Meet Transfer Intern Cassidy

Hey prospective transfers, friends, family, transfer blog enthusiasts!  When I was applying to transfer to W&M, I checked the blog constantly, so now, as a senior, it feels great to be on the other side of things, and I hope to help out some prospective transfer students. I know the process can be scary at times, but trust me; it is SO worth it. I transferred here during the fall semester of my sophomore year (2012) and I’ve never looked back.

I’m a proud New Yorker, so I get a lot of questions along the lines of, “Um, so why would you come to Williamsburg?” That was an easy decision for me. After seeing the campus for the first time, I was completely blown away by its beauty and historical importance. But what really drew me to William & Mary was the sense of community I felt, even before enrolling as a student. You can walk through campus and get smiles and “hellos” from people you don’t even know, and that’s totally normal. Everyone here is so proud to be a part of the community and genuinely looks out for each other. I transferred from a much bigger university and never had that feeling of a close community. I’m also still very impressed by W&M’s traditions, which I think come from the fact that it is such an old, well-established and well-respected institution. Some of my best memories (so far) are from Orientation, Convocation, and other traditional ceremonies, like the Yule Log. The other main factor in transferring was my desire for more rigorous academics, which are stressful at times, but it is so refreshing to be at a university where students truly want to learn and want real relationships with their peers and professors.

I’m majoring in Hispanic Studies and minoring in Italian Studies, so I basically live in Washington Hall, home of Modern Languages and Literatures. I’ve studied abroad in Italy twice—once in Florence through a W&M summer program, and most recently, this past semester in Perugia through an outside program. I would recommend studying abroad to everyone, regardless of your major. It might be trickier to study abroad as a transfer student (because of the on-campus credit requirements), but it is 100% doable.

When I’m not in class, I dance with a hip-hop group called Syndicate, and practice and compete with W&M’s club sailing team (hence the pic above of me showing some Tribe Pride on the water). I also volunteer with Admissions as a Transfer Student Ambassador—I might have gotten lunch with some of you before! I’m so excited to be working as a Transfer Intern this semester and hope to make the process a little bit easier for you guys.

– Cassidy Fazio