The university has hired as a full time coordinator for Jump Start Appalachian, turning the pilot program into a permanent program, Director of Transfer Articulation, Jane Rex said.

The newly appointed coordinator of Jump Start, Phil Lewis, said the Jump Start program began in February 2012 as a pilot program funded by a grant.

Jump Start was created to help transfer students from the three biggest “feeder” schools: Caldwell, Central Piedmont and Wilkes Community Colleges with their transition to the university Lewis said.

Lewis said Jump Start was picked up as a permanent program because there are an increasing number of transfer students along with an increasing recognition of their need for support.

“Supporting students to be successful has important implications for future funding” Lewis said.

Lewis said he hopes that as a permanent program, Jump Start will build bridges with other student organizations to help transfers become involved on campus.

“It would be great if we had the space and time to create a Transfer Student Center on campus” Lewis said.

As of now there is no place for transfer students to meet since many commute.

Senior public relations major Lindsey Shaw is one of seven current student mentors in the Jump Start
program.

Her role as a mentor is not only to promote the program at the three “feeder schools” but to also be there to support transfer students, to be someone to meet up with or ask questions, Shaw said.

“I really love to hear them say how much we have helped them” said Shaw. “It’s gratifying that we are actually making a difference.”

Shaw said she hopes that as a permanent program, Jump Start can reach out to more students from schools other than the three target schools they work with now.

Jump Start has a Facebook page as well as First-Wednesday events where transfer students can meet and socialize with other students on the first Wednesday of every month.

Story: STEPHANIE SANSOUCY, Senior News Reporter