The Headcount Enrollment data has been released for the fall 2025 semester, and Central Connecticut State University has 866 transfers just from other Connecticut schools, according to CCSU’s Institutional Research and Assessment. 

CCSU’s New Student Programs Office held an appreciation day event on Monday, Oct. 20 for National Transfer Student Appreciation Week. 

The event was held in the Student Center lobby and invited transfer students to come to the table to learn about resources, share their transfer stories and enjoy a free donut. 

The event took place from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. and was attended by New Student Programs assistant Meliana Prado. 

Prado hoped the transfer student recognition event would encourage transfer students to learn about new programs or share their path to CCSU. 

“[I hope to] capture any transfer student that may not have attended a transfer orientation,” she said. “Just to give them more information about the resources we have available for them on campus, and also to celebrate the unique journey they took to come here.” 

When offered the opportunity to host this event, Prado was very excited and jumped on it. 

“We never really celebrated our transfer students on campus, at least not like this,” she said. “I just wanted to do a simple event, like a grab-and-go where we can offer them donuts, as well as tell them about upcoming events they can attend here on campus.” 

Prado also welcomed transfer students to bring a shirt from their former university to trade in for a new Central shirt. 

“It’s just a way of bringing the student community together and kind of giving them a better sense of belonging on campus,” she said. 

Students expressed how important it is for transfer students to feel welcome and accepted on a new college campus––including Nanette Addow, a finance major who transferred from Norwalk Community College. 

“Being a transfer student, and even being a new student in general, being in a new space, you could feel lonely that first year,” she said. “But there are a lot of leadership opportunities here, and you just find your people, and you [will] find your community. You get to enjoy yourself.” 

Addow said it is essential for students to feel this sense of community to be successful at a university. 

“You can’t do well with your classes if you aren’t well with yourself,” she said. “[Students should] feel at home so they can perform at their best. I feel like I’ve felt that at CCSU.” 

Another transfer student, social work major Ariana Lebron, transferred from Champlain College in Vermont. She said she likes that Central creates a nice welcoming feeling for new students. 

“I feel more acceptance here. It’s a very different environment from my previous college, where the community [felt] very divided and didn’t really socialize with each other,” she said. “Here I would say it’s the exact opposite; people do a lot more events and are just much more social in general.” 

Lebron also said the university does a good job helping transfer students feel academically welcome. 

“I’m transferring as a sophomore, and I just switched my major too,” she said. “The advisors here do a really good job in making sure that we feel welcome and making sure we’re on the right track for whatever major we are going to.” 

Psychology major Jc Castro, who transferred from Manchester Community College, said CCSU has a supportive community. 

“During the first few weeks I got lost a lot, so I would ask people where certain things are, and they were really helpful with that,” he said. 

For many students at Central, finding a sense of belonging is valuable, which comes with building a community that is connected and resourceful. Hunter von Hollen, a manufacturing engineering technology major, knows this well. Being close with transfer students, he tries to help them engage with the community. Von Hollen said for one of his friends, this has helped his friend come around to join campus life more often. 

“He’s found his group, and he’s found his spot and I’m really happy for him for that,” he said. 

Gradually, he saw his efforts had paid off. He said utilizing networking skills can support a healthy lifestyle and positive engagement when involving oneself in a community. Connection is what turns a campus into a community and a new environment into a place of belonging.