Making the Move to Whitman as a Transfer Student

Whitman College was not the initial destination when Lu Austin ’27, Ricky Gonzalez ’26 and Jesse Grubb started their journeys into higher education. But thanks to strategic community college partnerships and supportive services for transfer students, Whitman is a place where they each are thriving as they pursue new academic opportunities.

Through programs like the Gateway Program, participation in the Washington State Direct Transfer Agreement and financial aid opportunities such as the Weingart Opportunity Scholarship, Whitman has created clear pathways for students from all backgrounds to pursue a rigorous, meaningful education.

Hairdresser Turned Scholar

For Lu Austin, the journey to Whitman started long before she ever set foot in a classroom. As a hairstylist in Walla Walla, she spent more than 15 years listening to Whitman students and professors talk about their experiences. She also attended Whitman’s public lectures and events, gradually becoming more familiar with the college’s intellectual environment.

“I had always admired Whitman from afar,” Austin says. “I used to think of it as my ‘reach’ school—something I wasn’t sure was possible for me. But I finally decided to apply after taking classes at WWCC and Columbia Basin College, and when I got in, I knew it was the right place.”

Michelle Janning, the Raymond and Elsie Gipson DeBurgh Chair of Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology, has advised several transfer students and also serves on college groups working to enhance access and communication surrounding resources for transfer students as they navigate their unique college pathway. 

“Transfer students are latecomers to our intellectual and social community, so they have to spend extra energy learning about informal and formal resources, finding friends, getting to know academic department cultures, and catching up in academic programs that have complex course sequencing or prerequisites,” she says.

As a nontraditional student balancing work and academics, Austin initially found the transition challenging. But Whitman’s support systems helped her navigate it. “The Center for Writing and Speaking, the Academic Resource Center, my professors—all of them were incredible,” she says. “I hadn’t been in school for 30 years, but they taught me how to take notes, how to write papers, how to succeed.”

Now debating between a major in Sociology or Psychology with plans to become a mental health therapist, Austin also hopes to get involved with the Black Student Union and the Women of Color Voices club. “Coming to Whitman has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” she says. “I’ve learned so much—not just academically, but about myself.”

From Community College to Campus Leader

When Ricky Gonzalez first arrived at WWCC, he planned to go into nursing. But a passion for learning and his experience in the Gateway Program led him to Whitman, where he is now majoring in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.

“The Gateway Program allowed me to take two classes at Whitman while finishing up at WWCC,” Gonzalez says. “That experience was pivotal—it showed me what a liberal arts education could be like. I loved the discussions, the engagement and the critical thinking that was encouraged here.”

Now a student leader as the President of the Associated Students of Whitman College, Gonzalez also leads the BIPOC Outdoor Club and works as a Climbing Center instructor. He says Whitman’s small class sizes and faculty support have made all the difference in bringing together his academic and extracurricular activities.

“One of my favorite classes was Rhetoric and Protest, even though it wasn’t in my major,” Gonzalez says. “It helped me develop skills that I now use in leadership and advocacy roles on campus. That’s what I love about Whitman—you’re encouraged to explore beyond your major.”

Finding Purpose Through Activism

Originally from Tennessee, Jesse Grubb moved to Walla Walla to work for the Washington Conservation Corps. Though she had taken a few community college classes “ages ago” after high school, it was her years with the corps that inspired her to return to college and seek a pathway to a career in environmental conservation.

“Only one person in my extended family has a college degree, so I didn’t think that was something that would be an option for me,” she says. “Realizing, through people in the corps, that sustainability was something you could do as a career was pretty exciting and motivated me to go back to school.”

Grubb is taking two classes through the Gateway Program this spring while working toward her associate degree at WWCC and has found it easy to get involved in student life at Whitman. She quickly connected with several environmentally oriented student clubs, including Whitman’s Climate Justice Coalition, a student organization committed to sustainability. 

“I wanted to be involved in climate activism in a way that felt tangible,” Grubb says. “At Whitman, I found a community of students working on these issues.” She hopes to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Geology with a focus on climate science.

Whittie Wisdom for Transfer Students

Once on campus, transfer students find a wide variety of support services available to help minimize stress and maximize the opportunities to engage academically and socially. 

“Don’t be afraid to use the resources available to you, whether it’s the food pantry or your instructors. Finding those support networks has made a big difference for me,” says Grubb.

Interspersing extracurricular activities in a busy academic schedule creates balance and fun for Gonzalez. As an avid adventurer who loves taking others into outdoor spaces, Gonzalez appreciates the BIPOC Outdoor Club as well as the Bob Carson Outdoor Fund, both of which enable students to participate in fun activities at low or no cost.

Nontraditional students are positioned to make unique contributions on campus. “Transfer students are sometimes people who've returned to college after any number of other life experiences,” says Janning. “This means they can often readily apply their classroom learning to life beyond campus and to bring those stories into our classrooms.”

Also essential, says Austin, is a positive attitude. “I would just say, you're never too young or too old to go back to school and finish what you started, or maybe start something new. It’s doable. Believe in yourself and keep going—it is possible!”