National Transfer Student Week

Transfer students currently make up nearly 18% of the UGA student body, arriving from 800 different colleges, 134 Georgia counties, 44 states, and 60 different countries around the world. Campus grows more diverse in every way thanks to so many different students following their academic dream to UGA. As a part of our commemorations for National Transfer Student Week (Oct. 21-25), Franklin College communications writer intern Mianna Lotshaw, who transferred to UGA in Spring 2024, shares this reflection on her transfer student experience.

The decision to transfer schools is a daunting prospect. For me, it required moving away from home in Brooks, GA to a university much larger than I was used to. Before I sent in my transfer application to UGA, I spent a lot of time thinking about transferring. My previous school didn’t have the degree program I wanted, and I was not connected with the campus. I wanted to transfer but I questioned whether that decision would be right for me. Questions kept running through my mind – was I going to be able to make friends? Would I be able to keep up with classes? Was Athens a city I could love? These questions made me hesitant to transfer. The decision ultimately came down to this struggle, should I stay where everything is familiar or go somewhere that will let me flourish in my studies and advance my professional career? With encouragement from my family, I realized that I needed to choose the option that would benefit me the most and not the one that I would be most familiar with.

After spending two semesters at UGA, I can say that I have fallen in love with the university and Athens. Once I transferred, I added Anthropology as my second major and became involved with Morehead Honors College. I was surprised how familiar I became with the UGA campus. For my first semester at UGA I made a goal to visit every dining hall, which forced me to take new bus routes and explore different parts of campus. There are so many fun activities and helpful resources available. My first semester I got involved with the club InfUSion Magazine, UGA’s multi-cultural magazine. Joining a club was a great way for me to find friends with similar interests and this semester I am a part of the executive board for InfUSion. I have also gained experience for my major in anthropology by volunteering at the Laboratory of Archaeology and participating in the UGA Archaeological Field School. The greater Athens community is also filled with events and great restaurants. If you are a fan of music, there is always a live band playing somewhere. You can often find me studying at Molly’s Coffee Company, my favorite café in Athens. I would challenge you to try and be bored at UGA.  

If you are looking to transfer, I would say go for it! Once you think about transferring that thought isn’t going to go away. I do not regret my decision, and I know many of my fellow transfer student friends feel the same way. You will be surprised how fast you adapt to life at UGA and become a part of the community.

Mianna Lotshaw

BA, English & Anthropology

May 2026 Expected