
During the third week of October, Loyola Marymount University joins campus communities across the U.S. to celebrate our transfer student community for National Transfer Week from Oct.21-25. During this week, LMU celebrates transfer students and their contributions to the LMU community. This year, Student Transitions and Success, which includes Transfer Programs, offers events and programs to celebrate and connect transfer students to opportunities to further their success.
Monday, Oct. 21, Roski Dining Hall, 6 p.m. PDT
Transfer Week Banquet
Join a gathering in Roski Dining Hall to kick off Transfer Week with a banquet celebrating transfer students. Guest speakers will give their perspective and food will be catered.
Tuesday, Oct. 22, The Living Room, 5 p.m. PDT
Transfer Tuesday: A Night with Career and Professional Development
Join Transfer Tuesdays at The Living Room (space adjacent to The Den) to welcome Career and Professional Development as they host a workshop specifically catered to the transfer community to learn how to utilize CPD and their services to support your career goals.
Wednesday, Oct. 23, Bowlero, 5:30 p.m. PDT
Transfer Week Bowling Social
Join the conclusion of Transfer Week with a bowling social off campus at Bowlero.
Some of LMU’s current transfer students shared their perspectives on what it’s like being part of the transfer community, what helps them be successful, and what they hope to achieve in the future after graduating from LMU.
Natania Ishananto ’26, a marketing major from Fremont, California, transferred to LMU from a community college in her hometown. She had researched schools online, but it was visiting LMU and hearing Dean Dayle Smith from the LMU College of Business Administration talk about her hopes for the college that Ishananto was sold that this was where she wanted to attend school. “LMU is a place of opportunities and it’s up to me to work for them if I want them,” said Ishananto. “I like living in the transfer student housing pod because I get to see the same people everyday and that we’re pretty diverse. I like that we live together and can be friends above anything else. Living in the transfer pod has been a good place to start to make connections on campus for me.”
Ishananto’s biggest support has been her parents, “It feels good to have someone from home I can tell about my day when my friends are busy and need advice,” said Ishananto. Once she graduates, she hopes to go straight into a job and work so she can move out and enjoy my youth while making money so she can eventually pay her parents back for everything they did for her.
Frank Captanis ‘25, a business management major from Torrance, California, who first came to LMU on a school field trip in eighth grade and felt that the campus was so beautiful. Since that time LMU has been his dream school, and he achieved that dream after transferring from El Camino College. During his time at LMU, Captanis has learned the importance of being part of a community. “Being in this community has been such a resource for me to lean on,” said Captanis. “The community is also something you have to give effort back into it and participate in your community and be a force for good.”
Captanis is involved with many things at LMU so far including being a Transfer Peer Advisor, being part of the Sports Business Association and Latinx Business Association. He also interned with the Los Angeles Rams this summer during training camp at LMU and is currently in the LMU/Rams mentorship program. His advice for future transfer students, “Get involved with the community at your community college and make sure you are staying on top of your grades,” said Captanis. “Attend your professors office hours and the tutoring center if you’re struggling with any one topic.”
Abigail Mora ‘25, a psychology major from South Gate, California, transferred to LMU from East Los Angeles College. LMU has been a dream school for Mora since she was 8 years old when she attended the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books with her parents where LMU was present at a table. “I was a very shy girl, but my parents encouraged me to approach the two LMU representatives,” said Mora. “When I did, they treated me with so much respect and kindness, taking the time to answer my questions thoughtfully, despite my age. This interaction forever left a lasting impression on me, and from that moment on, LMU became my dream school. This sentiment was reinforced during my senior year of high school by my influential teacher, Ms. Figueroa, an LMU alumna whom I greatly admire and is still an important figure in my life till this day. My acceptance into the Pathway Program between LMU and ELAC solidified my decision to transfer into LMU.”
Mora is involved in several organizations, including serving as an ATLAS Peer Advisor, a research lab assistant, and a member of the Psychology Club. She has also been engaging with LMU’s First To Go program and Chicano Latino Student Services, which allows her to connect with and support peers who she can identify with and relate to. An important lesson she’s learned during her time at LMU is the power of community. “Building relationships with my peers and faculty has been essential in navigating my academic journey,” said Mora. “I’ve realized that seeking support is not a sign of weakness; it’s an important step toward personal and academic growth. Additionally, I’ve learned that college looks different for everyone, so it’s important to be kind to yourself as you navigate your own unique journey toward obtaining your degree.”