The Transfer Experience: A Handbook for Creating a More Equitable and Successful Postsecondary System

Co-published with

At last there is a handbook that everyone in higher education can use to help increase transfer student success. This comprehensive resource has been brought together to meet the need for a truly holistic approach to the transfer experience. The book brings together research, theory, practical applications, programmatic illustrations, case studies, encouragement, and inspiration, and is supplemented by an online compendium for continual updates of resources, case studies, and new developments in the world of transfer.

Based on a totally different way of thinking about, understanding, and acting to increase transfer student success, The Transfer Experience goes far beyond the traditional, limited view of transfer as a technical process simply about articulating credits, a stage of student development, or a novel enrollment management strategy. Rather, the book introduces a stimulating array of new perspectives, resources, options, models, and recommendations for addressing the many needs of this huge cohort – making the academic, civic, and social justice cases for improving transfer at both transfer-sending and transfer-receiving institutions.

Dr. John N. Gardner is an undergraduate student success thought leader and a social justice advocate. He is Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the non-profit, the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, co-founded by him and his wife, Betsy O. Barefoot, in 1999. John is also Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Senior Fellow, University of South Carolina at Columbia. He was also the Founding Executive Director of both the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, and the University 101 Programs. He also served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the University's five Regional Campuses.

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Dr. Michael J. Rosenberg is a nationally recognized expert on transfer student policy. He is Director of Planning for Penn State University's Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research. A higher education practitioner by trade and training, his extensive background includes experience in student affairs, academic advising, judicial affairs, residence life, and enrollment management. As the inaugural Director of Transfer at Gateway Community and Technical College and as Chair of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System’s statewide transfer task force, he helped drive the conversation in his home state around improving outcomes for this important population.

Dr. Andrew “Drew” K. Koch is the President and Chief Operating Officer for the non-profit John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, which he joined in 2010. Prior to coming to Gardner Institute, Drew spent nearly 20 years working in both independent and public postsecondary institutions on student enrollment, access, success, accreditation, learning, and completion efforts with an emphasis on first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students. He has served as the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on more than two dozen grant-funded research projects with support coming from sources such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ECMC Foundation, GEAR UP, Kresge Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Lumina Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.