Joshua Clay is an accounting student in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business. Photo by Angela Foster.
Joshua Clay didn’t choose a traditional route to college, but for him, that was part of the plan.
Clay, a junior accounting major at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, started his academic journey at Chattanooga State Community College, where he received two free years of education and graduated with an associate degree in accounting.
“No matter where I went, whether it be an Ivy League or a community college, the first four years are going to be the same,” said Clay, a Chattanooga native and first-generation college student. “Getting that tuition cut in half, smaller class sizes and a smaller network of people, I was really able to hone my skills and learn how to network.”
Clay said that before graduating from ChattState, he was either going to complete his bachelor’s degree at UTC or UT Knoxville. The choice was made easy when he noticed the multitude of connections between ChattState and UTC.
“It was kind of like moving across the street,” he said. “I had already networked with a bunch of UTC individuals—from faculty to deans and even vice chancellors—so it just made sense.”
===============================================================
To read more ChattState to UTC stories, visit this link.
===============================================================
The transfer process, Clay said, was easy as well. After being accepted at UTC, all he had to do was send over his transcript and proof of his degree. One or two business days later, Clay was enrolled.
Despite only being in his first semester at UTC, Clay is already involved in a multitude of campus organizations, including:
- Innovations in Honors program in the Honors College
- Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature
- First-in-Fletcher, a mentorship program for first-generation students in the Gary W. Rollins College of Business
- Black Student Alliance
- Brother 2 Brother, a student organization whose mission is to promote academic, professional and social success among African American and Hispanic/Latino males
- Society for Advancement of Management, a College of Business organization that helps members enhance management skills, knowledge and leadership
- Campus tour guide
“My mentality is that if I’m going to be here for two years, I want to help somebody else make an impact,” he said. “That sense of community is always important.”
Clay also addressed the misconception that transfer students miss out on the full college experience.
“It’s a myth,” he said. “You’re still eligible to get housing. You can still join clubs and institutional scholarships are still available.
“I’ve never felt like I was too old or I was old news. UTC made me feel like I was still getting a college experience.”
######
National Transfer Student Week, an initiative of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, takes place from Oct. 21-25. According to its website, NISTS organizes National Transfer Student Week to celebrate transfer students and the professionals who support them on their journeys
The University’s celebration, which aligns this year with Homecoming Week, is being led by Student Success Programs.
Learn more
ChattState UTC Connect: New dual admission agreement allows for seamless transition
TN Transfer Pathways from ChattState to UTC
Joshua Clay, shown with ChattState President Rebecca Ashford, left, and UTC Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Artanya Wesley, was awarded a Power C Tour scholarship in his last semester at ChattState. Photo by Angela Foster.
