NISTS 15th Annual Conference Program, Feb.15-17, 2017, Loews Atlanta Hotel

A T L A N T A , G E O R G I A | F E B R U A R Y 1 5 - 1 7 , 2 0 1 7
A N N U A L C O N F E R E N C E
T R A N S F E R S T U D E N T S
of the
National Institute for the Study of
15th

2 • NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF TRANSFER STUDENTS | #NISTSCON2017
Schedule
T I M E E V E N T L O C A T I O N
All conference activities are on the C Level of the Loews Atlanta Hotel
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration Open Ellington Ballroom Pre-function Area
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Pre-Conference Workshops See pages 8 - 10
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Box Lunches for pre-conference participants
2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Opening Session: Adapting in a Ellington Ballroom
Changing Higher Education Landscape
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Concurrent Session I See page 14
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Networking Break with Sponsors Ellington Ballroom Pre-function Area
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Concurrent Session II See page 16
6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Reception & Poster Presentations Overlook East & West
7:30 p.m. Dinner on Your Own

Thursday, February 16, 2017
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Ellington Ballroom Pre-function Area
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Plenary Session: Panel Discussion - Ellington Ballroom
Communicating across Campus and Beyond to Support Transfer Students

East Los Angeles College
9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Concurrent Session III See page 24
10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Networking Break with Sponsors Ellington Ballroom Pre-function Area
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Concurrent Session IV See page 26
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Networking Lunch Overlook East & West
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Transfer Student Ambassadors Panel Ellington Ballroom
Moderator, Dantrayl Smith, Assistant Director

of Transfer Student Services, The University of Texas at Arlington

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Concurrent Session V See pages 29 - 30
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Networking Break with Sponsors Ellington Ballroom Pre-function Area
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Focus on Transfer Research Ellington Ballroom
5:45 p.m. Dinner on Your Own See Dining Suggestions in Conference Bag

Friday, February 17, 2017
8:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Breakfast Plenary Session Ellington Ballroom
Panel Discussion: Influencing Statewide Policy
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Concurrent Session VI See pages 38 - 39
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Networking Beverage Break Ellington Ballroom Pre-function Area
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Concurrent Session VII See pages 40 - 41
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Closing Session Ellington Ballroom

Welcome
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to Atlanta and the 15th Annual Conference of the National
Institute for the Study of Transfer Students!
The past fifteen years have represented a great deal of progress in the
world of transfer. The stigma related to transfer is being challenged.
Community colleges are receiving due recognition for their vital role
in educating and preparing students to transfer and successfully earn
bachelor’s degrees. States and national leaders are joining forces to
remove policy barriers that complicate transfer. Foundations are providing
funds to study and improve transfer. Transfer is being discussed earlier,
in our high schools, as a viable pathway to collegiate success. Transfer
students are being valued for their contributions to campus communities.
And more institutions are committing resources to support professional
development for transfer professionals, as evidenced by the sustained
growth of this conference.
We celebrate this success, while also acknowledging the enduring
challenges to collegiate transfer that will keep us engaged in this work for
the next fifteen years. The transfer process is difficult to standardize due
to unique individual and institutional circumstances. Working with transfer
students is a time-consuming endeavor. Transfer requires committed
collaboration to develop clear academic pathways between institutions.
Many transfers are first generation college students with little context
for navigating the complexities of transfer. Successful transfer practices
are reliant upon engaged institutional partners. Limited resources
force institutions to make difficult financial allocations. In spite of these
challenges, your good work continues to make a difference and NISTS is
proud to provide a platform for challenging the status quo and improving
the lives of transfer students.
One of the joys of coming to this conference is being with others who
share your commitment to serving on behalf of transfer students. Every
year, the collective energy of our conference participants is truly palpable.
The challenge for each of you becomes bridging your conference
experience with your everyday work. As the transfer mission grows at your
institution or organization, I urge you to be a catalyst for change. Take
what you learn from this conference and inspire others to put new ideas
into practice. Be the voice that consistently includes transfer students
and their issues in the conversation, or more importantly, as a vital part
of strategic planning and goal-setting endeavors. Identify barriers to the
transfer process and work to reduce them. Be diligent about supporting
your transfer stories with data and finding ways to connect the significance
of transfer to the priorities of your colleagues.
Enjoy your time at the conference. May your find inspiration and renewal
through interacting with and learning from one another.
Sincerely,
Janet L. Marling, Ph.D.
Executive Director, National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students
Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management,
University of North Georgia
Table of contents
NISTS Staff, Board & Affiliates......4
About NISTS.................................5
Award Winners.............................6
Preconference Workshops............8
Opening Session........................12
Concurrent Session I...................14
Concurrent Session II..................16
Opening Reception ...................18
and Poster Presentations
Plenary Session...........................22
Concurrent Session III.................24
Concurrent Session IV................26
Plenary Session...........................28
Concurrent Session V.................29
Focus on Transfer Research........32
Breakfast Plenary Session...........36
Concurrent Session VI................38
Concurrent Session VII...............40
Closing Session..........................41
Educational Partners...................42
Conference Sponsors.................43
Hotel Diagram............................45
FEBRUARY 2017 • ATLANTA, GA • 3

NISTS ADVISORY BOARD
NISTS AFFILIATES
NISTS STAFF
Welcome
Janet L. Marling
Executive
Director
Vincent Prior
NISTS Affiliate
Coordinator of Transfer
and Transition Programs,
Orientation and Transition
Programs, University of
North Georgia
Lara DeBlois
Office
Administrator
Marc Cutright
NISTS Research Director
Associate Professor,
Higher Education
Administration
University of North Texas
Judith T. Brauer
Associate
Director
Jan Hillman
NISTS CAS Board of
Directors Affiliate
Andrew Cruz
Student Staff
Kristin Cisewski
Student Staff
Brianna Moring
Student Staff
Bonita C. Jacobs
President,
University of North Georgia
NISTS Founder &
Senior Fellow
Trudy Bers
President,
The Bers Group
Alfred Herrera
Assistant Vice Provost for
Academic Partnerships,
Center for Community
College Partnerships,
UCLA
Mark Allen Poisel
Vice President for
Enrollment and
Student Affairs,
Augusta University
Barbara
Tobolowsky
Assistant Professor,
Educational Leadership
& Policy Studies,
University of Texas
at Arlington
Stephen J. Handel
Associate Vice President,
Undergraduate
Admissions
University of California,
Office of the President
Betsy Q. Griffin
Senior Associate Vice
President,
John N. Gardner
Institute for Excellence in
Undergraduate Education
Toyia K. Younger
Vice President Leadership
Development and
Membership Services,
American Association
of State Colleges and
Universities (AASCU)
James D.
Mantooth
Executive Director of
Enrollment Services and
Student Engagement,
University of Tennessee
at Martin
Dimpal Jain
Educational Leadership
and Policy Studies
California State
University, Northridge
Rose Rojas
District Director Center
for Curriculum and
Transfer Articulation
Maricopa Community
College District

About NISTS
The National Institute for the Study of Transfer
Students (NISTS) exists to improve the lives of
transfer students. Through research, education, and
service, we support professionals who directly serve
transfer students, as well as those who create transfer
policy and conduct transfer-related research. NISTS
bridges knowledge, policies, and practice by bringing
together a wide range of stakeholders to explore
the issues related to the transfer process in order to
facilitate student success and degree completion.
We partner with two- and four-year institutions, state
agencies, higher education associations, foundations,
and others committed to transfer student success.
NISTS was founded in 2002 by Dr. Bonita C. Jacobs
in response to a lack of professional development
opportunities and research literature focused
specifically on transfer students. In 2003, NISTS
held our inaugural conference at the University of
North Texas with 300 attendees from over 30 higher
education institutions and 32 states. Since then, the
conference has grown to nearly 500 attendees from
over 200 institutions representing 38 states and two
provinces in Canada.
Since our first conference fifteen years ago, NISTS has
encouraged the national conversation about transfer
students in many ways. In 2006, NISTS began offering
grants to support transfer-related research, and in
2010 we introduced and awarded the first Barbara K.
Townsend Dissertation of the Year Award. In 2013,
we introduced another opportunity to recognize
outstanding transfer professionals with the inaugural
Bonita C. Jacobs Transfer Champions Award. We are
excited to establish these awards as an integral part of
our conference.
In addition to award recognition, NISTS also offers
exclusive access to members-only resources, including
institute research and conference proceedings as well
as related policy information, a newsletter, discounts
for NISTS professional development events, and more
through our membership organization, the Association
for the Study of Transfer Students (ASTS).
Access exclusive members-only content,
including newsletters, webinars, discounts
and community discussion at
www.transferinstitute.org/ASTS
The Association for the Study of Transfer Students is the professional organization for the National Institute for
the Study of Transfer Students, and the only association exclusively dedicated to promoting transfer student success,
advancing transfer research and facilitating partnerships to enhance transfer.
ASTS reaches across departmental and divisional
responsibilities and beyond institutional boundaries.
Membership is encouraged for:
• Higher education professionals charged with
providing programs and services to facilitate transfer
student success
• Higher education faculty dedicated to the pursuit of
transfer student research and success
• Higher education administrators committed to ensuring
transfer student success
• State and national agency representatives interested in
increased transfer student success and degree attainment
Members receive access to exclusive content and more.
The benefits of membership with ASTS include access
to exclusive members-only content, including webinars,
community discussions, event discounts, ASTS newsletters
highlighting current standards and transfer student
perspectives, and more.
Applying for membership is easy. As a registered attendee
of the 15th Annual NISTS Conference, you were credited with
a complimentary one-year membership. If you would like to
join, but were not a registered attendee, visit our website at
www.transferinstitute.org/ASTS or contact us at
nists@ung.edu or (706)864-1579.

BONITA C. JACOBS
Charlene Stinard has served transfer students for over 28
years. Before retiring as the Director of Transfer Services at the
University of Central Florida (UCF), Charlene worked tirelessly
on behalf of transfer students in central Florida. She developed
articulation agreements and partnerships, both within and
outside of UCF, to promote pathways to academic success. She
also created a nationally recognized peer mentor program and
the university’s first Transfer Experience Committee to promote
campus-wide collaboration in support of transfer students,
building a lasting culture of transfer-student support.
A major focus of Charlene’s efforts on campus was to create the most seamless pathway
possible for incoming and enrolled transfer students. Her programming initiatives were
focused on the retention, success, and graduation of transfer students at a campus that
enrolled over 13,000 transfer students annually. Charlene worked closely with students
to develop the transfer peer model, a series of student success workshops, an improved
website, and resources for students prior to, during, and after transfer.
Charlene has made a difference in many students’ lives. Some of her students and peer
mentors went on to work in the field of higher education focusing on transfer student
advising and success. Many students directly attribute their success in college to
Charlene’s effort and personal attention. Charlene was never just an administrator. She
was an advisor to transfer students and was always willing to spend time directly helping
students. In addition, Charlene worked unconventional hours to accommodate non-
traditional and working transfer students.
The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), recognized her
work in 2005 when she was named the Bronze winner for the NASPA Excellence Award.
Charlene Stinard holds a master’s degree in political theory from Columbia University
and a bachelor’s degree in political science from SUNY New Paltz. She was nominated
by DeLaine Priest, Associate VP of Student Development and Enrollment Services at the
University of Central Florida; Dr. Mark Allen Poisel, VP for Enrollment and Student Affairs
at Augusta University; and Dr. Sonya Joseph, VP for Student Affairs at Valencia College.
“The transfer-friendly culture [at the University of Central Florida] continues to thrive due
to the framework she established and the legacy Charlene left,” Dr. Joseph wrote. “I
believe the Direct Connect partnership [between Valencia and UCF] is so successful due
in part to the work Charlene did to establish relationships with college partners.”
The Bonita C. Jacobs Transfer Champion Award is given in recognition of an individual
who has demonstrated exceptional advocacy and leadership in the development and
implementation of transfer-focused programs, policies, or research and whose efforts
have made a significant contribution to the improvement of transfer student access,
persistence, and success.
T R A N S F E R C H A M P I O N A W A R D
Do you know
a Transfer
Champion?
Visit the NISTS website,
transferinstitute.org,
for information about
nominating a transfer
professional for the
Bonita C. Jacobs Transfer
Champion Award.
The nomination deadline
is in early September.

Kathy Silberman is
the Transfer Project
Coordinator at one of
the largest community
college districts in
the nation, Maricopa
Community Colleges
in Tempe, Arizona.
Kathy has created
robust structures and systems to facilitate
genuine and ongoing relationships
between community college and
university faculty and staff. She proactively
identifies areas in need of improvement,
and convenes workgroups that result in
improved transfer tools to better serve
students. One of her nominators states,
“She re-shaped the way we presented
our material which resulted in a complete
overhaul of our electronic transfer guide.
Kathy continues to facilitate conversations
within Maricopa each year to review
and update course articulation to keep
the information current.” Kathy began
her work with postsecondary students
as a student services specialist at Mesa
Community College. She holds a master’s
degree in elementary education.
Carmen Robinson is the Assistant Dean
for Student Services for the College
of Arts, Letters, and Sciences at the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Among her accomplishments, Carmen
instituted a transfer student orientation
for her academic college focused on the
needs of the nontraditional student and
was held in the evening to accommodate
student schedules. When a university-wide student success
plan was being drafted, Carmen was tapped for the
steering committee and to lead a group researching the
needs of transfer and nontraditional students. Carmen
began her career at Pulaski Technical College, a two-
year community college in Little Rock. She received her
doctorate in education, with a focus on higher education
administration. Her dissertation focused on the transfer
population in the State of Arkansas.
Maria Campanella
is the Director of
Student Services for
the Health Sciences
Office at Stony
Brook University,
part of the State
University of New
York system. Before
joining Stony Brook in the fall of 2016,
Maria was the founding director of the
Transfer Student Services Center at
Brooklyn College—CUNY, where she
spent four years changing the culture
around transfer. “Maria’s commitment
to the transfer student does not end
with admission and enrollment—she
has implemented several measures
to assess student satisfaction,” one
of her many supporters wrote. Maria
began her higher education career 19
years ago as an Academic Counselor
and Transfer Coordinator at the Post
Campus of Long Island University. She
holds master’s degrees in psychology
and health education.
Rajan Shore is the Transfer Program
Coordinator at Blue Ridge Community
College in Weyers Cave, Virginia. She is
known as a fierce advocate for transfer
students. A faculty member writes, “Her
visionary commitment has invigorated our
whole campus – making college transfer
success a chief academic priority.” And
another nominator states, “Under Rajan’s
leadership, the needs of transfer students have been elevated
on campus. This shift in culture has resulted in greater transfer
student retention and success. She has helped create a vision
for transfer student success at the College. It is her dedication
and expertise that has resulted in the college embracing a
model transfer support program.” Rajan holds a master’s
degree in Counseling and Student Services.
Artis Gordon
is the Director
of the Transfer
Center at Virginia
Commonwealth
University (VCU)
in Richmond,
Virginia. During
his tenure, Artis
grew this office of
two to eight faculty, staff, and student
workers who support the up to 3,000
new transfer students at VCU annually.
One nominator writes, “His advocacy
and support of transfer students over
the past ten years has transformed the
way Virginia Commonwealth University
serves students.” Artis designed and
implemented the Transitional Leaders,
Transfer Student Peer Mentor program,
as well as starting a chapter of Tau
Sigma National Honor Society. He
also led the creation and continued
implementation and improvement of a
web-based Course Equivalency Table.
And, he designed the curriculum for a
transfer student success course, which
he regularly teaches. Finally, Artis is
committed to using data to evaluate
and improve transfer student support
programs. In 2014, the National
Academic Advising Association
(NACADA) recognized the VCU Transfer
Center with the Outstanding Institutional
Advising Program Award. Artis holds a
master’s degree in sport leadership.
Bonita C. Jacobs Transfer Champion Award
Mid-Career
Bonita C. Jacobs Transfer Champion Award
Rising Star

Preconference Workshops
Ravinia
New Transfer Professionals: Navigating,
Negotiating, and Networking
As the national college completion spotlight
shines brightly on transfer student populations, the
professionals who serve them are being asked to
do more. Some of these individuals have worked
in transfer for years, while others are being asked
to navigate uncharted territory on campuses just
beginning to take an interest in transfer. This
workshop targets professionals new to transfer
and those interested in learning more about other
functional areas within transfer. It serves as a
comprehensive examination of the state of transfer
and facilitating transfer student success.
Designed to be a combination of education,
application, and networking, this workshop will:
• Provide an overview of transfer terminology,
populations, and migration patterns
• Examine attributes of transfer-friendly
institutional cultures
• Explore articulation and inter-institutional
collaboration
• Introduce promising transfer practices and critical
research reports
• Examine state and institutional transfer policies
• Assist participants to better define their role as
transfer professionals and advocates
• Provide guidance on how best to navigate
the full conference and future professional
development opportunities
Janet L. Marling, Executive Director, National Institute
for the Study of Transfer Students; Vice President of
Student Affairs, University of North Georgia
James D. Mantooth, Executive Director of Enrollment
Services and Student Engagement, University of
Tennessee at Martin, NISTS Advisory Board

Piedmont
Creating Successful Transitions:
The Transfer Orientation Experience
(Sponsored by the Transfer Services Network of
NODA – Association for Orientation, Transition, and
Retention in Higher Education)
Transfers come to college with an array of interests,
needs, life experiences and motives. A supportive and
specialized orientation experience is the foundation
for their ongoing success and persistence. This
presentation will highlight current research and best
practices to enable you to take away the necessary
foundations to build a transfer orientation experience
for your respective institution.
This workshop is designed to:
• Briefly highlight the important trends and current
issues of transfer students on college campuses
including student orientation and engagement
• Present components of a successful transfer
orientation experience to enable participants to
devise their own unique program
• Provide a forum for conversation surrounding
transfer students including best practices, current
trends, and transfer student needs
• Discuss opportunities to engage special
populations, including parents and families,
nontraditional students, and returning
veteran students
• Allow participants the opportunity to network with
other higher education professionals
Taylor Kamin, Director of Transfer Orientation,
Auburn University; Co-chair, Transfer Services
Network of NODA
Jonathan Fries, Assistant Director of First-Year
Programs at Lynchburg College; Co-chair, Transfer
Services Network of NODA

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15 • 9:00 AM-12:30 PM
Inman
The Transfer Advising Continuum:
Pre-Advising to Successful Student
Defining the characteristics and trends of transfer
students is a well-researched topic, but challenges
and unanswered questions remain regarding how
to successfully advise this population of students.
Additionally, more freshmen applicants are bringing
in transfer credit blurring the lines between transfer
students and students with transfer credit. To
further complicate matters, campuses often lack
a centralized resource for transfer students, their
advisors, and other stakeholders.
This workshop is intended for professionals who
advise transfer students from pre-transfer through
enrollment, as well as administrators and others who
are interested in developing a centralized hub to
support transfer students.
Through this workshop, participants will:
• Learn about challenges advisors face during
pre-transfer and strategies to help ease students’
transition to your institution.
• Utilize data to create “buy-in” among key
transfer stakeholders on campus and the positive
effect this process can have on the transfer
advising experience.
• Understand how pre-advising students (before
matriculation) through a centralized resource can
boost recruitment and advising initiatives.
• Share best practices for advising both transfer
students and students with transfer credit. (What
questions are we asking, and what questions
should we be asking?)
• Understand how the Washington State University
Transfer Clearinghouse was created, challenges
that were faced, and action steps to build a center
on your home campus.
• Create a proactive and educational approach
to the articulation of credit and its application to
degree requirements.
Sara Ackerson, Academic and Student Success
Advisor, Washington State University
Susan Poch, Assistant Vice Provost Office of
Undergraduate Education, Director of Transfer
Clearinghouse, Washington State University
Waylon Safranski, Assistant Director, Transfer
Clearinghouse, Washington State University

Dunwoody
Leading and Communicating
Effectively: The Ever-Changing
Tide of Transfer
This workshop is designed for transfer professionals in
leadership positions (associate director/director level
or above) who are seeking to influence change on
their campus. In the context of shrinking resources, it is
essential for leaders to create and implement strategic
action and communication plans related to transfer
student services.
This workshop will provide you with tools to effectively:
• Describe the specific transfer students on
your campus
• Document the ways you support them
• Identify the resources needed to support
transfer students
• Demonstrate how this work is essential to
achieving institutional goals for recruitment,
retention, and graduation
Specific strategies and examples will be shared
to equip you to develop a plan to lead resource
development and to influence change on your
campus. Through the use of effective data gathering,
you will learn how to tell the “Story of Transfer” on
your campus.
As a result of the workshop, participants will:
• Learn data gathering techniques to answer crucial
planning questions
• Identify the initial stages for developing a Strategic
Transfer Student Plan
• Develop an effective communication strategy for
internal and external constituents
Mark Allen Poisel, Vice President for Enrollment
and Student Affairs, Augusta University; NISTS
Advisory Board

Ardmore
Undergraduate Success for
Underrepresented Students
Research suggests that one way to address concerns
about low completion rates of underrepresented
students is to examine the educational path of transfer
students. In recent years, we have seen an increase in
the number of underrepresented students attending
multiple institutions.
Some have argued that “given the
underrepresentation of minorities in the share of
baccalaureate degrees earned and that earning the
bachelor’s degree is to a large extent contingent on
minorities successfully transferring from two to four
year institutions, the imperative to increase transfer
rates of minority students should indeed be a national
concern” (Rendon & Garza, 1996).
Join us to examine best practices at both community
colleges and public universities in an effort to identify
and understand factors contributing to the success
and degree completion of underrepresented students
who transfer from community colleges to four-year
institutions. This session will be interactive and we
will talk about challenges and suggestions for serving
underrepresented students at both community
colleges and four-year institutions.
Preconference Workshops WED., FEB. 15 • 9:00 AM-12:30 PM
The presenters will discuss case studies, program
reviews, and best practices from several institutions
to show how specific support services can help
underrepresented students make a seamless
transition, achieve at high levels, and ultimately
attain a baccalaureate degree.
This workshop is designed to help participants:
• Understand the challenges underrepresented
students face in making the transition from
a two-year institution to a four-year institution
• Identify specific strategies to help
underrepresented students
• Learn from best practices and support programs
geared toward underrepresented populations
Toyia Younger, Vice President Leadership
Development and Membership Services,
American Association of State Colleges and
Universities (AASCU)
Alfred Herrera, Assistant Vice Provost for
Academic Partnerships, Center for Community
College Partnerships, UCLA, NISTS Advisory Board

12 • NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF TRANSFER STUDENTS
Opening Session
Adapting in a Changing
Higher Education Landscape
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15 • 2:00 PM
| #NISTSCON2017
Please join us in recognizing the recipients of the Bonita C. Jacobs
Transfer Champion Award during the Opening Session.
Joshua Wyner is founder and Executive Director of the College Excellence
Program at the Aspen Institute, where he also serves as a Vice President.
The Program aims to advance higher education practices, policies and
leadership that significantly improve student outcomes, including several
that relate directly to the college presidency. Josh has spent the past
two decades initiating organizations aimed at improving and equalizing
educational outcomes. He has authored numerous publications about
education, including a book, What Excellent Community Colleges Do:
Preparing All Students for Success (Harvard Education Press, 2014). He
has a B.A. from Vassar College, a MPA from Syracuse University, and a J.D.
from New York University School of Law.
Ellington Ballroom

Concurrent I
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA CC
Salon H
The Transition Experiences of Adult
Students from an On-Campus
Program at a Two-Year College to an
Online Bachelor’s Program
With increased availability of online bachelor’s degrees,
many adult students are making the transition from
a face-to-face two-year college to an online degree
offered at a four-year institution. The purpose of this
session is to discuss specific concerns identified by adult
transfer students as important in this transition process.
This session will include a presentation of the research,
interactive discussion, and introduction of best practices
based on research outcomes.
Jennifer Saxton, Instructor of Professional Studies,
Arkansas Tech University
Jeremy Schwehm, Assistant Professor,
Arkansas Tech University
Salon A
Pathway to an Affordable
Engineering Education
Learn how Texas A&M University is partnering with two-
year institutions to provide an affordable avenue to an
engineering degree. Through the Texas A&M-Chevron
Engineering Academies students co-enroll and take
coursework on a two-year campus before transferring to
Texas A&M’s main campus to complete an engineering
bachelor’s degree. These high-achieving, diverse
engineering students are vital to Texas A&M’s mission of
meeting the current and projected need for engineers
in Texas and beyond. Presenters will discuss key
components of the program and how they could be
implemented on other campuses.
Jon Buchanan, Associate Director of Engineering
Academies, Texas A&M University
Brandie Eneks, Senior Associate Director of Admissions,
Texas A&M University
Salon I
Maximizing Transfer Student
Transitions and Success in the
Classroom
This interactive session will describe the curricular
approaches that two institutions have taken to help
transfer students navigate social and academic
transitions. The presenters will share descriptions of the
syllabi, assignments, assessments, and activities in their
transfer student seminars. Participants will leave the
session with resources to develop specialized courses
aimed at improving transfer student transition
and success.
Stephanie Foote, Professor of Education and Director,
Master of Science in First-Year Studies,
Kennesaw State University
Thomas J. Grites, Assistant Provost, Stockton University
Salon G
Multiple Options for Optimum
Results: Effective and Efficient
Transfer Pathways
Discover what it takes to create effective transfer
partnerships between two and four year colleges. Learn
about student success strategies developed by three
Ohio institutions — Cuyahoga Community College,
Cleveland State University, and Baldwin Wallace
University. Examine dual admission and articulation
agreements, and learn about the important role of pre-
transfer planning services, including Gradfest events,
advising appointments, college tours, and unofficial
academic reviews.
Kimberly Liddell, Campus Director, Enrollment Center,
Cuyahoga Community College
Becky Barnes, District Director, Transfer, Articulation,
and Prior Learning, Cuyahoga Community College
Janna Whitaker, Associate Director of Admissions,
Baldwin Wallace University
Joe Vainner, Coordinator, Special Populations,
Cleveland State University
AA
CR
TPTP EMEM O&TP
O&TP
O&TP
STEMCC

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15 • 3:30-4:30 PM
Current
Research
Transfer
Policy
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition Programs
STEM Transfer Programs
& Student SuccessCR TPEM STEMO&TP
Dunwoody
Transfer in Transition:
Research and Perspectives
from the College Admission
Counseling Community
The National Association for College Admission
Counseling (NACAC) is an organization of more
than 15,000 professionals from around the world
dedicated to serving students as they make
choices about pursuing postsecondary education.
NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice
(SPGP) strives to maintain high standards of
integrity and practice and to foster ethical and
social responsibility among its members to better
serve students. Attend this session to learn more
about NACAC’s role in the professional community
and forthcoming changes to NACAC’s SPGP
around transfer. The latest NACAC research on
transfer trends in admission and recommendations
from NACAC’s Transfer Advisory Committee will
also be shared.
Kim Johnston, Director of Membership and
Affiliate Relations, National Association for College
Admission Counseling (NACAC)
Heather Durosko, Senior Manager of Strategic
Initiatives, National Association for College
Admission Counseling (NACAC)
Salon B
The Impact of Free Community
College on Transfer Student Advising
In fall 2015, Tennessee launched a last-dollar scholarship
program, Tennessee Promise, offering tuition-free
associate degrees for students entering participating
institutions. Presenters will share findings from a study
of five public institutions in Tennessee, investigating the
proactive changes they are implementing in transfer
student academic advising in light of Tennessee Promise’s
anticipated impact. Learn what academic advisers can do
now to prepare for a greater number of transfer students
as a result of the free community college movement.
Teresa Clark, Assistant Professor, Murray State University
Ben Littlepage, Coordinator and Assistant Professor,
Murray State University
Randal H. Wilson, Director, Doctor of Education in P-20
and Community Leadership, Murray State University
Salon C
Mining for Gold (Standards) – Who’s
Doing What in the World of Transfer?
Transfer practitioners are constantly searching for best
practices, good data, and funding opportunities to
develop student success initiatives for their institutional
context. This presentation, based on a national
environmental scan by the John N. Gardner Institute,
will offer a broad overview of organizations nationwide
involved with various transfer programs and funding
initiatives. Attendees will have the opportunity to share
their own knowledge about what works at their campuses
and offer suggestions on the future direction of transfer.
Michael J. Rosenberg
Technical Consultant for Transfer,
John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in
Betsy Griffin
Vice President and Resident Scholar,
NISTS Advisory Board Member
AATP CR
TP CR
Networking
Break
4:30-5:00 PM
TPCR EM
Ellington Ballroom Pre-Function Area

Concurrent II
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA CC
Salon H
Online Orientations: Increasing
Transfer Student Preparedness
This session features a discussion and demonstration
of University of Washington’s orientation platform.
Learn about the strategies and goals behind
the development, including a description of the
development process and how they tailored this
customized application to the needs and expectations
of transfer students. Attendees will be given a tour of
the platform and be able to ask questions to learn how
to adapt this system at their institution.
Ali Albrecht, Senior Program Manager, First Year
Programs; Transfer Initiative Manager,
University of Washington
Sam Swingle, CEO, Advantage Design Group
Salon A
Every Transfer Student Has a Story-
Are You Listening?
This session will focus on the importance of the transfer
student story and why students choose to attend a
specific four-year institution. We already know that
students consider things like cost, geography, and
programs, but what about their cultural background,
socioeconomic status, or personal beliefs / values.
Which factors and dynamics lead to a student feeling
supported or disenfranchised from a four-year
university? This session will explore the factors that
shape the transfer student experience.
Heather Rondeau, Senior Admissions Counselor,
Transfer Coordinator, University of Minnesota Duluth
Salon I
Unpacking the Transfer Playbook:
How Colleges Can Improve
Transfer Outcomes
This session will highlight effective transfer practices
based on national fieldwork at more than a dozen two-
and four-year institutions identified as very successful
in helping community college students transfer and
complete bachelor’s degrees using National Student
Clearinghouse data. Drawing from the recently
published Transfer Playbook, we will share findings and
feature new tools to help colleges measurably improve
their transfer outcomes.
John Fink, Research Associate, Community College
Research Center, Teachers College - Columbia
University
Erin Knepler, Associate Director, Higher Education &
Workforce Programs Public Agenda
Antonio Diep, Associate, Higher Education &
Workforce Programs Public Agenda
Salon G
Transfer Pipeline: Awarding and
Transferring Credit for Non-
Collegiate Learning
By recognizing learning acquired outside of the
classroom, institutions can identify motivated students
who are interested in transfer opportunities. Attend
this session to learn about the National College Credit
Recommendation Service (NCCRS), and hear from one
of its member organizations, the Childcare Education
Institute (CCEI). Learn how CCEI helps its students
access higher education and how they have developed
articulation agreements with numerous institutions
utilizing NCCRS credit recommendations.
Lisa Sax Mahoney, Director, National College Credit
Recommendation Service (NCCRS)
Kimberle Collins, Director of Operations, ChildCare
Education Institute
AACR TP
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O&TP
AATP
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Current
Research
Transfer
Policy
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition Programs
Salon B
Transfer Trends and Best Practices
with Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
In a recent study of more than 14,000 members, the
Phi Theta Kappa student success rate was four times
the national average. The College Relations team at Phi
Theta Kappa Honor Society works to create pathways
of recognition and opportunities for four-year college
enrollment professionals to connect with the nation’s
highest-achieving community college transfer students.
Learn more about these students and hear from
seasoned four-year college transfer recruiters and the
resources they are using to meet their enrollment goals.
Christin Grissom, Director of Scholarship Operations,
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Sarah Reynolds, Associate Director of College &
Transfer Relations, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
Salon C
Creating a Strategic Network
to Build a Better Transfer
Student Experience
Learn how the Office of Transfer and Articulation
Services at the Dallas County Community College
District has developed a strategic network among
faculty and student services staff at both colleges
and universities. Presenters will share strategies for
establishing collaborative relationships to improve
the transfer student experience. Key approaches
they will discuss include: the transfer liaison model,
an articulation system with faculty, and colloquium to
develop a standardized pathway from high school to
community colleges to universities.
Jackie Glee, Coordinator, Transfer and Articulation
Services, Dallas County Community College
District
Michelle Hurdle, Transfer Admissions Coordinator,
University of North Texas at Dallas
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Dunwoody
Transcending the Transition:
Mentoring Programs for Transfer
Student Success
Join this session for a research-based discussion
on the positive impact of mentoring programs
on transfer students’ transition experience. The
presenter will discuss the Transfer Connections
mentoring program at the University of Michigan.
This program is an example of an intentional
mentoring program to ease transfer students’
transition and increase their chances for success.
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss
similar systems of support and strategies that have
worked at their institutions
Ayeza Siddiqi, Assistant Director, Office of New
Student Programs/Transfer Connections Program
Director, University of Michigan
O&TP

Social Connectivity and the Reduction of
‘Transfer Shock’
Efforts to enhance the success of transfer students typically
include support mechanisms ranging from academic bridge
programs, research and enrichment experiences, and the provision
of scholarships. Our work with STEM transfers used all of these
strategies with notable effect, yet qualitative measures identified
social facilitation as a critical determining factor. Targeting
researchers and practitioners concerned with understanding and
ameliorating the community college to four-year ‘transfer shock’,
we adopt a social network approach to assessing connectivity.
Moira J. van Staaden, Professor, Biological Sciences,
Bowling Green State University
Anne Bullerjahn, Professor, Science Owens Community College
Aliaksandr Pautsina, Post-doctoral Research Associate, Biological
Sciences, Bowling Green State University
Student Success Courses and Peer
Mentoring on Transfer Students’ Grades
This poster highlights research that examined the impact of peer
educators and student success courses on transfer students’
grades at the University of California, Riverside. Transfer students
that utilized these resources had significantly higher grades than
transfer students who did not. Presenters of this poster will discuss
the specific programming, resources, and support provided to
students.
Erika Perez Aguilar, CHASS Transfer Outreach Program
Coordinator, University of California, Riverside
Julienne A. Palbusa, Researcher of Evaluation and
Assessment, CHASS F1RST: First Year Programs,
University of California, Riverside
Geoff Cohen, Director, CHASS F1RST: First Year Programs,
University of California, Riverside
Bigger, Faster, Stronger: Employing
Technology to Increase Articulation
Effectiveness
Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, Western Carolina
University has developed a 21st-century technology-based transfer
business process, increasing consistencies in awarding transfer
credits and the number of transcripts articulated beginning with
incoming students for the 2016-2017 academic year. Lead Transfer
Articulation Specialists describe how they use image processing
software and the student information system to decrease the time
between students applying to this university and the articulation of
transfer credits.
Amelia Schlott, Senior Assistant Registrar,
Western Carolina University
April D. Hicks, Transfer Articulation Coordinator,
Western Carolina University
Undergraduate Research and Community
College Transfer Students
Community college students who transfer to a research institution
often face a series of unique challenges, especially related
to engagement and retention. Students from traditionally
underrepresented groups who enroll in STEM majors face
additional challenges and are more likely to change majors
before graduation. This poster examines the perceptions of
participants in the National Institute of Health funded Bridges to
the Baccalaureate program at Virginia Tech.
Denise Young, Transition and Student Success Coordinator,
Virginia Tech
Making Space for Transfer Students in
Makerspaces
This poster examines the perception and use of maker spaces
among newly enrolled students at Appalachian State University.
Makerspaces are finding a home in academic libraries. Previous
research has focused on barriers to participation among women
and minority students, but transfer students also find themselves
in circumstances that may uniquely discourage them from using
maker spaces. Marketing strategies that target transfer students
can more widely promote interest in STEM fields. Emphasizing
makerspaces as fun, creative, no-pressure environments
for making and tinkering is thus a win-win for libraries and
administrators pursuing transfer student success.
Scott Goldstein, Web Librarian, Appalachian State University
How ACT/SAT Testing Requirements Deter
Community College Transfer Applicants
ACT and SAT standardized testing is designed to measure
high school students’ college readiness. Yet, many highly
selective four-year universities require community college
transfer applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores, even if they
did not take these tests during high school. Semi-structured
interviews suggest ACT/SAT transfer requirements deter minority
community college students from applying to test-mandatory
four-year universities. Deterrents include financial, time, age, and
selectivity barriers.
David Nguyen, Undergraduate Student, UCLA
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA CC
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STEM
STEM
Opening Reception & Poster
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STEM
CRO&TP

Living With Technology- Enabled Transfer
Student Systems …A Year Later
The University of Waterloo has leveraged technology to simplify
activities related to transfer credits and agreements. A database
that tracks and monitors transfer credit assessments ensures
timely transfer credit assessments. The database also helps
inform decision-making for new and revised policies related to
transfer credit. In addition, a customer relationship management
tool helps Waterloo effectively and efficiently maintain articulation
agreements by automating activities such as renewal prompts and
improving search ability.
Heather O’Leary, Manager, College & University Partnerships,
University of Waterloo
Scott O’Neill, Associate Director MUR/Director International,
University of Waterloo
Patching the Pipeline: a Scholarship and
Enrichment Program for Associate Degree
Transfer Students in the Sciences
Our “Patching the Pipeline” project is an NSF-funded scholarship
and enrichment program for associate-degree transfer
students pursuing B.S. degrees in the sciences. Our 12-step
program is designed to systematically investigate support
mechanisms thought to remediate this difficult transition,
including scholarships, academic advising, experiential learning
opportunities, and mentorship. Our results suggest methods
of “patching the pipeline” that are applicable to facilitating the
success of transfer students in any discipline.
Jennifer Louten, Associate Professor, Biology,
Rajnish Singh, Associate Professor, Chemistry,
Matthew Weand, Associate Professor, Biology,
Philip Patterson, Associate Professor, Physics,
Creating a Humanities Transfer Pathway
to a Private Research Institution
This poster explores how Case Western Reserve University
(CWRU) and Cuyahoga Community College established the
Cleveland Humanities Collaborative (CHC) to help high-
performing students with interests in the humanities complete
their associate degrees and transfer to CWRU to pursue
Bachelors of Arts in humanities disciplines. This poster examines
the creation and implementation of the CHC and explains how it
supports students through mentoring, advising, research awards,
and a transitional summer bridge program.
Allison Morgan, Program Manager, Cleveland Humanities
Collaborative, Case Western Reserve University
Elizabeth Zeszotek, Transfer Specialist,
Cuyahoga Community College
Adapting Transfer Programming to the
Guided Pathways Model
The Austin Community College District is implementing the
guided pathways model for higher education and training
delivery. This has resulted in systemic change in every facet
of the College. This poster will highlight the changes that the
Office of Articulation & Transfer Resources is making to ensure
that transfer programming remains consistent and complete
through this transition. The audience includes community college
staff whose colleges are moving toward guided pathways
implementation and those seeking to learn more about transfer
programming at a large, urban community college.
MaryJane McReynolds, Director,
Austin Community College District
Renee Esparza, Transfer Resources Analyst,
Austin Community College District
Adjustment after Transfer for Concurrent
Enrollment Students: An Exploratory Study
Adjustment to a university campus is important for all students
but is under-researched for community college transfer
students who participated in concurrent enrollment programs.
Using Tinto’s (1975, 1993) theory of student attrition, this
study interviewed four transfer students to understand their
experiences of acclimation and adjustment after completion
of their structured program. The study findings can be used
to assist in designing new initiatives or to improve established
concurrent enrollment programs.
Holly Herrera, Coordinator of Transfer Advising,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Current
Research
Transfer
Policy
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition Programs
& Student SuccessCR TPEM O&T STEM
O&TP
Presentations
AA O&TPCC
AACR O&TP
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STEM
Overlook East & West

The Thriving Transfer: Creating Community
in a Transfer Seminar
What does it mean for a transfer to thrive in his or her new
community? At Rollins College, an integrated transfer community
begins on Day One. This poster will explore the ways a transition
seminar can improve social integration, campus engagement,
and scholastic excellence for transfer students. Highlighted
topics include: curriculum development, successes, pitfalls, and
recommendations for implementing a transition seminar at
your institution.
Alexa Gordon, Assistant Director of Residential Life &
Explorations, Rollins College
Transfer Advising: Navigating the Path from
Community College to University
Many North Carolina students begin their postsecondary journey
at community colleges, taking various transfer-specific courses to
obtain a two-year degree, with the ultimate goal of completing
a bachelor’s degree. To facilitate this process, North Carolina has
established a framework for community colleges and universities
to improve student matriculation, retention, and graduation.
This poster will outline the path to degree attainment, with an
emphasis on transfer advising practices, developing community
college and university partnerships, and advisor training and
information sharing.
Beth Watts, Transfer Transition Advisor,
Appalachian State University
Elizabeth Coleman, Student Services Counselor,
Wilkes Community College, Alleghany Center
Transfer 101: ReBranding + ReThinking the
Transfer Experience
Transfer Students are often an overlooked population and many
campuses have limited staff dedicated to their successes. This
poster will provide new and seasoned transfer professionals with
innovative ideas to recruit and assist transfer students through
the enrollment process, including ways to get students to
campus, recruit new students, and automate processes to
maximize your resources.
Erica Pepe, Senior Assistant Director of Transfer Admission,
Marymount Manhattan College
Alexandra Cafaro, Assistant Director of Freshman Admission,
Marymount Manhattan College
A Circular Experience in Tennessee:
Factors Impacting Reverse Transfer Degrees
Tennessee Reverse Transfer is a statewide initiative that
combines credits from a student’s current four-year institution
with previously earned community college credits to award an
associate degree. This poster will describe the success of the
program and highlight factors that impact total degrees awarded,
including student consent and degree requirements. Our data
is shared for professionals experienced with the reverse transfer
process, who seek to improve system processes for increased
degree attainment.
India Lane, Associate Vice President Office of Academic Affairs
and Student Success, University of Tennessee System
Nancy Dietrich, Assistant Project Director,
University of Tennessee System
Gloria Gammell, Program Director Statewide Initiatives,
Tammy Lemon, Director Longitudinal Data System Boyd
Center for Business & Economic Research,
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Katherine High, Vice President of Academic Affairs,
Making the Switch from University to
Community College and Beyond
This poster is designed for community college academic advisors
and counselors. It will include information and processes
developed by Lone Star College-CyFair Transfer Program
Advisors to assist students who are new to their community
college make a successful return to a four-year university or to
launch a new career.
Denise Leininger-Flinn, Advisor II, Transfer Programs,
Lone Star College-CyFair
Rochelle Reynolds, Advisor II, Transfer Programs,
Lone Star College-CyFair
The Traveling Advisor
Learn how Texas Tech University uses pre-transfer academic
advising to inform prospective transfer students before they
even apply to the university. Advisors meet with students on
community college campuses to discuss their intended major at
the university level and different academic avenues to reach their
goals. This poster will illustrate how the Office of Community
College and Transfer Relations collaborates with community
colleges to better prepare students to succeed by helping them
understand degree requirements at the four-year university.
Keeley Grant, Senior Academic Advisor, Texas Tech University
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA CC
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Opening Reception & Poster
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Transitioning from Community College
to Senior College
As one of seven community colleges in the City University
of New York, Queensborough Community College provides
associate degree students opportunities to transfer into one
of ten dual/joint degree programs to complete a bachelor’s
degree in a variety of disciplines. Transfer students tracked
from 2010-2015 through dual/joint, transfer, and career
degrees indicate trends in transfer improvement. Dual/
joint transfer degrees demonstrate student success rates in
academic performance as compared to transfers without dual/
joint degrees.
Linda Reesman, Faculty Fellow of Academic Affairs,
Queensborough Community College, CUNY
Stop-out Students: At-Risk Students
in College
College administrators are examining their policies and
strategies for recruiting and retaining stop-out students in
response to changing funding models for higher education.
This poster will address how student satisfaction impacts
student persistence and institutional graduation rates. Content
will include research-based strategies to address the needs of
stop-out students and improve student satisfaction.
Sam Mayhew, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs,
Bainbridge State College
Building a Foundation for Transfer
The transfer process can derail even the best student. By
developing collaborative relationships with our four-year
partners, we have created a foundation of success for transfer
students. One strategy has been to engage students in the
transfer planning process early. Our poster will share ideas and
building blocks to take back to your campus to help enhance
your transfer program.
Lynnae Selberg, Program Director, Academic Advising &
Transfer Center, Grand Rapids Community College
Bonnie Ulmer, Associate Director of Admissions,
Grand Valley State University
Transfer Matters: The Demographics
Demand It
Transfer has become an increasingly important part of successful
enrollment plans. It is also vital to national goals to increase the
numbers of college educated citizens to compete in a global
workforce. Many factors demand improved connections between
two- and four-year colleges, including U.S. demographic shifts and
enrollment patterns. This poster addresses the impact of changing
demographics by sharing strategies to improve partnerships and
best practices for attracting students and supporting their success.
Shelley Fortin, Executive Director, Community College Transfer, LLC
Brenda Doran, Director of Transfer Admissions, Bryant University
Community College Partnership:
Associate Degree Attainment Leads to
Seamless Transfer
A partnership between Indiana University and Ivy Tech Community
College focuses on providing dynamic advising, career counseling,
financial literacy support, and continuous wrap-around services
to community college students desiring to earn both an associate
degree and a bachelor’s degree. Guaranteed admission and
scholarship opportunities incentivize associate degree completion
prior to transfer. This poster will highlight the unique relationship
between two institutions to promote student success and on-time
degree completion.
Cathy Buckman, Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Services,
ABC Program Coordinator, Indiana University South Bend
Kayla Elliott Miller, Associate Director of Online Recruitment,
Interim ABC Transfer Specialist, Indiana University Kokomo
Engaging Transfer Students
Helping new transfer students become engaged early is essential
for their success. This can be difficult as institutions often rely
on a one-size-fits-all method of welcoming new students and
tailor events more for new freshmen than transfer students. This
poster will highlight ways that Appalachian State University has
intentionally created transfer-focused orientation programming,
welcome weekend events, residential learning communities, and
first semester transfer programming and events.
Kim Morton, Associate Director of Transfer Services, Appalachian
State University
Current
Research
Transfer
Policy
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition Programs
& Student SuccessCR TPEM O&T STEM
O&TP
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Presentations WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15 • 6:15-7:30 PM
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Marvin Martinez
President,
Alfred Herrera, Assistant Vice
Provost for Academic Partnerships,
Center for Community College
Partnerships, UCLA
Paulina Palomino
Associate Dean,
Kirby Dominguez
Transfer Center Director,
J. Edward Stevenson,
Communication Studies,
Examining the Transfer Pipeline between
Tri-County Technical College and
Clemson University
Join a NISTS research grant winner to learn about the
findings of her study examining the transfer connection
between a two-year technical college and a four-year research
institution in South Carolina will be shared. We will discuss the
methodology, underlying theoretical perspectives, and the
overarching outcomes of the study. Preliminary data analysis
will also be included.
Mary M. Von Kaenel
Interim Director, Bridge to Clemson and Transfer Programs,
Clemson University
Plenary Session
As one of the largest schools in the nine-college
Los Angeles district, East Los Angeles College
(ELAC) has experienced incredible gains in transfer
completion for a diverse student population (78%
Latinx, 14% Asian-Pacific Islanders). Almost half of
ELAC students report that transferring to a four-year
institution and earning a bachelor’s degree is their
goal. To support these students, the administration,
faculty, and ELAC partners have designed support
and instructional programming to address the root
organizational barriers that cause students not to
transfer. The resulting cultural, organizational, and
instructional changes produced significant outcomes
and provide a useful perspective on achieving long-
term change. This discussion will benefit a range of
transfer professionals, especially those focusing on
improving organizational processes and partnerships
to improve transfer success.
Moderator
Panelists
THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 8:30-9:30 AM
Launching Online Transfer Students
Successfully through Orientation
This poster will illustrate the process of developing an
effective orientation module for students beginning an online
RN-BSN program. The goals of the orientation are to increase
retention and program completion, to cultivate a sense of
belonging among peers and faculty in an online community,
and to enhance support for all students in understanding
policies and procedures. The poster will include the steps to
build the orientation with consideration of all stakeholders.
Elizabeth McKinley, Academic Counselor - Online RN-BSN
Program, University of Arkansas
Ana Ayala Barker, Academic Advisor - Online Human
Resource and Workforce Development Program,
University of Arkansas
O&TP AA STEM
Poster Presentations WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15 • 6:15-7:30 PM
Creating Sustainable
Change to Support
Transfer Students
TPCR
Ellington Ballroom

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©2016 National Student Clearinghouse. All rights reserved.
The Clearinghouse
Your Place for Transfer Student Data
The only national Reverse Transfer solution
Our free Reverse Transfer service is the first national automated solution for
exchanging course and grade data, helping your eligible students receive the degrees
they earned. Learn more at www.reversetransfer.org.
The only source for nationwide student outcomes data
Our unique StudentTracker®
educational research service lets you query the
Clearinghouse’s unmatched nationwide coverage of enrollment and degree
records to track students at institutions across the U.S. Ask your Clearinghouse
rep how to get StudentTracker for free!
Timely national reports on transfer student mobility
Our Research Center regularly publishes free national reports on transfer student
mobility, completion, time to degree, and other important student outcomes using
student-level data provided exclusively to the Clearinghouse. Read our reports
at www.nscresearchcenter.org

Concurrent III
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA Current
Research
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition ProgramsCR EMCC O&TP
Salon H
Lean On Me: Peer Mentoring for
Community College Transfer Scholars
Maintaining high academic standards during a transition
can be challenging. This presentation will provide an
overview of the Passport Scholars Mentoring Program
provided by the Office of Transfer Student Services on
the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
(IUPUI) campus. We will focus on the recruitment,
training, and mentoring models utilized by the office and
the Transfer-Year Experience mentors. This workshop will
provide a framework for scholarship-based mentoring at
your institution.
Rachel Fulton, Assistant Director, Office of Transfer
Student Services, Indiana University–Purdue University
Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Matt Wade, Director, Office of Transfer Student Services,
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Salon A
Building Relationships: The Transfer
Symposium and Other Key Strategies
to Engage Your Campus Community
As transfer student enrollment increases on our
campuses, the creation of an institution-wide vision for
transfer students becomes more important to ensure
transfer student success. Appalachian State University
hosted a Transfer Symposium in September 2013 for
more than 200 faculty and staff to learn about our transfer
students, understand why transfer students are important,
and to learn how to best serve transfer students both
inside and outside of the classroom. Campus momentum
from this event led to Transfer Symposium in 2014 and
2015. Learn more about these events and other key
initiatives that have engaged faculty, staff, and our entire
campus community.
Jane Rex, Director, Office of Transfer Services,
Salon I
Strategies for Authentically
Welcoming Student Veterans by
Recognizing Military Competencies
as Direct, Applicable Transfer Credit
Military-affiliated students have sacrificed much for the
freedoms we all enjoy as U.S. citizens. These students
come to higher education with significant education,
training, and other military experiences that should count
toward academic goals. Yet regulatory complexities and
the narrowly-defined traditional structures for awarding
credit in higher education make this challenging on many
campuses. This presentation will provide an overview of
this topic and offer tangible strategies from Michigan,
Indiana, and other states participating in the Midwestern
Higher Education Compact’s Multi-State Collaborative
on Military Credit.
Katie Giardello, Director of Veteran and Transfer
Initiatives, Michigan Center for Student Success,
Michigan Community College Association
Jillian Scholten, Director of Academic Affairs
Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Salon G
The National Student Clearinghouse’s
Reverse Transfer and Student Tracker:
National Solutions for Tracking
Transfer Students
Learn how you can use the Clearinghouse’s national
reverse transfer service and student tracker to help make
progress toward your completion agenda. Track transfer
student enrollment nationwide, including trends and
patterns. Identify and share students who are eligible
for reverse transfer with your top transfer institutions
through NSC’s free service. A detailed description of the
current functionality of both services, including future
plans, and institutional experiences will be presented.
Michelle Blackwell, National Manager Reverse Transfer
National Student Clearinghouse
Joe Roof, Regional Director,
National Student Clearinghouse
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THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 9:45-10:45 AM
Transfer
Policy
& Student Success TPSTEM
Dunwoody
Preparing Our Students for Transfer
- A Case Study
Are we preparing our students to succeed when they
transfer? Hear from a faculty member who took a
sabbatical to examine this question. He interviewed 28
faculty, advisors, and administrators at ten nearby four-
year institutions. His guiding question was,
“What sort of preparation would best enable our
students to succeed when they transfer to your
school?” He will discuss his findings, how he turned
the dreaded “cold call” into a pleasant experience,
and share ideas for using the findings to enhance
transfer students’ success.
Stephen J. Walsh, Professor, Business Administration
Clark College, Vancouver, WA
Salon B
Building Institutional Capacity for
Innovative Transfer Initiatives
How do you develop and fund a transfer initiative?
Capacity building is hard work premised on solid data,
social support structures, and the potential for the
program’s positive impact on transfer students’ academic
success. This session will provide insights into program
and funding strategies that helped build a successful
STEM transfer academy over a five-year period. Faculty,
staff, or administrators interested in bridging programs
should attend this interactive session.
Joseph Kulhanek, Assistant Vice President,
The University of Texas at San Antonio/Institute
for P-20 Initiatives
Carmen Fies, Associate Professor, STEM Education &
Instructional Technology Associate Professor, Chemistry
Education, The University of Texas at San Antonio,
COEHD-ILT
Darrell Balderrama, Director of Retention Programs,
|The University of Texas at San Antonio, Institute
for P-20 Initiatives
Salon C
No Matter Where You Start, Finish at
U of L: University and Community
College Partnership
Explore the opportunities for a four-year research
university to partner with community colleges to
reduce credit bleed, engage transfer students earlier,
and increase transfer numbers and graduation rates.
How can you ease transfer shock and transition anxiety
to a R1 university? Data will be shared and we will
discuss academic and student services provided at the
community college campuses.
Tawana McWhorter, Associate Director,
University of Louisville
Troy Rice, Academic Counselor, Senior,
Angela Jackerson, Program Coordinator,
Jennifer Englert-Copeland, Director of Advising and
Assessment, Jefferson Community and Technical College
CRTP
EM
STEM
AA O&TP
AA
Networking
Break
10:45-11:15 AM

Concurrent IV
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA CC
Salon H
Fostering a Transfer Student
Receptive Ecosystem at the
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati has recently committed to
a significant investment in transfer student resources.
Join us as we discuss our new Center for Pathways
Advising and Student Success, and learn how key
collaborations and innovative programming have
transformed the transfer student experience for a large,
decentralized university. We’ll discuss how technology,
including a mobile app for transfer students, combined
with a retention solution, have played an integral role
in building our transfer student ecosystem.
Donnie McGovern, Director, Center for
Pathways Advising and Student Success,
University of Cincinnati
Salon A
Building Inter-Institutional
Partnerships: Tools for Comparative
Analysis and Planning
Inter-institutional partnerships are critical for bolstering
transfer student success, particularly in STEM fields.
In this session, we will share our “toolkit” designed
for two-year and four-year institutions preparing to
launch a transfer partnership. This toolkit contains
an adaptable set of tools that can be used to initiate
conversations, compile baseline information, compare
practices and exchange data. This work helps to target
areas in need of closer alignment, additional resources,
and program development.
Sarah Jewett, Executive Director of the STEM Transfer
Student Success Initiative (t-STEM),
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
William LaCourse, Dean of the College of Natural and
Mathematical Sciences (CNMS),
Salon I
Step In, Speak Up, and Influence the
National Transfer Reform Agenda
You are invited to participate in a session to gather
the best ideas and practices for improving transfer.
The John N. Gardner Institute has received a
planning grant from an influential foundation to
make recommendations for improving transfer. We
want to include your good ideas, with attribution.
We anticipate a session of great ideas for inspiration
and information, which will ultimately be shared with
influential change makers.
Betsy Griffin, Vice President and Resident Scholar,
John N. Gardner, President, John N. Gardner Institute
for Excellence in Undergraduate Education
Salon G
The Library Can Do That? Library
Services for Transfer Students
Academic librarians play an important role in transfer
students’ academic success. A panel of five librarians
will offer insights and best practices from their
experiences engaging transfer students through
research, teaching, and programming. This session
will be informative for transfer professionals who
coordinate orientations and advise students, we will
outline the resources and services libraries can offer in
support of transfer student success.
Mark Robison, First-Year Experience Librarian,
Valparaiso University
Tammy Ivins, Transfer Student Services Librarian,
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Carrie Bishop, Regional Campus/First-Year Experience
Librarian, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Kelly McCallister, Distance Education Librarian,
Karen Grigg, Science Liaison Librarian,
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
AA
AA
AA
CR TP
EM
O&TP
O&TP
O&TPSTEM

THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 11:15 AM-12:15 PM
Current
Research
Transfer
Policy
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition Programs
Dunwoody
Using the Two-Day Model of
Orientation for Transfer Students

This session will discuss the importance of providing
options in the types of orientation programs offered
to transfer students. Transfer students are seeking
more information before they start attending a new
institution, but many schools have moved to offering a
shorter, one-day orientation model for them, instead.
This session will discuss how the Georgia Institute of
Technology moved to offering two-day and single-day
orientation programs for their transfer students.
Cynthia Jennings, Assistant Dean/Director
of New Student and Sophomore Programs,
Georgia Institute of Technology
Larry Cloud, Assistant Director of Orientation,
Salon B
Fill Those Empty Seats: Recruiting
Transfer Students
TES®
is a database that contains over 99,600 college
catalogs and over 83.7 million course descriptions.
Utilize tools like the Evaluation Workflow Tracker and
customizable Public View, to increase efficiency in
defining transfer course equivalencies. Additionally,
promote transfer and recruit more transfer students
with Transferology™. Over 500,000 potential transfer
students have looked to Transferology to see a list of
possible schools that will accept their previously taken
courses, standardized tests, and military training.
John Panzica, Transfer Solutions Specialist,
CollegeSource
Salon C
From the Ground Up: Taking
Your Ideas from the Coffee Shop
to the Campus
Have a great idea, but don’t know how to get started?
Do you realize that it will take more than just you to
make it happen, but don’t know where to turn for help?
Then this session is for you! We will discuss cross-
campus collaboration for transfer student success at The
University of Alabama. The presenters will talk about
their journey from throwing around a couple of ideas
at a cafe to the implementation of new campus-wide
transfer student initiatives.
Brittnay McMillian, Assistant Director for Transfer
Recruitment, University of Alabama
Wendy McMillian, Associate Registrar for the College of
Arts & Sciences, University of Alabama
Stephanie Linard, Assistant University Registrar for
Transfer Credit, University of Alabama
AA
EM
EM
AA
O&TP STEM
Networking
Lunch
12:15-1:30 PM

Plenary Session THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 1:45-2:45 PM
Bianca Dirige is a junior biology (pre-
med) student at Xavier University in
New Orleans, Louisiana. She is also
pursuing a minor in Spanish. Bianca,
a first-generation college student
originally from the Bay Area, began her
educational journey at Baton Rouge
Community College before taking
classes at the City College of San Francisco. Last summer
she was determined to attend a medical internship in
Haiti, which gave hands-on experience working in rural
clinics. It was expensive (over $5,000 with airfare), but
she knew that this is what she wanted to help her on
her path to becoming a doctor. Bianca worked tirelessly
to raise the money, and she described the trip as a life
changing experience that confirmed she has chosen the
right career path. “I feel that students in the process
of transferring need to have someone there to answer
questions or even just to relate to or have something in
common with.”
”Whether you attend a two year university by choice or
without a choice it does not have to be your ending point
but rather your starting point.”
Jordan Gomes is a junior at St. Mary’s
College of California. He began his
education at Loyola University of New
Orleans before a family crisis led him
to Santa Rosa Junior College, where
he earned an associate degree in
social and behavioral sciences before
transferring to St. Mary’s.”Success
is not always a straight line, but rather curvy path with
roadblocks and hurdles that one must overcome
to continue.”
Hillary G. Allen is a junior at Lipscomb
University in Nashville, Tennessee.
She transferred from Columbia State
Community College with an associate
degree, where she was given the honor of
being asked to deliver the commencement
address. She has served as Regional
President of Phi Theta Kappa, and was
named the Most Outstanding Student by the faculty of her
college.”My role in Phi Theta Kappa further deepened my
passion and understanding of what transfer students need. I
learned to respect my alternative past instead of continuing
to force a square peg into a round hole.”
“All I ever needed was someone who believed in me.”
David Nguyen is a junior at the University
of California, Los Angeles, where he is
majoring in sociology and pursuing a
minor in education studies. He transferred
from Fullerton College. He currently hosts
a radio show where he interviews leading
transfer researchers. He is presenting
a poster at the conference describing
his research on how ACT/SAT testing requirements at
highly-selective four-year universities deter community
college students from applying. “Students like myself are
told implicitly, and sometimes explicitly, that we are not
important and that we are less than. Our second-class status
is implied through a lack of transfer articulation agreements,
nearly absent recruitment efforts, and the dismal number of
community college transfer students at highly selective four-
year universities.”
Erin Georgia is a junior at Samford
University in Birmingham, Alabama
where she is studying organizational
leadership. She transferred from Jefferson
State Community College, where she
received an associate degree. Erin is
a Marine Corps veteran who started
college the same year her youngest child
started kindergarten. “I was successful because I had the
knowledge, the mentors, and the support to make the most
of my transfer experience. None of my success the past year
would have been possible without all the amazing options
offered through transfer programs.”
“I believe all students can be wildly successful if afforded to
right opportunities at the right time. School administrators
need to work with successful transfer students to evaluate
current policy to make transfer success accessible to more
students.
“Without student collaboration, policy makers might be
designing programs that look great on paper but are
difficult to comprehend and complete as a student.”
Transfer Student
Ambassador Panel
Ellington Ballroom
Dantrayl Smith Ed.D., Assistant
Director of Transfer Student Services,
The University of Texas at Arlington
Moderator

Salon H
New Evidence: Five Critical,
Understudied Barriers to
Transfer Success
Most entering community college students intend
to transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree yet few
actually do. In this presentation, we organize key
findings from our recent transfer research into
five major obstacles to transfer success gleaned
from national and state-level patterns of students’
transfer enrollments, credit accumulation, and
efficient completion. Participants will join in
considering areas of future research and considering
the implications for transfer policy and practice.
John Fink, Research Associate, Community
College Research Center, Teachers College,
Columbia University
Salon A
Passport, the Journey Awaits:
Partnership for Community
College Transfer Success
For more than 25 years, the jointly funded Passport
office has enhanced transfer student initiatives
between Ivy Tech Community College Central of
Indiana and Indiana University-Purdue University
Indianapolis. Join us to discover Passport’s new
initiatives, including the creation of a transfer guide
and webinar; changes to the Passport Scholarship
and transfer student data reporting; and increased
numbers of articulation agreements, programming
and partnerships. This presentation is intended for
those who wish to learn strategies for maximizing
transfer partnerships.
Julie Landaw, Director, IUPUI & Ivy Tech
Coordinated Programs (Passport),
Ivy Tech Community College and IUPUI
Salon I
The Door is Open for Prior Learning
Assessment… Can it Come In?
Students often start college with work, military, and
life experience that have the potential for college
credit, but restrictive and outdated Prior Learning
Assessment (PLA) policies are often a barrier in this
process. Hear staff at one of the nation’s largest
community college districts share their journey to
reexamine PLA and its potential to boost degree
completion and transfer success.
Rose Rojas, Director, Center for Curriculum
and Transfer Articulation, Maricopa Community
Colleges (AZ)
Kathy Silberman, Transfer Project Coordinator,
Maricopa Community Colleges (AZ)
Salon G
Collaborating with Campus
Partners to Improve the
Transfer Process
The Office of Undergraduate Admission at Georgia
Tech has collaborated with campus partners over
the past two years to improve the transfer process.
Through our collective efforts, we’ve used data to
change or create new programs and educate students
by sharing admission and academic data. We’ve
also empowered students to enhance their transfer
success and connection to campus. Join us as we
share these changes and resources that you can take
back to your institution.
Chad Bryant, Senior Assistant Director,
Undergraduate Admission,
Cynthia Jennings, Assistant Dean/Director of New
Student and Sophomore Programs,
Jeremy Gray, Assistant Registrar,
Debbie Pearson, Retention and Graduation Manager,
THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 3:00-4:00 PMConcurrent V
AA
CR
TP
TP
EM
O&TPEM STEM
Academic
Advising
Community
CollegeAA Current
Research
Transfer
Policy
Enrollment
Management
Orientation &
Transition Programs
& Student SuccessCR TPEM STEMCC O&TP

THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 3:00-4:00 PM
DUNWOODY
Improving Campus Climate for
Increased Degree Attainment:
Making a Home for Transfers
Faculty members from Austin Peay State University
will provide an overview of literature pertaining
to transfer students and our university’s efforts
in examining the data related to our transfer
population and their performance. We will also
discuss our research driven initiative to address the
needs of our transfer population by improving the
campus climate based on their feedback.
Erin Lynch-Alexander, Assistant Professor,
Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education
at Austin Peay State University
Tucker Brown, Associate Professor, Sociology,
Austin Peay State University
Marsha Lyle-Gonga, Associate Professor,
Political Science, Austin Peay State University
Mercy Cannon, Associate Professor, Languages &
Literature, Austin Peay State University
Lisa Sullivan, Associate Professor, Chemistry,
Karen Meisch, Associate Professor, Biology,
Salon B
The Peer Advantage: Leveraging
Emerging Student Leaders through
Transfer and Transition
New and advancing transfer professionals will
participate in an engaging, interactive presentation
focused on creating strong peer-to-peer student
networks. These networks focus on the development
of institutional pride, increased self-awareness, and
a strengthened “sense of self” and connection to
community among student leaders. All of these
efforts support the successful facilitation of orientation
programming, transition planning, and ultimately the
successful transfer of new, incoming students.
Chelsea Moyer, Program Coordinator,
at the Universities at Shady Grove
Ashley Waters, Associate Director,
at the Universities at Shady Grove,
Division of Professional Studies
Salon C
Back to the Future: Facilitating
Transitions through Reflection and
Exploration
Guttman Community College’s Career Strategist
team uses a three-pronged approach to supporting
students as they transition from their first-year
experience through their program of study and into
a baccalaureate program. Reflection, exploration,
and advising are at the heart of an initiative that has
positively impacted the graduation rate, increased
transfer to bachelor degree programs, and widened
the scope of senior college options for our students.
This session will focus on the key components of
Guttman’s approach and explore how to implement
programming, resources, and strength-based advising
practices to provide support to college students in
constant transition.
Janine Harris, Career Strategist,
Guttman Community College
Lauren DiMartino, Career Strategist,
Allison Milana, Career Strategist,
AA
AACRO&TP
O&TP
TP
Networking
Break
4:00-4:30 PM
Concurrent V

Visit NACADA’s website for information on resources and events:
www.nacada.ksu.edu
NACADA’s Academic Advisor Core Resource Library Package
Beyond Foundations: Developing as a Master Advisor was written expressly for
experienced academic advisors. Experienced academic advisors know they must
meet the expectations of students, parents, colleagues, administrators, and outside
agencies, all while navigating an increasingly complex range of issues presented by a
student population unlike any that has come before. Beyond Foundations provides
the insight and clarity that experienced advisors need to help students achieve their
educational goals and advance our eld.
Welcome new professional or faculty advisors to campus with this three‐book package that starts
them on the road to success. These resources are proven to help all advisors thrive in their positions
whether they advise singly or with seasoned advising veterans.
Academic Advising Approaches: Strategies That Teach Students to Make the
Most of College outlines a wide variety of proven advising practices and strate‐
gies that help students master the necessary skills to achieve their academic and
career goals. This book embeds theoretical bases within practical explanations
and examples advisors can use in answering fundamental questions such as:
 What will make me a more eﬀective advisor?
 What can I do to enhance student success?
 What conversations do I need to initiate with my colleagues
to improve my unit, campus, and profession?
This is an exciting time to be an academic advisor—a time in which global recogni‐
tion of the importance of advising is growing, research aﬃrms the critical role
advising plays in student success, and institutions of higher education increasingly
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students' educational experiences. It is essential that advisors provide knowledge‐
able, realistic counsel to the students in their charge. The New Advisor Guidebook
helps advisors meet this challenge.

Focus on Transfer Research
Join us to recognize the recipients of the Barbara K. Townsend Dissertation of the Year
Award and the NISTS Research Award. We will also highlight transfer research produced
this year and provide an update on an NISTS original transfer research project.
Judith T. Brauer, M.S.
Associate Director, NISTS
Doctoral Student, Qualitative Research
& Evaluation Methodologies,
University of Georgia
Trudy Bers, Ph.D.
President, The Bers Group
Barbara Tobolowsky, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Educational
Leadership & Policy Studies,
University of Texas at Arlington
Understanding the College Choice Process for Transfer Students
Speakers:
How do students choose their transfer institutions?
Although there is much speculation and many
assumptions, there is little actual research on college
choice and transfer students. What is clear is that
the process is complex, influenced by many factors
– some within and others outside of the student’s
control. NISTS is currently engaged in an original
Transitioning: The Transfer Student Experience
Martinez’ study examined the post-transfer experiences of 27 underserved transfer
students at a four-year institution. She was interested in the challenges that these
students encountered, as well as strategies they used to mitigate these challenges.
While highlighting the perceptions of students existing within a first-time freshmen
paradigm, she conceptualized transitioning capital as knowledge and mapped
the nuanced understandings that transfer students gain while transitioning to a
new institution. Her discussion highlights ways that transfer students learn through
transitioning. Findings from this study encourage faculty, staff, and administrators to
examine how transfer students are served at their institution, especially when there
is a significant focus on first-time freshman students.
The Perceptions of Policymakers on the Transfer
Pathway in Texas Public Higher Education
Faris’s qualitative study explored the perspectives of Texas policymakers and policy
influencers on the efficacy of policies intended to improve transfer outcomes.
Findings revealed that significant gaps exist between expectations and student
realities and that the completion agenda is driving policy decisions. Solutions
are needed for inefficiencies, so students will earn less unnecessary credit and
transfer more hours. Policymakers can create the policies for the large system of
independent, autonomous institutions, but effective change must engage faculty
and institutions provided the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board creates the
conditions to make the change possible.
Barbara K. Townsend Dissertation of the Year Award
research project exploring transfer students’ reasons
for selecting their schools and their experiences
as transfer students. The findings of this study
will inform practitioners and policymakers at both
sending and receiving institutions to better serve
transfer students in their decision-making process.
Dalinda Martinez, Ph.D.
Dr. Marilyn J. Amey, Dissertation Chair,
College of Education, Department of
Educational Administration,
Michigan State University
Kimberly Faris, Ph.D.
Dr. Amy Fann, Dissertation Chair;
Dr. Marc Cutright, Committee Member,
Associate Professor of Higher Education,
University of North Texas
H O N O R A B L E M E N T I O N

NISTS Annual
Research Grants
THURSDAY, FEB. 16 • 4:30-5:45 PM
There are nearly 1.5 million service men
and women across the United States.
Educational experiences for members of
the military are often highly transient, yet
very little is understood about what military
students encounter through the transfer
process. Using a mixed-methods approach,
Erin Lynch-Alexander and Virginia Linares
will explore the perceptions of the transfer
experience for military-related students.
This study hopes to comprehensively
understand the problem in order to offer
Perception of Campus Climate for
Military Affiliated or Military Connected
Transfer Students
direct, meaningful and measureable
solutions that can impact the national
landscape for transfer students of military
related families. There is a profound
shortage in the literature regarding the
climate for military-related students who
often become transfers when changing
duty stations during the times of collegiate
enrollment. Exploring the perceptions
of transfers who are also military related
can provide more insight to a transient
population for the national landscape of
research regarding transfer students.
International students are increasingly learning
the benefits of community colleges and are
participating in reverse transfer. In this context,
reverse transfer refers to international students
transferring from a four-year institution to a
community college. Little is understood, however,
about how to best serve and advise international
students around this transfer process.
Using a mixed method approach, this study will
survey and interview international students from
the largest community college in the state
of Iowa, Des Moines Area Community
College (DMACC) and Iowa State University
(ISU), the number one transfer destination
university. Specifically, this project will
examine the decision-making process
during reverse transfer and the transfer
experiences of international students in
both four-year and two-year institutions.
International Reverse Transfer in Iowa:
Perspectives from Both Sides
1) What are the demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, language skills, nationality, etc.) of
international students who have reverse transferred to a two-year community college? And how
do their characteristics compare to those who did not/do not intend to reverse transfer?
2) How do international reverse transfer students come to understand the function of a U.S.
community college? What are the critical factors that significantly relate to international students’
understanding of a community college? How do international students learn the context of
community colleges and the benefits of reverse transfer?
3) What is the decision-making process of reverse transfer for international students? What
are the significant predictors of reverse transfer? Who and/or what experiences influenced
international students’ decisions?
4) After arriving at a community college, what kind of support will benefit international students?
Research questions for this study include:
Yu (April) Chen
Post-doctoral Research
Associate, School of Education,
Iowa State University
Principal Investigator:
Linda Serra Hagedorn
Professor and Associate
Dean, School of Education,
Ran Li
Post-doctoral Research
Associate, School of Education,
Co-Principal Investigators:
Virginia Linares
Military Student Center Coordinator,
Co-Principal Investigator:
Erin Lynch-Alexander
Assistant Professor, Education,
Principal Investigator:
Ellington Ballroom

ISBN 978-1-889271-83-5
$35.00
ISBN 978-1-889271-86-6
$30.00
ISBN 978-1 889271-73-6
$35.00

Statewide Initiatives to Increase Transfer
Transfer rates vary from college to college and state to state.
Many colleges are working cooperatively to increase the transfer
rates of underserved students, yet across the board, transfer still
remains low. California and Florida are examples of two states
that have taken a broader approach to increase student access
and transfer. Come and learn strategies for navigating state-level
systems to increase opportunities for transfer students.
Breakfast Plenary FRIDAY, FEB. 17 • 8:00-9:45 AM
Michele Siqueiros, M.A.
President, Campaign for
College Opportunity
Stephen Handel
Associate Vice President,
University of California
Julie Alexander, Ed.D.
Vice Provost for Academic
Affairs, Miami Dade College
Moderator
Panelists
Michele Siqueiros currently serves on the Boards of the Institute for Higher Education Policy
(IHEP), The EdSource Advisory Council, Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), and from 2011-
2014, Michele served as a gubernatorial appointee to the California Student Aid Commission,
the state agency responsible for distributing and awarding over $1.7 billion annually in Cal Grant
aid to California college students. In 2015, the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
named her their Woman of the Year. Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) named
Michele their HOPE Treasure in 2014. That same year, La Opinion Newspaper gave her the
Hispanic Leader Award for her leadership in education. In 2008, La Opinion named her one
of Los Angeles’ Mujeres Destacadas (Outstanding Woman). She received her Bachelor of Arts
in Political Studies and Chicano/a Studies from Pitzer College and her Master of Arts in Urban
Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Julie Alexander joined Miami Dade College as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs in 2015.
Dr. Alexander is a Florida native, born in Pensacola. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from
the University of North Texas, a Master in Education from the University of West Florida and
a Doctor of Education from the Florida State University. She was an art teacher in Botswana,
Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer then moved to Texas where she taught art to elementary and
high school students. Dr. Alexander worked for the Florida Department of Education in a variety
of capacities, including serving as the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for the
Florida College System. She has been involved in major implementation activities impacting
Florida’s community colleges, such as: the creation of the Postsecondary Education Readiness
Test, coordination of a statewide general education core, implementation of developmental
education reform, negotiating statewide articulation agreements and baccalaureate degree
program approval. Now, she serves as the chief academic officer at Miami Dade College.
Ellington Ballroom

NISTS 15th Annual Conference Program, Feb.15-17, 2017, Loews Atlanta Hotel

NISTS 15th Annual Conference Program, Feb.15-17, 2017, Loews Atlanta Hotel

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