Transfer Students Receive Boost from Chime Scholars Foundation

Since 2022, the Chime Scholars Foundation has provided over $140,000 in scholarships to students transferring to The University of Texas at Dallas from community college. The foundation’s gifts have created a new support structure for high-achieving transfer students, a demographic that faces unique hurdles during their academic careers.

“Starting your higher education journey at a community college and transferring to a four-year institution like UT Dallas can be a smart financial decision,” said Jeni Izuel, president of the Chime Scholars Foundation. “This transition may also bring new challenges to navigate, including college affordability. The Chime Scholars Foundation is excited to partner with UT Dallas to help transfer students reach their graduation goals.”

Chime Scholars at UT Dallas receive $10,000 in scholarship support over two years. To date, 14 students have been selected to join the program, which also provides access to a community of faculty, staff and fellow students who provide mentoring and professional development opportunities each month.

Cynthia Sorto, assistant director of engagement at the Multicultural Center at UT Dallas, oversees the Chime Scholars program. She said that the program’s financial aid resources and community engagement opportunities are invaluable for scholars.

“The transfer student population is really unique, and the type of support they receive from the Chime Scholars program is otherwise very limited,” Sorto said. “The transition to a four-year university looks different for each student, but many of them work to pay for school, and they are often nontraditional or first-generation college students.”

Despite these challenges, Sorto said that transfer students are exceptional members of UT Dallas’ student body.

“For many of these students, UT Dallas was a big dream. Although they took a detour to get here, they have a strong sense of what they want from college and are ready to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals,” she said. “They arrive with an infectious energy and are really excited about what they’re studying. It’s remarkable.”

To help transfer students navigate the transition to a large research university like UT Dallas, Chime Scholars have access to holistic support through both the Diversity Scholars and Undergraduate Success Scholars programs. This partnership leverages existing student support structures at the University — which include academic and professional mentoring, tutoring, leadership development and career preparation — to help transfer students succeed personally and academically.

“The scholarship money is great and provides a tremendous help to our students. Once they are part of our programs, students find that the relationships and connections they make also contribute greatly to their success,” Sorto said.

Liza Rosales is a junior marketing major in the Naveen Jindal School of Management and one of the first Chime Scholars at UT Dallas. Born in El Salvador, Rosales moved to the United States when she was 20 years old. She transferred to UTD after earning an associate degree in arts and business administration at Dallas College.

Rosales attended community college during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when all her classes met virtually. When she transferred to UT Dallas in 2022, she faced the rigors of in-person classes for the first time as she entered upper-level coursework. Compounding this difficulty, it was the first time Rosales worked with professors face-to-face speaking English, her second language.

“It was a new city, a new school and a new language,” Rosales said. “Having these pressures, I didn’t know if I would be able to make the transition. And then it was all in English, and I thought, ‘This is so overwhelming.’”

To ease the transition, Rosales was invited to participate in a summer research group with the Undergraduate Success Scholars program. This experience prior to her first official semester helped her acclimate to UT Dallas while creating friendships with other students.

“The program brought together a whole community of minority students,” Rosales said. “We were able to meet each other and get familiarized with UTD. They helped us learn more about campus: where buildings were, what research programs exist for us to join.”

Meeting students and faculty who represent the diversity of backgrounds present in the UT Dallas community helped Rosales feel at home at the University. This experience continued as she deepened her friendships through the Chime Scholars program.

“The fact that there are professors and students from all over the world made me feel really comfortable,” she said. “When you are in a large university, having a small group of friends and mentors who you can chat with, and where you can share how you feel and receive guidance, is so important.”

Rosales has high aspirations for herself, both for her time at UT Dallas and for her post-graduate career. She has already been accepted into the Jindal School’s fast-track master’s program, and will begin taking courses towards a graduate degree in marketing this summer. After that, she wants to inspire future generations of students to achieve success.

There are so many people at UT Dallas who want to help you. They’re just waiting for you to be here. Go find them.

Liza Rosales
Chime Scholar

“Short-term, I want to make a better life for my family. I want to complete my undergraduate degree and become one of a small percentage of Hispanic students who complete a graduate education,” Rosales said. “In the long-term, I’d like to be a motivational speaker to help others to pursue their dreams. One day I’d like to have a foundation or nonprofit organization that helps students pursue their dreams of going to university.”

Asked what guidance she would give to future transfer students, Rosales said that support is always available at UT Dallas for those who need it.

“The best advice I would give is don’t be afraid, always ask for help,” she said. “There are so many people at UT Dallas who want to help you. They’re just waiting for you to be here. Go find them. Second, you need to know your goal: why are you in school? If you know that, then you know what you need to succeed. Third: it’s okay to cry. There are resources here to support you, so it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. You’ll get through it.”

The Chime Scholars Foundation is a charitable organization run by Chime, a financial technology company founded on the premise that essential banking services should be helpful, easy and free. The foundation’s mission is to build a better future through higher education. Through scholarships and partnerships, the Chime Scholars Foundation helps everyday people complete degrees and certifications to expand career pathways, improve financial success and do more for themselves, their families and their communities.

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