UCLA engineering school opens resource center for transfer students

The UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Sciences opened a new resource center for its transfer students Friday.

The Engineering Transfer Center, located in Boelter Hall 6288, held a grand opening for students to see the new space and meet the center’s staff. The center will provide transfer students with a study space on campus and opportunities for tutoring, said Wesley Uehara, director of the center.

Uehara said the engineering dean’s office currently funds the center, but added he plans to partner with private and industry professionals to increase funding for the center.

Many transfer students need additional help with adjusting to engineering majors, because UCLA engineering classes are often more difficult than classes at community colleges, Uehara said. He added the center will help transfer students form study groups by providing a space for them to convene.

“Most engineering students have formed study groups during their first and second year, so when transfer students get here, it can be difficult for them to find a study group,” he said. “It takes a lot to get adjusted to engineering at UCLA, but the transfer center will accelerate the process somewhat.”

He said the center will also provide transfer students with resources for career planning by helping students find internships that will make them competitive applicants for jobs or graduate school.

Uehara said the engineering school also plans to send the center’s staff to community colleges to talk about the application process for transfer students.

“The transfer center wants to build partnerships with local partner community colleges so students applying know what they need to do to get into UCLA engineering,” Uehara said. “There will be a great deal of articulation about what courses students need to take to transfer.”

Although the center currently occupies a small office in Boelter Hall, it will likely expand to include more study rooms, Uehara said.

Transfer students who attended the center’s opening said they think the center will help them adjust to the new academic environment at UCLA.

Megan Oliveros, a third-year civil engineering student, said she hopes the center will provide a centralized location for engineering resources to transfer students.

“It’s hard to find adequate mentorship and study groups as a transfer. Most engineering students already know each other and know what to look out for in classes,” she said. “The center should teach transfers how to handle their first classes and how to adjust to engineering at UCLA.”

Maurilio Cendejas, a fourth-year electrical engineering student said he thinks the center will help transfer students build a community.

“The toughest part about being a transfer was the new style of work, the workload and transitioning to a new environment,” he said. “I hope that there is more community building toward electrical engineering students.”

Rahaf Barrkoudi, a third-year civil engineering student said she hopes the center will help her with academic planning and make her adjustment to UCLA engineering easier.

“It’s hard to transfer to such a big school from a community college. A few of my courses from community college didn’t transfer over,” she said. “It would be nice if the transfer center worked with community colleges to make the transition easier.”