Finding the right university sometimes means taking a different path. Four Rowan University transfer students share why they made the decision to transfer, how they found community through student organizations and leadership opportunities, and why Rowan became the place where they could thrive academically and personally.
Finding the Right Fit
Angela Z. and Emily P.
These two transfer students, now seniors, never imagined they would one day become the president and vice president of Rowan University’s award-winning PRaction club, which is the student-run public relations firm through the Public Relations Student Society of America. Angela Z. (right), president, and Emily P. (left), VP, both transferred to Rowan their sophomore year.
Angela, who first attended another four-year college out of state, decided to transfer to Rowan since it was a bigger school with more opportunities for her major. Angela is a public relations and advertising major with a minor in human resources. “I love that there are so many things to get involved in here,” she says. “I came from a small school with 2,500 students, so it’s great to be at a larger school with more opportunity.”
In addition to PRaction, Angela is part of Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, Order of Omega, Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society and is a mentor in the Transfer Mentor Program. Here, she can help new transfer students find clubs and organizations they love, which she finds extremely rewarding.
Emily, a public relations and advertising major transferred from an in-state four year school where she was a commuter. Now, she lives at an off-campus house with some close friends. “I have made some of the best friends here,” she says. “They have helped me become the best and happiest version of myself.” Emily believes that transferring to Rowan was the best decision she could have made for herself and her future career. Rowan has helped her find majors to pursue which she has grown so passionate about and gave her the chance to learn from incredible and caring professors.
Now, the two work side-by-side to run PRaction, and have found a passion for public relations and helping fellow students to get involved.
Building Community Through Leadership
Kevin D.
Kevin Dunphy, a senior political science major, is now the president of Rowan’s Transfer Alliance, a social organization for all transfer students. Being a part of the Transfer Alliance and Tau Sigma (Transfer Honor Society) has allowed him to help connect transfer students at Rowan and encourage them to get involved. One of the reasons why Kevin ultimately chose Rowan was because Rowan made his transition so easy. “They have good transfer services in place and accepted all of my credits,” he says.
When Kevin transferred from a community college to Rowan, he found it easy to adjust to the academic climate. He was also able to find some friends. “I didn’t know many people when I first came here, but I quickly made friends and found success at Rowan that may have been much more difficult to find at larger universities,” Kevin told us.
After noticing Rowan’s recent growth, Kevin wanted a piece of all the action. He said, “Rowan is headed in a great direction, and I wanted to be a part of that!”
Making an Impact Beyond the Classroom
Romulo G.
To Romulo G. (pictured second to last from the right), loving Rowan was as simple as meeting new people and finding life-long friends. He is a junior who studies law and justice and transferred his freshman year. By joining fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha, Romulo has made some great friends and memories, and has found ways to get involved.
Almost every Saturday you can find Romulo either on the courts or in the field participating in Rowan’s Unified Sports Program, a competitive sports club where students and Special Olympics athletes compete in multiple sports. Romulo is also part of the Bringing Hope Home (BHH) organization on campus, which is dedicated to supporting local families battling cancer. Each year, his fraternity hosts an event where all donations benefit BHH. For the past two years Romulo has run the event, with some help from his brothers of course, raising over $10,000. “I always knew I wanted to be involved once I transferred to Rowan, but I never thought I was capable of having such an impact,” he said.
By: Katelyne Ortega
Junior double major, public relations and advertising
About Rowan
Since its founding in 1923, Rowan University has evolved from a teacher preparation college to a public research institution ranked among the top 100 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral degrees and professional certificates in person and online to nearly 25,000 students through its main campus in Glassboro and its eight other locations in southern New Jersey. Rowan focuses on practical research at the intersection of health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. The University has earned national recognition for innovation; commitment to high-quality, affordable education; and the development of public-private partnerships. A Carnegie-classified R2 (high research activity) institution, Rowan is the fastest-growing public research university in the Northeast and among the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2025, Rowan opened New Jersey’s only veterinary school and is one of only two universities in the nation to offer M.D., D.O., and D.V.M. medical degrees.