Transfer student finds where she belongs at Carolina
She started college as a Trojan, but Cecilia Moore is now majoring in exercise and sport science as a Tar Heel.
For many Tar Heels, their collegiate journey doesn’t begin at Carolina.
Students transferring from other universities or community colleges make up about 900 of Carolina’s admitted students each year. Many rely on the assistance of the Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program, a pathway for community college students to transfer to and graduate from Carolina.
“C-STEP’s work matters because it provides access and opportunities to students who may not have otherwise seen Carolina as an option,” said Brian Woodard, C-STEP’s senior assistant director of admissions.
C-STEP guarantees admission to talented, low-to-moderate-income students who earn an associate degree at one of 14 community colleges across the state, providing dedicated advising, mentorship and a seamless transition to a four-year degree.
Since 2006, C-STEP has helped over 2,100 students with their transition to Carolina. This includes rising senior Cecilia Moore, whose journey to Chapel Hill was particularly unique.
A longtime Carolina fan who grew up in Durham, Moore applied to Carolina but was placed on a waitlist. Soon after, she applied and was accepted to the University of Southern California.
“The day I graduated high school, I found out I was off the waitlist and got accepted into UNC,” Moore said. “But at that point, I had already committed to moving to Los Angeles and had even picked all my classes. The timing was just not great.”
That fall, Moore settled into life as a Trojan, earning good grades and getting involved across campus. But deep down, something was nagging at her: She knew she was a Tar Heel.
Just before her sophomore year at USC, she told her parents she didn’t want to go back.
“During that time, I started to look into classes in Carolina’s exercise and sport science program,” Moore said. “I was talking to faculty members who would eventually become my professors at Carolina. They really inspired me to give Carolina another shot.”
After a semester at Durham Tech, she applied to Carolina again and was accepted. This is where C-STEP came into Moore’s life.
Once accepted, students like Moore begin academic advising, attend specialized orientations and map out the coursework needed to complete their associate degree.
“They really reassured me,” Moore said. “It was nice to know that I wasn’t alone and that there was a program for someone in my unique situation.”
On top of her studies in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, Moore has dedicated much of her time to various clubs and extracurricular activities. She’s a performance nutrition intern for the Carolina football team and vice president-elect of the Theta Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She’s also served on the executive board for Women in Sports Elevate, a club dedicated to uplifting students pursuing careers in sports.
“Students like Cecilia have shown a great ability to overcome various obstacles,” Woodard said. “Their unique experiences and backgrounds help to strengthen the campus community.”
Moore plans to continue her education in physical therapy and see where her Carolina experiences take her. Being a transfer student helped instill that optimistic mindset.
“I’ve learned that uncertainty is OK,” Moore said. “I have grown a lot from previously being a person who would freak out about not knowing what was going to happen day to day. Carolina taught me that there are so many paths my life could take.”
Her sister’s path also led to Carolina, eventually. “My sister actually wound up transferring from the University of Pittsburgh to Carolina herself,” she said. “My mom always says she knew that we were supposed to be Carolina girls.”
