Transfer Talk Tuesdays: How I Got Involved as a Transfer Student
Transfer Talk Tuesdays are a series of personal blogs where current USC transfer students dive deeper into their real-life stories, perspectives, and experiences in transferring to USC. Note that each transfer application is unique and there are no guaranteed paths to transfer. For guidance on how to put together a competitive transfer application, please review our Transferring to USC brochure.
My name is Mariam Hagopian, and I am a junior transfer from Glendale Community College (GCC). Since arriving in the United States in 2011, I recall seeing the Trojan logo and thinking that this is where my future belongs. Unaware of the community or culture, I knew USC was my dream school. However, as a high school graduate, I was unsure of what to pursue, so I enrolled in a community college.
Now, as a USC student, I am majoring in Business Administration and plan to pursue a consulting career after graduation. The USC Marshall School of Business offers various opportunities for students to network with alumni and even gain mentorship through the Trojan network. Additionally, its location near downtown Los Angeles allows me access to an environment of business professionals I can network with and even gain employment from. Not only will USC help me become a business leader, but the promotion of creativity, open-mindedness, and inclusion allows me to express myself and develop in an environment that upholds these values.
With that being the inspiration for joining USC Marshall, I decided that the best way to make friends was to get involved inside and outside the academic world. Inside the academic world, it is crucial to not only network with your classmates, but also get the opportunity to interact with your professors. Even to this day, I stay behind in class, ask my professor clarifying questions, and attend their office hours. These small interactions have created long-term professional friendships. Some have helped me with networking opportunities, while others have provided me with case study opportunities to develop my consulting skills.
Upon receiving my acceptance letter to USC Marshall School of Business, I aspired to experience new opportunities outside of academics, fostering relationships in many different communities. As my first steppingstone, I joined the Marshall Transfer Success Program. This six-week program helps incoming transfer students maximize their time at USC Marshall and build a community among other transfer students. I wanted to join to find my community and knew that transfer students would be the best start to that. During those six weeks, I met a few of my current closest friends, and it was the start of a lifetime of friendship. This program made a huge difference in how the next couple of months passed by. Instead of fear, I enjoyed my time with friends who supported me academically and personally.
Through the Involvement Fair, I joined various Student Organizations such as BusinessSC, the Consulting Club, the Marshall Business Student Community, and the American Marketing Association. These are just some of the clubs that have helped me accomplish my goal of entering the consulting workforce. As the President of BusinessSC, I wanted to allow incoming first-year and transfer students to explore and learn about different careers before joining niche career clubs. Through these organizations, I found like-minded individuals who were as equally driven as me and willing to challenge me. Without challenge, there is no growth, and clubs push you to think outside the box!
While I made all of these decisions with fear, I knew that at some point, looking back, I would appreciate my choices. I certainly do appreciate them now.
Written by: Mariam Hagopian