Javier Soliván-Rivera: Making the Transition to University Park

After beginning his undergraduate career at Penn State Behrend, Javier Soliván-Rivera, a biology major focusing on vertebrate physiology, decided to move to University Park to finish his bachelor’s degree. While making the move to a larger campus certainly has its advantages, it didn’t come without challenges.

A variety of difficulties presented themselves to Soliván during his first semester at University Park. Although he had made several weekend visits to campus, he hadn’t anticipated the huge crowds of students filling the sidewalks between classes. He also had not imagined how many students could fit in one class in 100 Thomas Building, the largest lecture hall on campus that seats over 700 people. “When I arrived in 100 Thomas and saw the capacity it held, I began to doubt my decision of transferring,” Soliván said. Large classes were an anomaly at Behrend; at University Park, they are fairly common, especially for required courses.

Soliván also had to adjust to multiple-choice exams. With smaller class sizes at Behrend, faculty and instructors were able to offer open-ended exam questions. Many required courses at University Park are not conducive to this due to the number of students in a class. Workload on the two campuses was a change as well. “During my first semester I saw myself in the need of dropping a class to safeguard my GPA. Another challenge I faced was managing my workload. At Behrend, I thought of myself as an excellent student. When I transferred I didn’t acknowledge the fact that the transition process would play a huge role in my performance here. I decided it was a good idea to enroll myself in 18 credits and now I can say with confidence I wish I hadn’t done that,” Soliván said.

Soliván knew he had to make changes to adjust to life at a large university. Getting involved with both academic and extracurricular activities enabled him to meet new people and start forming friendships. “Finding a support group during your transition process is fundamental for your success. A lot of students that I have met that have transferred from other campuses usually face the transition process alone.”

Although his family supported him, they were nearly 2,000 miles away in Puerto Rico. Soliván credits a friend he met during his first semester at University Park for getting him on track and guiding him in the right direction. “Because of Anthony Melendez, another biology major, I met the wonderful biology and pre-medicine advising team. I would tell all change-of-assignment students to go to see their academic advisers. Academic advisers will do everything in their power to guide you to success. I still contact them frequently, even after being here for two years,” Soliván said.

The learning assistant (LA) program was another resource that Soliván regularly used to help through his coursework. A LA is an undergraduate student who facilitates small group work in large group settings, such as lecture and labs. The LA program in the Eberly College of Science, which is facilitated by the Center for Excellence in Science Education, offers LA help in select biochemistry and molecular biology, biology, chemistry, and physics courses. “The LAs do an excellent job of helping you understand the material. They also provide a lot of flexibility for you to attend office hours and receive all the help you can get,” Soliván said. After his first year at University Park, Soliván himself became a LA so that he could help other students, just as he was aided through various science courses. He is now the lead LA for Biology 110 and also serves as a teaching assistant for Introductory Physiology.

After overcoming the numerous challenges presented to him by the transition, Soliván began to realize how the move had many positive changes in his life. “I have not only changed as a student, but also as an individual in society. I have had the opportunity to meet people from all around the world and learn their different cultural beliefs and practices. I have become more empathic with others, a quality that I developed through my experience as a learning assistant. The Eberly College of Science taught me how to serve society altruistically.”

Although Soliván initially questioned his decision to make the move, he now knows that it was the right choice for him and has advice for those considering a change of assignment: “If there is something I have learned about successful students that have transitioned, it is that they get involved right away. Don’t be afraid to talk to your neighbor in your first class. Don’t be afraid to go sit down at your professor’s office hours so that he or she can get to know you. Approach your advisers or instructors and tell them you want to get involved in something. But most importantly trust in yourself and the decision that you have made.”

After Soliván graduates in 2016, he plans to attend medical school to become a medical physician and specialize and either cardiology or neurology. He also plans to use the wisdom that he gained during his tenure at Penn State to continue his future success: “I oftentimes get asked how can I maintain a positive attitude when things get rough. My answer is simple: I have two options. The first one is to give up. The second is that I can learn from the experience, embrace it, and move on to seeking better opportunities. I know I will struggle in the future, but based on my previous experiences, I know that there are many more positive things in my future. All it takes is a positive attitude and a little bit of hope.”