Hunter Preston and John Williams
For Hunter Preston and John Williams, being randomly assigned as roommates on a floor
designated for transfer students at Tennessee Tech opened the door to new friendships
and opportunities to get involved on campus.
“We met as random roommates,” Preston said. “We didn’t know each other at all beforehand.”
Preston, a native of Barrie, Ontario, Canada, transferred from Lincoln Memorial University and is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering. Williams, a Hillsborough, North Carolina native, transferred from Roane State Community College and is sophomore majoring in wildlife and fisheries.
Although they have different academic interests and class standings, the two share a common experience: transferring to Tech.
Both students credit the university’s transfer housing program and the connections they made with other transfer students for helping them find a sense of belonging on campus.
“I think meeting so many other transfers students through Tech’s transfer housing program have made my experience so much better,” Preston said. “It was nice to meet other people new to school but also have been in college for a while.”
For students concerned about feeling isolated during the transfer process, Preston and Williams offer a different perspective.
“Having several friends that are also transfer students was nice because I did not feel like I was alone when I came to Tech as a sophomore,” Williams said.
Beyond building friendships, both students wanted to become involved in campus life. One of their first opportunities was Tech Wars, a competition between residence halls that encourages students to connect across buildings.
“The activities and the people are what I enjoy the most about Tech,” revealed Williams. “There’s always something going on and having fun competition gives me something to look forward to being active in.”
Preston has especially enjoyed Tech’s football atmosphere, which introduced him to a new cultural experience as an international student.
“My favorite thing about the Tech experience has to be the football games,” Preston shared. “My old university didn’t have a football team and being from another country, the culture around football is something I hadn’t experienced much until Tech.”
For Williams, the transition to Tech began with Roane to Tech, a program designed to provide a smooth transition from the two-year community college to the four-year university.
“The transfer to Tech was very easy, and I was surprised about how friendly and involved the staff and students are,” Williams said.
While Preston initially began the transfer process on his own, both students recognized the important role their academic advisers played in making the transition successful.
“My advisor, Mrs. Jennifer Murphy, made my transfer so easy,” Preston said. “She made sure I was able to get all my credits, which was a huge deal to me, she really went above and beyond to make the switch so flawless.”
Their positive experiences extend beyond campus involvement and friendships to include academic support and preparation for their future careers.
“The way Tech cares about your career after college is something that I feel has made an enormous difference,” explained Preston. “The career center is always hosting events like career fairs or Careers and Coffee to get students connected with employers, which I feel like has been such a big help as I am near the end of my college days.”
Reflecting on their decision to transfer to Tennessee Tech, both students encourage others considering a similar path to take the next step.
“I would tell them to do it. I’ve never seen such a large school give back to their students the way Tech does,” Preston admired. “I feel like everyone here wants the students to succeed, and there’s so many resources here to make that happen.”