Celebrating Our Transfer Students: How Shameeah Flowers Found Her Campus Community

By Mia McCauley, Student Intern  Each year, during the third week of October, National Transfer Student Week (NTSW) is observed nationwide. This year, NTSW is celebrated Oct. 20-25. Organized by the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, NTSW celebrates the transfer student experience and the many professionals who support them. This NTSW, UW–Madison proudly recognizes transfer student Shameeah (Meeah) Flowers, whose transfer story reflects a unique path of resilience, growth, and determined pursuit of community. Flowers first enrolled in Madison College in 2008 but paused her education to start working and support herself. Despite stepping away, she held on to her goal of attending UW–Madison. ​“Ever since I heard about it in middle school, I always wanted to attend UW–Madison,” said Flowers. “It was my dream school.” In 2023, Flowers made that dream a reality. After returning to Madison College and completing her associate degree in Economics and Pre-Business, she transferred to UW–Madison where she is now pursuing a major in Human Development and Family Studies.  ​Her path as a non-traditional, returning adult student brought unique challenges. Flowers found essential guidance through Autumn Sanchez, her Badger Ready adviser, who helped connect her with campus resources. “As a returning adult transfer, I was initially worried about the culture change from when I was first in school, compared to now,” said Flowers. “Still, I wanted to connect with people and find my community on campus. Through getting involved, I was able to ease back in comfortably.”  ​Despite her path looking different from other transfer students, Flowers overcame distinct barriers and ultimately found her way in the university she had always sought to attend.

Finding Community and Support

Flowers credits her connections with making her transition successful. “My adviser, Autumn Sanchez, referred me to the Transfer Engagement Center! She has been the main person connecting me to all of the resources [on campus].” From making connections with classmates in her American Sign Language (ASL) courses, utilizing advisers in the Transfer Engagement Center (TEC), participating in the Badger Ready pathway program, and providing peer support in the local Madison community, Flowers embraced opportunities that helped her grow both personally and academically. “This campus has so much to offer when you use the resources around you,” said Flowers. “By building relationships, you build community, and just connecting with one person can help you get involved. Through my classmates, I have learned things I would not have known otherwise—I have met new professors, learned about new courses, and been able to better prepare for my future.”

Passion and Purpose

One such example is Badger Recovery, which is housed within University Health Services. Flowers only recently learned about the program and is excited about the opportunity to connect her personal recovery journey with her passion for her studies to help others within the UW community. Given that one-in-five Badgers are transfer students, Flowers’ story serves as a powerful reminder of the diverse paths students take to join the UW–Madison community. “My experience is important because I believe it motivates others,” said Flowers. “Whether it’s my recovery journey, the way I’ve involved myself at UW, or even how I’ve built support systems —my story represents hope.” This National Transfer Student Week (Oct. 20-25), the campus community is encouraged to celebrate and uplift transfer students like Shameeah (Meeah) Flowers.  For more information on the UW Transfer Transition Program, Transfer Engagement Center, and NTSW, visit here.