By Abigail Wandersee

When Adali Gallardo and Jacob Hucke decided to transfer to UW–Madison, they knew that coming here would be an exciting opportunity to meet people, share new ideas, and learn from  faculty. No matter how exciting, transferring schools can bring a lot of change and uncertainty.

“My first week on campus was hectic,” says Gallardo. “I remember feeling out of place — everything was new, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable,” If I didn’t have the Transfer Engagement Center, I’m sure the loneliness of being an out-of-state student would have hit harder at the beginning of my transfer experience.”

The Transfer Engagement Center, commonly known among students as  the TEC (pronounced “tek”), is a community space dedicated for UW–Madison transfer students to hang out with other transfers, grab a snack, study, relax — you name it! 

Located on campus in the Middleton Building, 1305 Linden Drive, room 110, the TEC provides free coffee, tea, snacks, and printing services, as well as regular events for transfer students.

“The [TEC] hosts events which are always a fun way to meet new people, and some like Bingo where you can win very useful things to have as a college student, like toilet paper, soap, and even a vacuum,” says Hucke. “These events, as well as the TEC, are always full of people, which made my transfer experience much more comfortable.”

Upcoming events hosted by the TEC are shared in the UW–Madison Transfer Transition Program’s weekly newsletter sent out to subscribers. All incoming transfer students are automatically subscribed to the newsletter before their first enrolled semester, but anyone interested in transfer student resources is encouraged to subscribe.

To foster a transfer student community, the TEC hosts more than a dozen events each semester. Notably, “Broke Bingo” is a signature series where students win items they need but don’t want to purchase, such as cleaning and school supplies. During Wisconsin Welcome, the TEC offers a Devil’s Lake outing as an alternative, non-drinking opportunity to socialize. The excursion includes an optional hike with a naturalist and educational talks about the land’s geological and Indigenous history. 

“What drew me to the Transfer Engagement Center was the various events,” Gallardo says. “They weren’t just pizza parties; they were thoughtfully planned events, and enjoyable to attend,” Gallardo said. “That is also what kept me coming back.”

At the TEC, transfer students can  meet one-on-one with transfer student coordinators, fellow UW–Madison students who went through the transfer process. These personalized meetings are great ways to connect with peers, discuss how to navigate transfer student resources, ask questions about campus culture, and request referrals to other UW–Madison offices with information about specific processes.

“I find myself thinking about hypotheticals a lot in life, like what if I wouldn’t have quit baseball? What if I didn’t live in Wisconsin? What if I was a lefty instead of a righty?” Hucke says. “ But one thing I couldn’t fathom is if the TEC didn’t exist.”

To celebrate National Transfer Student Week (Oct. 19–23), the TEC is seeking Transfer Acts of Kindness to recognize transfer students and professionals who go above and beyond to support this student population. Submit your Transfer Act of Kindness by Oct. 23.

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During the fall and spring semesters, the TEC is open to transfer students Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.