I was talking to a college minister the other day, and he shared that when he transferred to Penn State (from one of that school’s several satellite campuses), it took him a whole year to get truly involved in Christian community. Clearly, he gets some of the blame for that.
But many transfer students – including those who are showing up at your campus right now, mid-year – don’t receive nearly the Christian welcome that freshmen do every fall.
I don’t know how yesterday’s post hit you, or whether you’re willing to recruit in a serious way at this time of year. But if you’re willing to give it a chance, I know this particular underreached population – the Transfer Students – will benefit in cool ways.
There are dozens, hundreds, or thousands of new “imports” into your campus tribe this January.
Shall we ask them to wait eight months for discipleship and community?
Reaching the Imported Ignored, both now and year-round, would impact some of the people who need it the most (and don’t have the luxury of four years to find us).
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January 13, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Steve Tamayo
Campus ministries struggle to connect with transfer students even during the Fall. This isn’t just a mid-year issue.
I’m really wrestling with this … not just because I think transfer students are great, but because shifting economic forces mean that more and more students are needing to do a year or two at a community college in order to afford school. The pool of freshmen seems to be smaller, wealthier and whiter and we’re missing more and more students during our freshmen-oriented new student welcome.
Have you seen this too or is this just a local issue?
January 13, 2011 at 10:32 pm
Benson Hines
I think you’re absolutely right, Steve – this definitely isn’t just a mid-year issue. And you make a great point about the economic forces that are likely increasing the number of transfers… and that’s a REALLY interesting point about how the ethnicity and socioeconomic status of freshmen at four-year schools are skewed by all this, too.
I can’t say I’ve particularly studied or noticed the demographic shifts you mention, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if that’s true. There definitely are reports of higher enrollment in 2-year schools, so it all very much makes sense.
Thanks for the comment. If you find more on this (or come up with ways to research it), please let me know.
January 14, 2011 at 1:39 am
for the love of the ‘fers « Exploring College Ministry blog (daily notes about our field)
[...] Wednesday, I encouraged you to consider reaching the “imported ignored” this Spring: Seek out Transfer Students, open your ministry to them, and offer them all the rights and [...]