Women’s Ice Hockey Head Coach Zach Perkins is spending his summer working in the Office of Admission. His goal is to talk to every transfer applicant. Better still, he wants to meet every applicant. In this short interview, Coach Zach breaks down the Anna Maria transfer experience.
Hey Zach! What’s your best advice for making the transfer jump to Anna Maria College?
The best advice I could offer to making the transfer jump is to go all in. Our community is all about support from the time you apply through the time you graduate. Everyone wants to do everything possible to make you as comfortable and successful as possible.
The transfer admissions process can feel overwhelming, but not here. How do you help future transfers smoothly navigate the application process?
I help future transfers walk through the process step-by-step. For some people, the transfer process as a whole can feel overwhelming but it doesn’t need to be. I take pride in making the process manageable. I help our prospective transfer students with their questions. After that, I tell them how completing the small, easy steps will bring them to the larger goal of transferring. Like with hockey, when you make the plays one period at a time, you get to the win.
Beyond academics, what hidden gems or unique resources at Anna Maria do you think transfer students should know about to get the most out of their experience?
Part of this goes back to the community we foster. Anna Maria is a school full of people who care, from Admissions to Athletics and the professors teaching class. Everyone is here to support your journey and is looking to help mold and transform your future dreams into a reachable reality.
Transitioning to a new school can be tricky. What are your top three tips for transfer students to feel welcomed and integrated into the campus community from day one?
First, be willing to put yourself out there and by that I mean be open and willing to say hi to everyone you walk past. As I walk around campus, one of my most joyful parts of my day are speaking to faculty and students who are here. Even a quick hello and a smile can be a big part of someone’s day. Second, find some extra curricular activities, there are so many clubs and organizations that you can be apart of as well as athletic teams. These groups become built-in friends who share similar interests and create instant connections. Lastly, I always recommend introducing yourself personally to your professors and sharing your story with them. To be clear, the professors want to help you achieve your goals. Having a good relationship with your professors sets you up to succeed. Above all, take advantage of all that Anna Maria offers!
Anna Maria College is on the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll in recognition for excellence in transfer enrollment best practices. We are committed to an informative and seamless transfer enrollment process for our students.
