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ERIC Number: EJ1236229
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Nov
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0010-0889
EISSN: N/A
The Transfer Mentor Program: How One University Enhanced the Transfer Student Experience
Lockhart, Brooke
College and University, v94 n4 p47-48, 50 Nov 2019
The higher education landscape is changing rapidly, and with nationwide trends of declining enrollment, colleges and universities are faced with the challenging task of understanding what that means for them. In the state of Missouri, two- and four-year institutions have experienced decreases in enrollment, with an overall decrease of 9 percent since 2013 (Missouri Department of Higher Education 2019). The number of high school graduates is also declining, contributing to the overall drop in headcount at public institutions across the Midwest (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education). Given continuing enrollment decreases and the need to improve the transfer student experience, "The Transfer Playbook: Essential Practices for Two- and Four-Year Colleges" is a useful resource for institutions strategizing their next steps. The playbook is the result of a study conducted in 2016 by the Community College Research Center, The Aspen Institute, and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The study outlined three main strategies that institutions could adopt to strengthen the two- to four-year transfer process: (1) Prioritize transfer at the institutional level by incorporating transfer students in the mission of the institution; (2) Build program pathways that align with high-quality instruction; and (3) Provide personalized advising for transfer students by dedicating personnel and resources to transfers. Missouri is working toward the goal of 60 percent of its population holding a higher education credential by the year 2025. In 2016, around the same time that "The Transfer Playbook" was published, the state adopted several college completion initiatives with the passage of Senate Bill 997. All eight initiatives are intended to help increase higher education credential completion in the state; three of the initiatives relate directly to transfer student success. This article describes the Transfer Mentor Program, officially launched in 2017 and selected to be a Concurrent Enrollment Pilot Program for the state of Missouri under Senate Bill 997. The Transfer Mentor Program minimizes the common issues that students experience during their transition from a two-year to a four-year institution. Currently, approximately 250 students and five community colleges are participating in the Transfer Mentor Program. An essential feature of the Transfer Mentor Program is that it allows students to focus on being students. The partner institutions are working together to take care of everything else. [For "The Transfer Playbook," see ED565894.]
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO). One Dupont Circle NW Suite 520, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-293-9161; Fax: 202-872-8857; e-mail: pubs@aacrao.org; Web site: http://www.aacrao.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Missouri
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A