Former Salt Lake Community College Student Association (SLCCSA) president and transfer student Emily Hernandez Alzamora received a national award from the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS). As a National Transfer Student Ambassador, she is one of four students nationwide to be picked for this honor. She will be traveling to St. Louis, Missouri for the NISTS annual conference where she will be speaking about her experience as a transfer student.
Emily started at SLCC after receiving a full scholarship, but her goal was to attend the University of Utah. She first became a student ambassador, talking with high school students about the benefits of community college. She also served as the president of the Student Association, during which time she explored how to help students transfer to four-year universities. Emily has always been an advocate for transfer students.
During her time as SLCCSA president, Emily ensured that transfer students had a sense of community and access to advising and other resources. She also served on the College’s COVID-19 task force to address student safety. She graduated with an Associate of Science in Business and was recognized as an SLCC Civically Engaged Scholar, among other honors.
When Emily transferred to the U, she says she felt lost and missed the community she had at SLCC. She then met Paul Fisk, program manager of Transfer Student Services. “Being able to reach out to someone on campus and then having the help that I needed was wonderful for me because then I wasn't lost,” said Emily, who now tries to be that person that students can talk to about transferring to the U.
“I found my way through involvement,” said Emily. She got involved with the group now called U Life Mentors. “I got partnered with a transfer student who came from Salt Lake Community College and was in the business program, and they walked me through everything. They walked me through how the School of Business works, what classes to take, what things to get involved in, and then they also helped connect me to things outside of campus.”
Since then Emily got a job in the Transfer Student Success office, and hosts “Eats with Emily,” a weekly event where she answers questions about transferring over snacks. As a transfer student herself, she understands the challenges they face in navigating a new school. “But also keep in mind that we're not forgetting them as soon as they transfer,” said Emily. “We need them to continue being successful. So now we're trying to create more programs where it's like, ‘Okay, you transferred. Now let us support you.’”
She is currently a senior at the U pursuing a bachelor's degree in Management and a minor in Information Systems. She is the president of the Crimson Transfer Honor Society and is an Opportunity Scholar through the David Eccles School of Business. Emily graduates this spring and plans to attend graduate school in the fall. Her hope is to pursue a career in higher education as a professor or a role in championing transfer students.
Winning this national award has given Emily a platform to share her own transfer student experience and ideas for improving the process. Emily will accept the award at the Institute's conference in February where she will participate in a student question and answer panel.
You can visit with Emily and ask her questions about transferring every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at 120 Sill Center at the University of Utah throughout this semester.
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