After transferring from Johnson County Community College, Steven quickly found his place at KU through clubs, connections and career-building opportunities.

Steven knew he wanted to eventually attend KU. His brother had gone to KU, as had some of his friends, but he wasn't sure what his own experience would look like when he transferred. 

The social side of transferring can be a little nerve-racking. Will you find friends and build a social circle? How do you get involved? 

Steven hit the ground running despite these concerns.

During his first year at KU, he got involved with TEDxKU, KU Marketing Club, Alpha Kappa Psi and the Undergraduate Business Council. 

He also took advantage of career fairs and networking events, including a School of Business Career Fair that helped him land a marketing internship at Basys in Lenexa, Kansas. There, he gained hands-on experience working with a marketing team and got a chance to put what he was learning at KU into practice.

Now entering his senior year as a marketing student in the KU School of Business, Steven has a simple message for other transfer students: Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Find opportunities to get involved, meet new people, and take advantage of everything KU has to offer.

Q: What were you most nervous about when you transferred to KU?

A: I was nervous about meeting people and finding places to fit in and get involved. The social aspect was the most intimidating part. 

I also didn't know what to expect from university-level classes. I wasn’t sure what big lectures would be like, if classes would be harder, if the professors would be different, stuff like that. 

Q: What was the transition to KU like outside of the classroom?

A: I transferred in as a junior, so I knew I wanted to get an apartment. My advice about housing is don’t wait until the last minute – we almost lost housing to mold but got lucky and found a different spot the Friday before classes started.

Living on my own is one of the things that has really helped me grow here. Living on your own, buying your own groceries, cooking your own food, having a routine, staying in the gym, cleaning your house or your apartment. 

It's kind of a push into adult life… with guardrails.

Q: What do you think makes KU welcoming for transfer students?

A: I think it’s important to know that KU is full of people that are trying to grow, and although it’s totally normal to feel anxious about the switch, we’re all in the same place with similar goals.

I’d say just be open to positive experiences… they’ll come!

Q: How did you find your community at KU?

A: I was lucky to have some friends living in Lawrence before I moved here, so I that helped me get my feet on the ground. I also made good friends in the organizations I joined and got to meet some awesome people around Lawrence.

I also met some great people during my classes, though. Those are some of the most valuable friendships that I’ve made, and some of the people I’ve got closest to.

Q: What helped you get involved when you first arrived?

A: I went to Union Fest, which was one of the biggest things that helped me get involved in a couple organizations. As a transfer student, you're completely brand new, so you don't even know what clubs there are. Union Fest helped bridge that gap. 

I also did a lot of research online, asked people what they were involved in, and attended career fairs as early as I could during my first couple of months here.  

Q: What’s the coolest thing you found at Union Fest? 

A: I got to meet people from KJHK, the KU radio station, and I got involved with that organization later in the year. If I hadn't met them there, I wouldn't have had the opportunities at KJHK that I had.

I got to perform some of my music on the radio, which was so much fun. 

Q: What organizations did you get involved with?

A: The first club that I joined was TEDxKU. I saw them at Union Fest and I'm a big TED fan from a young age. So, I was like, "Wow, this is the coolest thing ever. I'm going to be a part of TED."

I applied for the executive board and then I got an interview and then I got hired. I was responsible for maintaining the website and they let me get creative with the design, so it was just a lot of fun.

Then I got involved in Marketing Club. I’ve really enjoyed this club and I think it is super beneficial. They had a case competition that I competed in with some new people I hadn’t met before.

Although we lost that competition, I went back and watched the finalists give their presentations — which I know maybe sounds weird — but I think little stuff like that goes a long way with leadership, showing them that you want to be there. That’s what helped me get selected for KUMC’s national trip, which was an incredible experience I wouldn’t have had in community college. We traveled to San Francisco, visited marketing executives, and explored the area.  

Alpha Kappa Psi was probably the one I was involved in the most. It’s a business fraternity, which was new to me, but ended up being where I made the most friendships. I got to be Co-Social Media Chair there and get some experience in marketing!

I also joined the Undergraduate Business Council’s marketing committee which was one that I found to be more professional. They hosted really cool networking events that I took advantage of and also gave me the opportunity to collaborate on marketing projects.

Q: Have those experiences with clubs and organizations already helped you professionally?

A: Without a shadow of a doubt. The internship I landed this summer came from a KU career fair. The connections that I have pretty much all stem from KU resources, and the extra-curricular work gave me hands-on experience not offered in the classroom.

That's why I'm so grateful for these clubs. That’s what I feel like college is for. KU is just a whole different thing — you don't get to have those types of experiences in a community college setting.

Q: What was your internship experience like?

A: I did my internship in marketing at a company called Basys. It was very memorable. I got to learn so much about how business and marketing work as a whole, and the team was fun to work with. It was a great experience for me.

Q: What else did you gain from coming to KU that you wouldn't have gotten at community college?

A: Honestly, the biggest thing that I’ve gained is the social aspect. I’ve had so much fun here, and I’ve met amazing people. I’ve been in situations that were just random and funny that I would have never been in had I still lived at home.

Q: What has helped you feel supported at KU?

A: The best support that I found came from people that I’ve worked with in the School of Business. At Cap Fed, the classes are smaller, and I’ve found closer relationships with my professors. I’ve enjoyed getting help from them. People in the B School — counselors, advisors and teachers, they are all such great help.

Another thing I absolutely love is Jayhawk GPS, the app where you can book with your area industry mentor or your career advisor. I used those resources pretty often.

My advisor also killed it from the moment I came to KU. She helped me greatly when it came to making a graduation plan, learning about minors & certificate programs, and planning my classes each semester!

Q: What would you tell another student who's thinking about transferring to KU?

A: I would say there is a lot of fun to be had at KU. If you decide to come, I would say just be yourself 10,000% and then go find something fun to do! 

I found a lot of value in extracurricular activities as something that's going to benefit me in my career because they're the closest thing I've had to hands-on experience in marketing. I got to be a social media chair. I got to be a website manager. I'm about to do another position in marketing.

If I didn't do those, I would not have had the experience that I have now, but I also would not have met the amazing people that I met along the way.

I’ve found a great harmony between fun and work during my time in extra-curriculars. Get involved as much as you can but also be light-hearted about it and have fun. At the end of the day, we're still young and we're practicing.

Q: What's your biggest piece of advice for a new Jayhawk?

A: Don’t waste any time. Take advantage of everything you can while you’re here. Hit the ground running, figure out what you want to do and get busy doing it!