MEET A TRANSFER STUDENT
Kenneth Safranek
College has always been part of my plan from the days I spent at middle school in a little town outside Cleveland, through my last day of high school. While attending high school I participated in sports and signed up for classes that I knew would prepare me best for my future.
Upon graduation, all of my friends I knew since pre-school began to head in different directions and we were all excited about the road we were about to embark on. Little did I know where mine would lead.
My journey began at Kent State University where I received my first taste of college life. It was a lot of fun! It was also a lot of work and it was the first time I was ever on my own. I was forced to deal with the reality that I had to be my own motivator. That took some getting used to.
Time flew and soon I encountered my first twist in the road. I was offered a job coaching football at a local Cleveland High School. I was excited but I realized that if I were to take this job I would need to transfer to a college closer to the high school because of the demanding coaching schedule. My first choice was Cleveland State University because of its affordability, accessibility and academics.
Almost immediately upon arriving at CSU I felt like I was part of a close-knit, diverse and impressive community very similar to my hometown. It was so easy to transfer my credits, which was one of my biggest worries. My professors were passionate, enthusiastic and responsive, and they were willing to spend time one on one time with me to help me succeed. They incorporated their own real world experiences into interesting and thought provoking lectures, which got my attention and motivated me to excel in the classroom.
The wide selection of classes that CSU offers within my major also made my transfer experience easier and more intriguing. As an Environmental Science major, I have taken classes ranging from sociology classes like race, class and gender to those that relate more to my major such as conservation biology.
Extracurricular opportunities are also abound at CSU. I recently decided to join the CSU Student Government as a way to take ownership of my education. This experience has given me the opportunity to meet numerous CSU staff members and gain a greater appreciation for the enormous efforts being made to foster the success of all students.
Looking back, I was a little intimidated by the thought of having to transfer to another college. When I arrived at CSU I immediately realized I had made the right decision. My experience here gets better and better by the day and I'm proud to call myself a Viking.
