C-STEP transfer student and Carolina Covenant Scholar Jennie Ergott (right) at Davis Library with Jayne Davis, director of Covenant Scholar well-being, whose support has helped Jennie thrive at Carolina (Photo by Jeyhoun Allebaugh)
UNC programs and resources prove critical in helping transfer student Jennie Ergott find her place at Carolina.
After high school, Jennie Ergott, wasn’t quite ready for the transition to a four-year university, particularly one as large as UNC-Chapel Hill. Instead of jumping straight into a big college experience, she decided to start her academic journey at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, North Carolina, where she found the smaller, more intimate setting better suited to her learning style.
Jennie first heard about the Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program (C-STEP), which assists community college students in making a successful transition to UNC, from a professor in class. The program sparked Jennie’s curiosity so she decided to take a chance and apply — a decision that changed her academic trajectory.
Since transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill, Jennie has thrived. She is majoring in American studies and English, with a focus on comparative literature and creative writing. She enriched her campus experience through work study placements at the UNC Undergraduate Library as a circulation assistant and roles at the Media and Design Center and makerspace. She currently works in the Davis Library mailroom. These roles provided her with invaluable professional experience and allowed her to connect with the Carolina community in meaningful ways.
Jennie also benefited from the support of the UNC College of Arts and Sciences Center for Student Success, where she connected with Transfer Student Coordinator Luke Fayard and spent time at the Transfer Student Lounge in Gardner Hall, where she met peers navigating similar transitions.
The Carolina Covenant is another crucial part of Jennie’s success — the financial assistance and flexible academic options were instrumental in helping her balance her studies and personal challenges.
In 2020, Jennie contracted COVID-19 multiple times. In the months that followed, she began to face the ongoing struggles of Long COVID. Jennie has continued her academic work while navigating the physical and mental challenges of recovery. She relies largely on her advisors, particularly Jayne Davis, director of Covenant scholar well-being, and takes classes at a pace that works for her, a flexibility that has made all the difference during this challenging time.
Jennie shared that she is deeply grateful for the opportunities Carolina has provided.
“I’ve loved being a student at UNC,” she said. “The support I’ve received has been invaluable, and I feel like I’ve really found my place here. I’m excited to continue my studies and see where this journey takes me.”
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