By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

When Cassondra Blewett (LA’ 23) was a senior in high school, she approached her college search with an open perspective to “start at SUNY Broome and see what happens.” Little did she know that two years at SUNY Broome would propel her to a series of incredible “happens” – including, most recently, winning the prestigious Tau Sigma Scholarship.

After graduating from SUNY Broome with a Liberal Arts and Sciences: A.A. degree, Blewett seamlessly transferred to SUNY Oneonta to continue her studies in psychology. Fully embracing her status as a transfer student, she became President of Oneonta’s Transfer Club and was invited into Tau Sigma, the National Transfer Honor Society. As one of only 62 Tau Sigma scholarship recipients nationwide, she exemplifies the high quality of transfer students that are retained within the State University of New York (SUNY) system. 

Long before SUNY Broome, Blewett was known for her innate compassion. Her natural warmth and calming demeanor made her the go-to person for friends and family to confide in or go to in search of guidance or comfort. Even her extracurricular activities were rooted in service: the Chenango Valley native received the highly respected Gold Award for creating a sensory wall for the dementia community within the Good Shepherd Fairview Home.

While always drawn to counseling, social work, and psychology, Blewett was hesitant to define a program of study too swiftly. Instead, she devised a plan to attend her community’s college with a “show me something cooler” attitude. 

“I made it a point to take any class that seemed interesting,” Blewett said. “As a Liberal Arts student, I had some extra flexibility in my schedule, so I took classes in everything from psychology, to marketing, to photography.”

Blewett’s academic exploration experiment yielded some interesting results. While she loved her photography classes, she found that photography was a better fit as a creative hobby than a professional career. Her marketing class was riveting, but only from the psychological perspective behind it. In the end, a part-time job, not a class, ultimately served as the deciding factor on what path to pursue. In addition to balancing a full course load and working at Wegmans, Blewett took on the position of companion to a middle-aged woman with Cerebral Palsy. 

Through driving this woman to appointments, supporting her daily activities, and providing general care, Blewett knew that she had found her calling – advocating for fellow individuals and connecting them with resources to support success. 

Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

Four semesters at SUNY Broome flew by, and Blewett found herself at a crossroads. After meeting with a transfer counselor, applying to seven colleges, and touring each respective campus, a clear winner arose – SUNY Oneonta.

“SUNY Oneonta checked all of my boxes. It had a great psychology program and was “away,” but close enough to make coming home easy,” Blewett said. “Also, unpopular opinion: winter is my favorite season. So while many students might find an Oneonta winter depressing, I love every minute of it.” 

Thanks to a specialized transfer partnership between SUNY Broome and SUNY Oneonta, Blewett smoothly transitioned with all of her credits in tow. 

Instead of worrying about not fitting in as a transfer student, Blewett boldly entered her new community, excited to engage. Thanks to weekly emails from her designated “Dragon Guides,” she attended campus events, connected with new friends, and accepted leadership roles.  

Blewett’s academic experiences at Oneonta were equally successful, both solidifying her passion for social work, and earning her an invitation to the Tau Sigma National Honor Society. She believes that the key to a successful transition from one campus to another is not succumbing to the stigma that often surrounds transfer students.

“You need to get involved on both campuses and take advantage of the unique opportunities that each college provides,” Blewett explained. “I met some equally amazing people at Broome and Oneonta and feel like my college experience wouldn’t be complete without both campuses’ faculty and friends. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it exactly the same way.” 

After graduating from Oneonta this May, Blewett plans to continue her graduate studies via an MSW to further her goal of becoming a licensed social worker. With applications at both Binghamton University and the University at Albany under her belt, Blewett is proof that the adage “there’s a SUNY for everyone” really should say, “there are SUNY(s) for everyone.”

Interested in exploring your transfer options? SUNY Broome makes it seamless! Learn more about our : specialized transfer partnerships.

Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

 

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