Pace University’s transfer student community comes from a variety of previous institutions and experiences.

Melanie Torres, a freshman digital journalism major, previously attended the University of Connecticut for a semester in the fall of 2020 before taking a gap semester in the spring of 2021. She started at Pace last semester in the fall.

Torres spoke about issues at the University of Connecticut with academics and the student body saying, “The campuses were pretty, but student body and professors were not great for me.” In her experience, professors didn’t put enough effort into supporting the students.

As the pandemic was in full force when Torres was at the University of Connecticut, she was in fully online classes. Despite visiting campus every so often, it was difficult to make connections this way.

Thus far, Torres has been enjoying her time in Pleasantville, stating that “Pace has been great, I feel like I have a close group of friends and there are professors who care and want to see you do well.” She also appreciates the tight-knit community, something she did not experience at her prior college. Melanie is a part of the First-Generation Club here which she says feels like a real community, along with being part of the E-Sports team.

Sean Rorke, a sophomore digital cinema and filmmaking major, attended St Bonaventure University from the fall 2020 to spring 2021 semester. Sean took a gap semester in the fall of 2021 and began attending Pace this semester. When Rorke was researching schools, he found Pace and said that it was a perfect mix for him, with good athletics and a good film program that can set him up for his career.

He dove for the swim and dive team at St Bonaventure as well as here at Pace. On his experience diving here he says, “I love the team dynamic here, I didn’t know if I wanted to do diving here, but I am glad I did because the people I met have become my closest friends here.”

“I wanted to go to a school that had a film program, St Bonaventure had a television program, but that was not really what I wanted to do.” Pace has a strong arts program as well as the NCAA Division II swim and dive team which drew him in. “Pace has been really amazing,” he said, “Its a nice community to be a part of that feels supportive and encouraging, I see that in classes as well as swimming. My professors have been awesome and have helped me get back to my students after being away.”

Adelaide Prekopa, a senior psychology major, attended Montclair State University for a year as a commuter, but completed many of her college credits in high school. She decided on Pace stating, “I wanted to go somewhere that was much smaller and I wanted to be able to live on campus; the atmosphere at Montclair was not the right fit for me.” At Montclair, she said that she would, “pass new faces any time you stepped out of class. It felt like you were just another body in a large space. It was difficult to get attached.” At Pace, she feels there is a strong community, being able to see the same people all the time and can make connections with them.

Prekopa went to a transfer event when visiting campus and was admitted right on the spot. Since transferring, she says, “I’ve really been enjoying it, being here gives me the ability to be social, and I love the professors here. There’s just something nice about seeing familiar faces around. I don’t feel like a transfer student anymore, I feel like I belong easily.”

Students at Pace have different stories and come from many different places, but many find their home here in Pleasantville.