Meet The Transfer Interns – Esther Ty

Hello, I’m Esther! 

I’ve had quite a journey that led me to William & Mary, transferring from a community college to a four-year institution, not once, but three times, and while I have made many changes during my college career, I am still on track to graduate on time this spring. William & Mary was the right fit for me, and I am so happy I didn’t give up until I found it! As a Transfer Admission Intern, I am excited to share my experiences with you and hope they encourage you on your own unique journey as well!

You would think starting a new school would be a breeze for me at this point, but it wasn’t. The prospect of beginning a fourth, first semester at a new college was a daunting task. I was anxious about transferring to another school, and the feeling of not belonging or deserving to be a member of the Tribe was overwhelming. However, when I came to William & Mary, I was met with such a warm and welcoming Transfer Orientation team, who immediately expelled my fears by telling me loud and clear that I belonged! The tour guide that lead me through campus for the first time was a transfer student himself, our very own Joey Cronin (a transfer intern veteran), who reiterated the fact that despite being a transfer student, I belonged. With enthusiasm, he conveyed the heart of the school, the things that make William & Mary the very best fit for me. He encouraged me that it was possible to dive right in and find my own place at this amazing school.

Me and fellow classmates exploring DC during our Spring Break seminar!

Since my start at William & Mary, I have chosen to major in Kinesiology & Health Sciences, with a concentration in Public Health. Outside the classroom, I volunteer in Campus Kitchen and participate in Agape Christian Fellowship. One of the things I love most about this school is the opportunities they bring to their students to learn outside the classroom. I was able to take advantage of these opportunities during Spring Break last year when I went to the William & Mary Washington, DC campus to study health equity in the DC area.  My hard-earned “transferring skills” were put to good use as I experienced another campus and met more wonderful students as we explored Washington, DC together, connected with W&M alumni who work in Public Health, and visited sites serving the community. My experience in DC prompted me to do an Independent Study on specific public health issues which I used to reach out into my community last summer by working with preschoolers for early intervention in nutrition. This year I am hoping to participate in the Study Abroad program in Geneva, Switzerland during Winter Break to study different models of the Universal Health Care systems and visit the World Health Organization, so I currently find myself in the application process yet again! I’ll keep you posted about that, and many other things here on the blog! 

Until next time,
Esther Ty ’20