Misty Baugh’s entry into college life was less than perfect.

Financial reality dashed her high school dreams of a smooth four-year journey to a degree at a private college. But when tuition costs forced her to change course, she kept her eyes on the prize.

“Thomas Edison said it best,” Baugh said, quoting the iconic American inventor. “‘Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.’”

She enrolled in a two-year program at Arkansas State University at Beebe, knocking out core classes necessary for any major, and then headed to UALR as transfer student. She graduated in December 2004 with a degree in accounting. An accountant by day, she earned an M.S. degree in taxation in May 2010.

Today, Baugh is completing testing for CPA certification and has started working in the tax department of accounting firm Frost, PLLC. Earlier in her career, she worked at Alltel and Verizon Wireless.

Transfer students make up a large and an important part of the UALR community, and the people who make their transfer experience easier work in the Office of Transfer Student Services. Their goal is to smooth the transition to campus for these inbound students.

Last fall, UALR welcomed 1,329 undergraduate transfer students, a significant part of the university’s total enrollment.

“It’s usually a significant portion,” said Rita Sterling of the UALR Office of Institutional Research. “We usually have more transfer students than the number of first-time entering freshmen.”

And those transfer students have a home in the Office for Transfer Student Services, where a four-person staff has served more than 3,000 transfer students via scheduled and walk-in meetings or by phone, fax, and email contact.

“We provide a friendly connection point and offer step-by-step guidance for new UALR students who have transferred here from two-year colleges and other four-year universities,” said Malissa Mathis, director of the office. “We also provide on-the-fly assistance as well as research and training for all campus advisers on transfer policy and procedure.”

Currently located in the Education Building just north of Ross Hall, the office will move to the new Student Services Center in March.

With the move to the Student Services Center, the Office of Transfer Student Services will be located just steps from places providing help for all enrolling students – Admissions, Registration, Financial Aid, Testing, and more.

Transfer services acts as an advocate for transfer students to smooth individual transfer experiences, troubleshoot any issues, and to make sure that proposed UALR policies and procedures are transfer-friendly.

“All of the college credit I earned from ASU-Beebe transferred on my transcript at UALR,” Misty Baugh said. “Because of the partnership agreement and the cooperation between the two schools, transferring to UALR was an easy and seamless transition for me.

“I believe the number of years it takes to complete a degree is not important as long as you eventually finish. Finishing a degree program shows future employers that you have the perseverance and the determination it takes to be a success.”

For more information about how to transfer to UALR, contact the Office of Transfer Student Services at 501-682-1273.