A few months ago, Greg Cigich was facing a tough, life changing decision. The armed forces veteran had just finished classes at the University of Wisconsin – Waukesha and was trying to decide where his education would take him next.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater won out over a number of other transfer options including UW-Madison. The 25-year-old finance major is preparing for his first classes on campus this fall and with every day passing, he said it’s become clear he made the right choice.

“I was really struggling when it came to picking between Whitewater and Madison, but I definitely think I made the right choice. I love it here,” Cigich said.

Being a veteran, Cigich admitted that tuition cost wasn’t much of a factor in his choice, but instead it was the small town, community feel and the business program that sealed the deal.

“I was stationed in Japan, so I love the city environment but I really think the Whitewater environment is perfect,” Cigich said. “It gives me the best chance to focus on what I want. One of my professors recommended the school’s business program because of the success rate and professor quality.The business school seems awesome and I’m really pumped to get started.”

Journalism major Matt Coplien transferred to campus last fall and he too said the decision to transfer to Whitewater was the right one.

The 20-year-old began his college career at Edgewood University in Madison as a college athlete. When he tore his hip flexor, effectively ending his college soccer career, he knew he wanted a fresh start. After touring the Whitewater campus, his mind was set.

“The second we stepped on campus, you could tell that people really care about the students and the campus. People were holding doors for us and there was a real family feel to it all,” Coplien said.

He also found the resources available to him here at Whitewater to be a pleasant surprise.

“I have had so many great opportunities here that I wouldn’t have had before. Being able to work with UWW-TV and getting that real world, hands-on experience is a big deal,” Coplien said. “Whitewater is a great school and I have had such a blast the last year. I love Whitewater and I can’t wait to finish my degree here.”

Cigich and Coplien are just two examples of students who have taken advantage of transferring to the Warhawk community; the university takes in approximately 750 transfer students each fall and between 250-300 transfer students each spring, university transfer coordinator Sarah Oberdeck said. She credits the numbers to the campus being an opportunistic and affordable place to learn.

“I think the campus does a good job helping these students find a home here because that’s what we want. We want this to be their final transfer and to have them find their spot here at Whitewater,” she said.