CCRI Transfer Student Denisses Cortorreal ’20 Shares Why JWU Was the Perfect Choice

When Denisses Cortorreal ’20 moved to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic, she began her higher education at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), where she earned an associate's degree. From there, she wanted to find the right four-year institution to earn her bachelor’s degree. She made a list of what was most important to her and quickly discovered that JWU checked all the boxes. Fast-forward a few years and she has earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and is pursuing a graduate degree in JWU’s MBA program.

For many CCRI students, JWU is the perfect next step for an affordable private education. We’ve continued to work closely with CCRI to help students make a seamless transition into the next chapter of their higher education journey. Denisses is one of the many success stories to come from this relationship, so we chatted with her to hear what she had to say about her experience transferring to JWU from CCRI.

1. What made you choose to attend CCRI?

After I moved to the United States, I knew very little about the process of how to obtain a bachelor’s degree. My older brother recommended CCRI as a good start because it was affordable, and I could build my GPA to apply to a four-year school. After my first year in CCRI’s English as a Second Language program, I felt at home. CCRI has a friendly staff who is always willing to help and educate the students.

2. How did you first hear about JWU?

I heard about JWU through DECA. JWU is very involved in DECA and many other National Student Organizations (NSO). JWU NSO students have won a lot of competitions,  and I wanted to win, too! One of my friends from CCRI who happened to be pursuing her second degree as she was changing careers also told me about JWU and how excited she was to attend the campus in Providence.

3. Why did you choose to apply for transfer to JWU?

For me, JWU made sense. After meeting with Barbara Nauman and Peter Petrone (former professors at JWU), they both told me good things about JWU. Something that also caught my attention was that JWU takes career placement seriously. There is a team dedicated to helping students find jobs! Also, as a commuter student, I needed a school that was close to home, and JWU was very close.

Here is a list of the reasons JWU made sense to me:

1. Career placement
2. Distance
3. Going to school in the city
4. Competitive clubs (DECA, ADTEAM, SHRM)
5. Athletic teams
6. Small class sizes

4. What was that transfer experience like, and who helped you through it?

I loved my experience! Throughout this process, I kept in contact with Emily LeBlanc who is a Transfer Student Advisor. One of the things I was the most worried about was to make sure I was taking the right classes at CCRI so JWU would accept the credits. Emily was there for me, all the time.

I remember when I was in the middle of deciding whether to transfer to JWU and was unsure of what to do. I happened to be around JWU Providence, so I walked into the building and asked for Emily. She took the time to meet with me right then and there to help me make a decision.

5. Why should current CCRI students consider transferring to JWU?

CCRI students should consider transferring to JWU because JWU offers the help students seek and need to succeed in their future careers. The professors give students the attention they need to learn. Their class sizes are intentionally small which allows professors to create a stronger connection with every student.

If you go to CCRI in Providence or Warwick, JWU will be an easy adjustment because the commute time is likely to be the same. Also, JWU makes it easy for transfer students to get involved by offering clubs such as DECA, ADTEAM, SHRM, and let’s not forget about the Pack! JWU has a designated community and Pack leaders to help commuter students feel at home and stay involved.

Are you interested in transferring to JWU? 

Learn more about transferring