“From the first orientation, I immediately understood that Drew was the right place for me”
November 2025 – Diana Samchuck C’26 transferred to Drew University during her sophomore year and hasn’t looked back.
Samchuk began her college journey at Mercer County Community College (MCCC), where she majored in advertising and graphic design. At Drew, she shifted her focus to marketing while adding double minors in art and creative arts & technology. “My marketing major helps me develop more analytical and research skills for marketing and advertising, and my minors keep me motivated to stay creative,” she said.
Now in her senior year, Samchuk is writing a specialized honors thesis in marketing. “I’m very grateful to Drew for giving me the opportunity to work on my own firsthand research that will contribute to the field,” she said.
Outside the classroom, Samchuk serves as Marketing Director for Drew’s Transfer Student Organization, which launched a peer mentoring program this semester to help newly transferred students connect with resources and ease their transition to Drew. She’s also a member of Sigma Iota Epsilon, a national honor society recognizing excellence in management and business.
We caught up with Samchuk to learn more about her transfer experience and her advice for future Drew students.
How was the transfer process like?
When I settled on transferring to Drew, I had to take care of a lot of things, such as deciding on my new major and classes, taking care of the financial documents, housing, and so much more. I am grateful that I was able to receive much needed help and guidance in my transfer process, especially from Sunita Bhargava [Director, Transfer & Continuing Education], who answered all my questions and concerns, and later Katie Murray [Transfer Student Services Coordinator], who helped me smoothly transfer all possible credits. Despite all the decisions I had to make in the process, when I went to the first summer orientation, I understood it was all worth it at the end. At the orientation I got a chance to meet faculty members and make friends who I’m still in contact with even now, almost a year and a half later.
Why Drew?
I heard about Drew from one of my closest friends from MCCC. It was the only university out of all the places I applied to that I could actually realistically see myself going to. What first stood out to me was Drew’s reputation for being very welcoming to international students like myself. Besides, Drew had the exact major I wanted to pursue, and most of my previous credits were transferred over, which allowed me to consider finishing my bachelor’s degree at the end of the spring 2026 semester.
How has your experience at Drew been?
From the first orientation, I immediately understood that Drew was the right place for me. Drew’s community is what makes my experience at the university simply great. I’ve met a lot of wonderful people and made some friends that give me motivation to keep moving forward. I am happy to learn a lot from the professors during my classes and grateful for their support in my work on the specialized honors thesis.
Any advice for students thinking to transfer to Drew?
Take a campus tour to experience the wonderful community and see what this campus has to offer. I would also recommend reaching out to Transfer Admissions with any concerns and questions, as they are an amazing resource that will help you finalize your decision.
What are your plans beyond Drew?
I am getting ready to apply for grad schools to pursue a master’s degree. I feel like there is so much more to learn, and I would love to continue working on my research. I am on the lookout for interesting marketing internships, and eventually I would like to land a job in the marketing industry.
