out to the people who have supported Cooper the most during Cooper’s transfer process at Missouri State. Cooper would like to give a shout-out to, “my family, including my parents, aunts, cousins, and grandparents. Sarah Wood (my RA) and floormates, as well as Erin Sandra, a Design professor, were extremely helpful when I arrived at Missouri State and helped with the anxiety and stress I felt.”

Meet Devynn LeJeune, a transfer student from Lees Summit, Missouri!

Devynn transferred to Missouri State University from St. Louis Community College. Devynn is pursing the English/Literature major with a minor in Creative Writing, as well as an undergraduate certificate in Intercultural Communications.

When asked why Devynn chose to transfer to Missouri State University, Devynn said, “The English program was a huge draw. I heard a lot about the quality of the program from my advisors at Meramec, as well as from my uncle, Ben, who was also a transfer student at MSU. The tuition is a huge plus, as well.”

Devynn says the most challenging part of transferring to Missouri State University was the “realization that I was fully on my own and responsible for myself. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was a challenge, but it has been the biggest transition.” Devynn says that the people at Missouri State University have helped with this transition, though. “Being around motivated people who clearly care about and enjoy what they are learning and/or teaching has been incredibly inspiring.”

Devynn’s advice for a new transfer student is to put yourself out there. Devynn says, “I stepped out of my comfort zone to join student organizations and introduce myself to others. It can be intimidating, but doing those things has allowed me to meet people and take part in opportunities that have allowed me to have an enjoyable first few weeks.”

Devynn would like to use this opportunity to give a shoutout to someone who has been instrumental in Devynn’s academic life: Professor Hamilton, a Composition professor at St. Louis Community College. Devynn says Professor Hamilton has, “inspired me to want to become a Literature professor.” Professor Hamilton has also, “pushed me to apply for scholarships and other opportunities, including opportunities that have allowed me to share my research on a national level.” Devynn expresses sincere gratitude for Professor Hamilton’s continued support.

Meet Maddy Fisher, a transfer student from Olathe, KS!

Maddy transferred to Missouri State University from the University of Northern Iowa. Maddy is pursuing the Individualized Major at Missouri State University, as well as the Dance major.

When asked why Maddy chose to transfer to Missouri State University, Maddy said, “I felt isolated and stuck at my previous school. It is a great school, but I realized it wasn’t a great fit for me. Missouri State offered more of the extracurriculars that I wanted to participate in, and had a lot of variety/opportunities to get involved both inside and outside of the classroom.”

Maddy says the most challenging part of the transfer process was leaving behind the friends she had made at her previous institution and trying to make new friends at Missouri State University, “especially ones with similar schedules.” Now that Maddy is in her second year at Missouri State University, Maddy has since been able to join several student organizations and has made a lot of friends at Missouri State University, which has helped, “make Missouri State feel like home. The feeling of being at home and having a place that you look forward to coming back to is the best feeling.”

Maddy’s advice for a new transfer student would be to, “Get involved! Everyone says this, but getting involved on campus is the best thing you can do. You don’t have to join every organization, but even studying in the library or taking workout classes at Foster Rec can make campus more enjoyable.”

Maddy would like to use this opportunity to give a shoutout to the people who played a key role in Maddy’s transfer process. Maddy says her friends and family were a huge part of her support system. Maddy’s friends at UNI, as well as her brother, Taber, and sister-in-law, Tippy, “listened to me, even though they weren’t going through this themselves.” Maddy’s friends, Anna and Mindy, were also a large part of Maddy’s support system. Anna, “talked with me and was someone who could understand what I was going through”, while Mindy, “was already attending MSU and helped answer so many questions about the campus and Springfield in general.” Maddy would also like to give a shoutout to a few members of Missouri State University’s faculty and staff. Maddy says Campbell Keele “helped me feel at home at Missouri State”, while Ross Hawkins “helped me understand the academic side of transferring”. Maddy’s final shoutout goes to Professor Sarah Wilcoxon, for, “helping me find another reason to want to stay at Missouri State, especially with Dance”. Maddy would like to save the best shoutout for last and thank her parents for their continuous support.

Meet Damon Hedgpeth, a transfer student from Springfield, MO!

Damon transferred to Missouri State University from Ozarks Technical Community College-Springfield campus. Damon is pursuing the Recording Arts Undergraduate Certificate at Missouri State University.

When asked why Damon chose to transfer to Missouri State University, Damon said, “The music program and the opportunity to be a part of the marching band were my reasons for transferring. The music program at Missouri State is excellent.”

Damon says the most challenging part of transferring to Missouri State was transferring early. Damon participated in opportunities with the Music Department at Missouri State while attending OTC and knew very early on that Missouri State would be the next stop on Damon’s academic journey, so, “gathering information early and knowing who to talk with got complicated at times.” Because Damon was travelling between institutions for a couple of years, Damon says the most enjoyable part of transferring to Missouri State University has been the “reduced travel time and having everything in one place.”

Damon’s advice for a new transfer student would be to, “try not to get overwhelmed with the influx of information you’ll receive. Read everything 2-3 times.”

Damon would like to use this opportunity to give a shoutout to the people who helped the most with Damon’s transfer process, including Damon’s family and Donna Rebmann, our MSU-OTC Transfer Specialist. Damon’s family and Donna were “a big help” and made transferring to Missouri State much easier.

Meet Mika Shipman, a transfer student from Park Hills, MO!

Mika transferred to Missouri State University from Missouri Baptist University and Mineral Area College. Mika is pursuing the Middle School Education/Science program at Missouri State University.

When asked why Mika chose to transfer to Missouri State University, Mika said, “I was always interested in Missouri State. Then, my sister chose to go to MSU, and that became a large factor in my decision to transfer.”

Mika says there were two challenging aspects of transferring to Missouri State: 1) the different technologies used, “such as going from using Canvas to using Blackboard”, and 2) “finding my place as a transfer student”. Mika credits Hall Council and the Foster Rec Center with allowing her to find people with similar interests and passions, including being active and involved at Missouri State University. Mika says finding those people has been the most enjoyable aspect of the transfer experience.

Mika’s advice for a new transfer student would be to not “let the thought of transferring and being involved scare you. Although it can feel like you’ve missed out on opportunities from the first two years, there are still so many opportunities to get involved on campus.”

Mika would like to use this opportunity to give a shoutout to the people who played an important role in Mika’s transfer process-her family. Mika says her family, “has always been supportive of my decisions and helped me out by being my cheer squad.” Mika would like to give a special shoutout to her sister, Lynzie, and says, “Being able to have Lynzie as my roommate has helped me not feel as homesick. Having Lynzie around helps me stay up-to-date on what’s going on campus-wide and having her help me navigate the transfer process was so beneficial.”