The transfer space is facing a critical gap that has become more evident as transfer discussions gain prominence in the national education conversation. While more institutions hire transfer professionals, ongoing support and training for this community remains largely overlooked. Historically, transfer has been viewed as an afterthought in the field. It’s time to prioritize transfer professional development in higher education; the lack of it is a significant barrier to student success and institutional effectiveness.
To address this gap, we must:
- Prioritize consistent, transfer-specific training and development programs,
- Strengthen networks and communities of practice focused on transfer,
- Integrate transfer expertise into broader institutional strategies,
- Advocate for resources and recognition of transfer as a specialized field and a high-impact practice, and
- Collaborate across institutions, sectors and states to share best practices and innovative solutions.
Higher education leaders are responsible for elevating the transfer profession and equipping dedicated transfer professionals with the skills needed. Over our combined 40 years of transfer work, we have found that by investing in transfer professionals, we invest in our institutions’ future and learners’ success.
Let’s commit to building a robust, well-supported community of transfer professionals who can drive meaningful change and ensure that every learner, regardless of their path, has the opportunity to thrive.
Key Areas of Focus
Most transfer-related discussions revolve around three key areas:
- Challenges faced by transfer students
- Data-driven insights
- Institutional and systemic responses
For instance, recent “Beyond Transfer” blog posts highlighted solutions like improving transfer evaluation through technology, as discussed by Camden Farmer in September 2023. Additionally, Melody Crenshaw and Micol Hutchison explored Virginia’s efforts to help transfer students navigate their numerous options. Tania LaViolet has also emphasized the power of transfer data in driving institutional decisions.
While these conversations are valuable and necessary, they often overlook the professionals who implement these strategies and directly support learners. These unsung heroes include:
- Coordinators and directors of transfer programs
- Transcript and transfer credit evaluators
- Advisers guiding learners through the transfer process
- Orientation coordinators working to mitigate culture shock as students transition between environments
- Policymakers and curriculum managers advocating for student-friendly systems
- Institutional or system-level leaders pushing for cultural change and improved support
- Student leaders and student staff supporting transfer efforts
Despite their crucial roles, these professionals are often underprepared and overlooked. Their roles have been addressed in various contexts, like Judy Johnson’s discussion on transfer work in admission or Brenda Pongracz, Jonathan Dryden and Jonathan Wehner’s focus on cabinet members influencing transfer culture. Yet, broader institutional engagement is essential to truly improve transfer outcomes.
Building a Unified Transfer Community
There are numerous industry groups offering resources for transfer professionals, such as:
Other organizations, like the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and Student Veterans of America, offer support for specific student populations. However, these resources are scattered, requiring transfer professionals to piece them together without a central resource hub.
A significant challenge in the transfer space is the absence of coordinated and consistent professional development. Transfer staff often educate themselves through trial and error, relying on personal initiative to find relevant resources. That certainly was our experience as boots-on-the-ground transfer practitioners. Many in the field report feeling similarly underprepared to be true transfer experts due to the need for more structured guidance.
Here’s what some professionals told us:
- “Everything except articulating was self-taught out of necessity, with limited to no resources.”
- “I developed the skills on the job … a go-to transfer resource? Unfortunately, there really isn’t one.”
- “I wish there were one sacred text for all transfer [staff] to be given to instantly give them the knowledge to do this work, but sadly there is not.”
A Call to Action
The transfer community has the power to change this. What’s needed is a collaborative platform that functions as the connective tissue for transfer education—crowdsourcing transfer knowledge to serve the community better. Such a platform could:
- Develop a centralized website where transfer professionals can share insights and access curated resources.
- Invite practitioners, faculty, administrators and students to contribute their experiences, creating a rich, diverse knowledge base.
- Organize regular virtual and in-person events for networking and idea exchange.
- Establish mentorship programs that connect experienced leaders with newcomers in the field.
- Create working groups and think tanks to tackle specific challenges, such as credit mobility, financial aid and student support services.
One step in this direction is a new data collection project designed to build a free, transfer-focused knowledge base accessible to everyone. Transfer Nation, an online professional community with nearly 7,000 followers on various social media platforms, has a unique opportunity to crowdsource this information from those doing the work. Over the next few weeks, the Transfer Nation website will launch this initiative.
This initiative depends on the engagement of the entire transfer community. By contributing collective expertise, we can build a dynamic resource that evolves with the changing needs of learners and institutions.
Together, we can create a stronger, more connected transfer education community—one that’s better equipped to advocate for and support learners throughout their educational and professional journeys.
