The Transfer Student Success Intensive: Improving inclusivity and equity throughout the transfer process

The Center for Transfer and Adult Students at IUPUI has partnered with the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to participate in the Transfer Student Success Intensive originally launched in November of 2021. IUPUI’s cohort for the Transfer Intensive program began in March 2022. 

The Transfer Intensive was founded with the goal of accelerating transfer reform and assisting in transfer-student success at both community colleges and four-year institutions.  

“The Transfer Intensive is a one-year initiative consisting of monthly sessions designed to support partnerships between community colleges and AASCU members in advancing the practices and policies associated with improved, more equitable transfer student success,” said Robbie Lopez-Shue, executive director of the Center for Transfer and Adult Students. 

The Transfer Intensive originally had over 100 institutions from 25 states that applied for the program, but only 30 teams across 20 states were accepted. Among the teams that received the distinction is the IUPUI and Ivy Tech Community College team.  

“We are excited for this since we partner so closely with one another in order to help our shared students,” said Lopez-Shue.  

A major goal for both the Transfer Intensive and the Center for Transfer and Adult Students is to create an inclusive environment for all transfer students, while helping contribute to their success in the transfer process.

“Ivy Tech is our biggest source of transfer students, so anything we can do to make sure that we are removing barriers to transfer, and especially to make sure that we are very equity oriented in helping students from minoritized backgrounds to transfer effectively, those are just really important priorities for us,” said Kathy Johnson, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer.

Johnson hopes that the Transfer Intensive will continue to improve equity in the transfer process, while also creating an overall more inclusive environment for transfer students in the IUPUI community.  

“What I like about work that focuses on equity is that if you think about more inclusive teaching practices or more inclusive hiring practices, when you make changes to be more inclusive, it’s usually better for everyone,” Johnson said.   

Lopez-Shue expressed that the focus of the Transfer Intensive is increasing the ease of the transfer process and creating a positive environment for all transfer students.  

“Through the Transfer Intensive I hope the IUPUI community will be able to increase our transfer student recruitment, enrollment, persistence and retention,” Lopez-Shue said. “We simply want our transfer students to feel welcomed, to know they belong and to succeed.”  

The Transfer Intensive will conclude in October 2022 with a capstone event.