Fleming College

Students in Fleming College’s General Arts and Science – University Transfer program got a taste of university life recently when they toured the Trent University campus and heard firsthand from graduates of the program. Ten alumni attended a lunch at Trent’s Lady Eaton College to share their university experiences with the Fleming students. The General Arts and Science – University Transfer, an Ontario College Certificate program, is now in its third year of existence with 85 students currently enrolled and another 35 graduates at Trent.In a unique agreement between Fleming and Trent, the University Transfer program allows students to complete the one-year program at Fleming and then transfer into second year at Trent. Students at Fleming take four first-year university-level credits in English, Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy.Students also take additional courses, including Language Composition and Critically Aware Thinking, which helps them transition more smoothly into university. Students must achieve an overall average of 70 per cent and 65 per cent or better in the four transfer credit courses to be considered for admission into Trent.Karen Maki, Assistant to the Associate Dean of Julian Blackburn College and Manager of Continuing Education at Trent, says she sits on a number of provincial education committees, “and they are talking about this program.”“You really are pioneers,” she told the students. “People across the province are talking about this program and what’s going on here. We’re really grateful and proud of the program.”In offering advice about university life the University Transfer graduates praised the unique program and its faculty.“It prepared me well,” said Fleming alumnus and second-year Trent student Tim Lizotte. “I found the (transition) to academic work at Trent very seamless and the Fleming courses helped conceptualize the rigorous courses and high workload here at Trent.”Mr. Lizotte is majoring in English and Geography and plans to go on to teachers college. Other graduates have gone on to major in Sociology, Women’s Studies, Anthropology and English.“This is the first time all three years of the program have been together and it’s the only program like this in the college system,” said Peter Lapp, Coordinator of the General Arts and Science – University Transfer program at Fleming. “This has been a collective effort between Fleming and Trent. There’s a sense that we’ve all embarked on this together.”