For Ivan Salinas, the path to Davenport University started on the baseball field.
A transfer student and senior at Davenport, Salinas began his higher education journey as a baseball player at Henry Ford College in Dearborn. Now, he’s on track to graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in Urban Education with a focus in integrated sciences.
Both academics and athletics drew Salinas to Davenport.
“The university is in a great location near Grand Rapids, and I loved the idea of having small classes at a university where I could really engage with my professors rather than in a 200-person lecture,” Salinas said.
“I also loved the baseball facilities, and I was a huge fan of Coach (Kevin) Tidey and the entire staff.”
Salinas’ experience is part of a larger trend at Davenport, where transfer students account for nearly half of the university’s enrollment. The university says each of those students was eligible for at least one university scholarship.
For students transferring from community colleges or other four-year universities, Davenport offers support with transferring credits, finding financial aid opportunities and identifying academic pathways.
John Mayes, a senior admissions representative on Davenport’s Lansing campus, works with transfer students daily.
“We can’t stress it enough. Davenport prides itself on being there to help students throughout their transfer process, from transferring credits and identifying financial aid opportunities to choosing the right major and classes,” Mayes said. “It’s our job to make the process an easy one and students will find that our support doesn’t end there. Professors and advisors will continue to check in and help students reach their goals throughout their academic journey.”
For Salinas, that support has continued well beyond the admissions process.
“When I first applied to the university, Nate Cunningham in admissions did an awesome job explaining everything to me and getting me on a career and degree path that was easy to follow,” Salinas said.
“Since being here, I have had tons of help from Dr. Polega through the education department. Coach Tidey, the entire baseball staff and the athletic trainers have been wonderful along the way.”
Salinas says he made the right decision in choosing Davenport.
“My first two years at Davenport have been awesome. I have met some of my best friends here and have had some unforgettable experiences on the baseball team.”
Now, Salinas is looking ahead to what comes next. He hopes to become a high school teacher and a baseball coach.
“I hope to inspire younger generations to find and do what they love and to also question what they are told and think for themselves,” he said.
