Carmine Solimini (sophomore, LSER),
a photo by LAUSatPSU on Flickr.

Before Penn State, I was an F-15 crew chief in the United States Air Force. While I was serving, I took classes online and tried to get into the best school possible. When I found out that I would be a Penn Stater, I was thrilled. I also had some doubts. Would Penn State be too hard for me? Was I too old to go back to school? Would I be able to move to a new place, find new friends, get an apartment, pay for school, and fit into a gigantic campus? The answer to all these questions, for me, has been yes.

Penn State, and in particular the College of the Liberal Arts, has made the transition seamless. They have answered every question and helped me resolve any problems I encountered along the way. The professors have been inviting, yet challenging. The staff has been informative and helpful.  The students have been welcoming and diverse. The best part about the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State and its students is the diversity. Each student adds to the collective success of his or her peer.  As a transfer student, you will bring different perspective, ideas, and personality to the department.

Before I came to Penn State, I decided to major in Labor Studies and Employment Relations.  The first class that I took was LER100 with the wonderful Dr. Paul Clark (which I recommend even if you don’t pick Labor Studies for a major). The class had 150 students in it. This was one of my biggest fears before coming to Penn State. I thought that the class size would make it impossible for me to do well. I thought I would be just a face in the crowd and that the connection to the professor would be a cold one. However, once I took his class, I knew that I would do well at Penn State. By the middle of the semester, Dr. Clark knew my name, and he regularly gave me a friendly greeting. He asked all the students where they were from at the beginning of the class and was genuinely interested in their backgrounds.
 
The key to fitting in at a school like Penn State is to get involved. Dr. Clark introduced me to an internship with the AFL-CIO and a local labor union doing “get out the vote” campaigns for the presidential election. Through the internship, I made new friends, met new professors, and I gained a wonderful experience from the people at the AFL-CIO and local labor union. I discovered that the more clubs and activities you participate in, the more friends you will make. You will undoubtedly become a better student as well.
 
There is no doubt that being a transfer student is tough. I assure you, from my own experiences, Penn State makes it as seamless as possible. The university and the College of the Liberal Arts will do everything in their power to get you settled in. You will be provided with the tools to sculpt your amazing future. It is up to you to use those tools, and I promise you will excel here at Penn State. And the best part is, you will be a member of a very large and loving family.

WE ARE!