S1: E19 | Your Next Step Starts Here: Transfer Pathways at LSCO

What happens after LSCO? In this episode of Gator Bites, Daniel McLemore sits down with Kendra De La Fuente and Karina Salgado Estrada to talk about LSCO’s upcoming Transfer Fair - an event designed to connect students directly with four-year universities ready to welcome Gators into bachelor’s programs. From understanding core completion and seamless transfer agreements to exploring scholarships and reducing credit loss, this conversation breaks down how students can confidently take their next step and turn long-term goals into a real, actionable plan.

About Lamar State College Orange:
Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) is a two-year, state-supported institution located on the banks of the Sabine River in Orange, Texas. As part of the Texas State University System, LSCO is committed to transforming lives and communities through the continual pursuit of academic, professional, and personal excellence. Serving more than 5,500 students, the College offers associate degrees and certificates in academic, technical, and workforce fields, providing new and unique opportunities for growth and success. With a focus on accessibility, affordability, and innovation, LSCO serves a diverse student population, including a high percentage of first-generation college students. Through strong community partnerships, dedicated faculty and staff, and innovative student support services, LSCO is the bridge connecting those it serves to a bright, Orange future.

Transcript

00;00;02;06 - 00;00;29;28
Daniel McLemore
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Gator Bites, the official podcast of Lamar State College Orange, where we interview faculty, staff and students to give the community an inside look into life here at AE. So today we're talking about what happens next. For many of our students, AE is really the beginning of an incredible journey. It's a place to earn a certificate, an associate's degree, build some confidence, save a little bit of money, and prepare for even bigger goals.

00;00;30;00 - 00;00;54;20
Daniel McLemore
And so one of the most exciting steps in this journey is transferring to a four year university. And that's why we're spotlighting our upcoming transfer fair. This is an event designed to connect our students directly with representatives from universities, who are ready and eager to welcome Gators into their bachelor's degree programs. So let's start off by, talking about who we are in the room.

00;00;54;20 - 00;00;55;28
Daniel McLemore
So we've got two of us here today.

00;00;55;28 - 00;01;01;26
Kendra De La Fuente
So, hi. My name is, Karina Salgado Estrada.

00;01;01;28 - 00;01;04;00
Daniel McLemore
And Karina. What? Before. What do you do? What do you.

00;01;04;00 - 00;01;06;11
Kendra De La Fuente
I am a recruiter here. Okay.

00;01;06;13 - 00;01;07;17
Daniel McLemore
Gotcha.

00;01;07;20 - 00;01;12;03
Karina Salgado Estrada
Hi. I'm Kendra de la Fuente, the director of advising and recruiting here at Lamar State College.

00;01;12;03 - 00;01;23;29
Daniel McLemore
Orange. Awesome. Thank you guys for joining us. So for listeners who may not be familiar, what exactly is a transfer fair and why is this important for students?

00;01;24;02 - 00;01;45;08
Karina Salgado Estrada
A transfer fair is really set up for our students, that are wanting to continue their educational, journey. So whether it's to move on to a bachelor or higher, they can start out with us and then transfer to a university. So this really helps to plan out those processes and get those first steps where they can ask some of those questions.

00;01;45;08 - 00;01;49;28
Karina Salgado Estrada
They have, about what their options are after LSU.

00;01;50;00 - 00;02;09;15
Daniel McLemore
Yeah. And I think it's probably worth mentioning to a lot of people may not understand exactly what AE is versus what maybe like Lamar University is, you know, LSU offers certificates, which are sometimes they're either 15 or 30 hour certificates, where you take a few classes, you get a certificate. And then we also offer the associates degrees.

00;02;09;15 - 00;02;19;14
Daniel McLemore
Right. And those are typically around the 60 hour mark. And they kind of specialize in different things like business or, whatever their associate's degree, liberal arts.

00;02;19;14 - 00;02;41;00
Karina Salgado Estrada
With our associate degrees. And we do have all of our plans. They start out as a certificate that leads to an associate degree. Your associate's going to be your first two years of college. So we have several options in that business pathway. We have, our health professions, which can be a wide range from nursing, pharmacy technology, massage therapy, etc..

00;02;41;03 - 00;03;07;03
Karina Salgado Estrada
And then we have our industry field as well, that's going to cover things like our trades and manufacturing and what you see in like the plant setting with process operating and instrumentation. And then we have our Stem pathway, those plans, they really, truly are set up for transfer. So those students definitely are going to want to attend this event, along with our public service pathway that's going to include court reporting, to teaching to criminal justice.

00;03;07;05 - 00;03;10;15
Karina Salgado Estrada
We have a wide range of things for students to pursue.

00;03;10;17 - 00;03;24;19
Daniel McLemore
And so that's the that's the difference in a sense, is that we've got all these, two year programs. And then so pairing it with a four year institution, gives students the ability to go forward, take their next step and get that four year bachelor's degree as well.

00;03;24;21 - 00;03;30;25
Karina Salgado Estrada
Yes. Yes, sir. So, with that you can gain employability skills with those increased credentials.

00;03;30;27 - 00;03;37;20
Daniel McLemore
Awesome. So when should students start thinking about transferring to a four year university?

00;03;37;22 - 00;04;07;24
Karina Salgado Estrada
I would say that students should start having those conversations as soon as they see that that's in their sight. If they know when they first come to AE that they have plans to transfer. Please let us know in advising, so that we can start discussing those processes. In the early stages from being intentional on the schedules that we create, looking at those application deadlines with students and, really preparing them for that future and just getting them on track for that long term goal.

00;04;07;27 - 00;04;15;05
Daniel McLemore
Awesome. So, Karina, I'm gonna ask you this one. So what are some of the biggest advantages you see of starting at AE before transferring?

00;04;15;07 - 00;04;46;26
Kendra De La Fuente
Well, I actually did attend here one semester during my educational journey here at AE. So, I think it's really you would take a look at the first the transferability of AE and the cost. So, and also if you have your, I guess you've chosen your four year degree, take a look at what ae has, and see how that can be part of your, your degree plan.

00;04;46;27 - 00;05;04;12
Karina Salgado Estrada
So not only do we want students to start at AE, we want them to finish their degree plan with us and also set their sights on something higher, through a university. So start with us and, allow us to help you keep growing.

00;05;04;14 - 00;05;18;19
Daniel McLemore
Yep. Start with us. Finish with us. Keep going. Yeah, I love it. So how does AE help? Make sure that students don't lose credits when they transfer. This is a big one. A lot of a lot of people come to us and they say, well, how do I how do I take courses to make sure that I'm not going to lose a credit?

00;05;18;26 - 00;05;26;17
Daniel McLemore
And a lot of people may not even know what that means to lose a credits. So help us understand what is losing credit, and how are we helping ensure that people are not losing those?

00;05;26;19 - 00;05;54;02
Karina Salgado Estrada
Yeah, I would say, with our academic plans that include your Common Core, those are going to be essentially your basic classes. Those once your core complete in the state of Texas, that core completion does transfer to our, Texas public university guarantee transfer. That's. Yes, that's a big piece. But then also with our, associate of applied science, those degree plans, they include more technical classes, which is going to be like that.

00;05;54;02 - 00;06;21;19
Karina Salgado Estrada
Hands on learning that. You'll see. We have several partnerships that we can kind of help find the transfer plan that's going to fit into, what you take with us. So, for example, we have an agreement with Sol Ross where they would take, more than your 60 credits. Yeah, just to be able to, filter in those technical classes that you've taken so you don't lose any time, through that.

00;06;21;19 - 00;06;25;29
Karina Salgado Estrada
And I think that really stands out, with those partnerships that we have.

00;06;26;01 - 00;06;38;29
Daniel McLemore
And I think that goes right into one of the next questions that we have, which is, you know, who all is going to be there. You know, we're talking about local universities, statewide institutions, out of state options, like who all who are typically comes to this transfer fair.

00;06;39;01 - 00;07;10;02
Karina Salgado Estrada
Yeah. So we do have, quite a few Texas colleges that are attending, along with a few in Louisiana. So we have McNeese that will be attending. And it's still pretty local for our orange students, but we have Texas A&M University, Lamar University, which is right in our backyard. We also have East Texas Baptist College, Brazos Port College, purview, Stephen F Austin, Texas State University, so many different options, for students to choose from.

00;07;10;03 - 00;07;13;05
Daniel McLemore
Yeah. And they've got a ton of options to look at here.

00;07;13;07 - 00;07;22;29
Karina Salgado Estrada
Yes. And then a fairly new partnership that we've been growing is our Texas State University Partnership. So they will be here. To help students with that transfer plan as well.

00;07;23;06 - 00;07;39;02
Daniel McLemore
Yeah. There's some there's actually a gateway program that's brand new with Texas State, that's new this year. There's a lot of information out there. If you go search our website, just search gateway program, you'll find that. But there is a, that that's basically where you're a dual enrolled student with Lamar State College, orange and Texas State.

00;07;39;04 - 00;07;42;20
Daniel McLemore
And you you take courses on the Texas state campus. So it's a it's a.

00;07;42;20 - 00;07;43;21
Karina Salgado Estrada
Great opportunity, a.

00;07;43;21 - 00;07;55;09
Daniel McLemore
Fantastic opportunity there. So, what, what are some common misconceptions that you think students might have about transferring?

00;07;55;12 - 00;08;15;04
Karina Salgado Estrada
I would say that a lot of our students think that it's a difficult process. And I would just want to let students know that they have a team of support at LSU. And then even with these transfer institutions, they have departments that are specifically for transfer. So we can help connect them with those individuals.

00;08;15;04 - 00;08;26;26
Karina Salgado Estrada
We have a wide list of contacts to, to be able to connect them and really get those processes going. But, I would like to hear Karina's experience on her transfer process.

00;08;26;29 - 00;08;59;13
Kendra De La Fuente
I think for me, my transfer process was fairly easy. But I think a lot of students think that transferring or attending a four year university can be expensive, but there are tons of transfer scholarships, as well. I've seen colleges build, transfer partnerships or just set aside money specifically for, transfer students so it doesn't have to be a continuing education after AE doesn't have to be expensive.

00;08;59;14 - 00;09;13;29
Kendra De La Fuente
You know, like Miss Kendra said, we have those contacts that we may be able to find other means of financial support for you outside of financial aid and scholarships. So, yeah, I have to be the right.

00;09;13;29 - 00;09;32;02
Daniel McLemore
Don't don't let the the barriers stop you from even asking questions. And that's kind of the next question here too, is a lot of a lot of students may feel intimidated talking to a university rep. So what are some questions that students should ask when attending this fair? You know, what are you do these fairs a lot.

00;09;32;02 - 00;09;37;08
Daniel McLemore
So what if you could tell a student like, hey, here's what you need to ask, what would that be?

00;09;37;11 - 00;10;03;16
Kendra De La Fuente
I think one of the things that comes to mind is like deadlines for, for your universities are very, very important. Like, when should I submit testing? If you're planning about moving dorms, is that still an option at that point? Any extra cost, I think for me, that students are thinking outside tuition when it comes to transferring to a school, application waivers, things like that.

00;10;03;16 - 00;10;21;17
Kendra De La Fuente
For me, when you're going to college and you're planning on that journey, I think the financial side is very important to ask those questions outside of like the tuition. What else can you tell me to plan for? I think that's a big it's a could be a barrier, but if you weren't prepared for it then you can find resources to help out.

00;10;21;20 - 00;10;22;20
Daniel McLemore
Yeah.

00;10;22;22 - 00;10;40;16
Karina Salgado Estrada
And asking about scholarships as Karina mentioned. Yeah. And then just if, if they're unsure I mean we're going to have students that attend this fair that they may not have those transfer options lined out. They may not have their sights set on a specific university. So this is their chance to ask, hey, what do you offer here?

00;10;40;16 - 00;10;46;05
Karina Salgado Estrada
How can you take my degree at AE? And how can I make that into a bachelor's degree?

00;10;46;08 - 00;10;59;02
Daniel McLemore
Yeah, that's a great question. Here too is what what makes AE students attractive to these universities? What do you think makes them look at our students and say, we want these guys.

00;10;59;04 - 00;11;27;00
Karina Salgado Estrada
I think like seeing that completion of the two year degree, where a lot of these partnerships that we have, have a seamless transfer process because of the contacts that we've made and, the agreements that we have with them. So, we can look at a, a plan AE and we can go ahead and give them a list of, like, you know, the top five that, they have a really lined out transfer plan for a specific degree.

00;11;27;03 - 00;11;41;20
Daniel McLemore
Yeah. And a lot of times, a university is going to look at a community college student or a two year college student like ours and say, you know, they've got a track record, they got experience. We know that they're going to do well in college courses because they've already done them right. And so they're able to look at it right.

00;11;41;20 - 00;12;02;07
Daniel McLemore
They've proven themselves, they're able to look at a transfer population and say, we want these students. And so I think that's what sometimes transfer students don't think about is that they don't they don't realize that I've already built credibility as an, a college student. And that gives me a lot better, position with a four year university.

00;12;02;09 - 00;12;10;25
Daniel McLemore
So for sure. So let's, let's get to the specifics of this. When and where is this transfer fair happening?

00;12;10;27 - 00;12;31;26
Karina Salgado Estrada
Okay. It's going to be February 25th. That's going to be on a Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our Shayan event Center. So if you've attended some of our events in the past, like student orientation, it'll be that building. But we can also provide a campus map for anybody. That's needing to find us.

00;12;31;28 - 00;12;35;15
Daniel McLemore
Okay. And what if I'm not an AE student and I still invited?

00;12;35;17 - 00;12;51;06
Karina Salgado Estrada
Of course. Yes. This event is free and open to the public. So even if you didn't start at AE, and would like to look into university options, or maybe you have an associate and you're looking to go back to school. We can help to bridge that gap for you.

00;12;51;08 - 00;13;02;10
Daniel McLemore
Awesome. All right, last question here. If we could give, if you could give one piece of information, one piece of advice, I should say in 10s, what would it be?

00;13;02;12 - 00;13;24;01
Karina Salgado Estrada
I would encourage a student to share their long term goals. Allow the representatives at the event to, to help you, get the process started. And most importantly, don't get overwhelmed or give up. We're here to help you. AE is here to help you. The universities are here to help you. Don't give up on your dreams and keep pursuing those.

00;13;24;03 - 00;13;25;00
Daniel McLemore
I love it. Don't give up.

00;13;25;04 - 00;13;45;25
Kendra De La Fuente
You know, for me, for this event specifically, I think it would be. Just look at the choices. Look at, where you could start here at AE and go from there. You know, we're just here to support students, and we're bringing all these options to you guys to plan your future. So just explore and have fun.

00;13;45;28 - 00;14;07;23
Daniel McLemore
Awesome I love it. Thank you guys. So if you're thinking about your next step after AE, make sure you stop by the transfer fair and start turning those goals into a plan. So be sure to keep up with the latest Gator Bites podcast episodes on the AE website, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. So thanks for tuning in and we look forward to bringing you into the conversation soon.

00;14;07;26 - 00;14;08;11
Kendra De La Fuente
Thank you.