Themes

• Understanding Transfer Student Challenges:
• Discuss transfer students’ challenges, including credit transfer issues, social integration, and academic adjustment.
• Highlight the importance of understanding Missouri’s and the nation’s transfer landscape and how students are moving through institutions.
• Revamping Onboarding Processes:
• Present best practices for creating a welcoming and informative onboarding experience that eases the transition for transfer students.
• Explore the role of technology, advising, and personalized communication in enhancing engagement from day one.
• Advisor Training and Development:
• Emphasize the need for specialized training for academic advisors to equip them with the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively support transfer students.
• Share how to focus training efforts on supporting transfer students and resources, focusing on transfer policies, resource navigation, and proactive advising techniques.
• Broadening Campus Partner Relationships:
• Illustrate the importance of collaboration among various campus departments—such as admissions, academic departments, and student support services—to create a cohesive support network for transfer students.
• Discuss strategies for fostering partnerships that enhance resource sharing and create a more inclusive campus environment.
• Measuring Success and Continuous Improvement:
• Explore methods for assessing the effectiveness of onboarding and advising initiatives, using data-driven approaches to refine practices continuously.
• Encourage participants to share their successes and challenges, fostering a collaborative atmosphere for ongoing development.

Session #1 – Q & A with Dr. Maggie Segnitz
Niangua Room

Join Dr. Maggie Segnitz for further discussion and Q&A.

Session #2 – Pathways to Progress: Optimizing Transfer Programming in Community Colleges
Gravois Room | Stephanie Ferguson – St. Louis Community College 

Pathways to Progress: Optimizing Transfer Programming in Community Colleges” highlights the evolution of transfer-related programming at St. Louis Community College over the past two years. Unlike traditional approaches limited to transfer fairs and college table visits, this initiative expanded student engagement with a series of innovative events. Starting with the introduction of “Donut Holes and Transfer Goals,” the program provided resources for navigating transfer guides and applications, and it continued to evolve with scholarship workshops, monthly themed transfer workshops, and networking sessions. The culmination of these efforts led to improved student participation and engagement, setting a new standard for transfer support at St. Louis Community College.

This presentation will include the following:

• Timeline from STLCC’s first Transfer Fair in Spring 2023 to the current bi-monthly transfer programming structure
• A look at how programming was developed, initiated, and improved upon using action research and iterative data-informed decision-making.
• A review of the data that shows the impact of student engagement with transfer resources including graduation and transfer rates.
• Testimonials from students with how the programming impacted them and their transfer journey.
• Tips for starting transfer programming at your Community College

Handouts for the presentation will include a printout with notes of the PowerPoint, a worksheet for getting started with transfer programming for Community College faculty and staff, and examples resources created to assist students in the transfer process.

Session #3 – CORE 42 Roundtable 
Lakeside Room | Becky Blackaby, Leslie Buck, Leigh Kolb 

Please join members of The Core Curriculum Advisor Committee to discuss the development, progress, and future direction of the CORE 42. The core transfer curriculum or CORE 42, is a framework for general education that all Missouri public two-and four-year institutions of higher education adopted effective for the 2018-2019 academic year.

The goal of the CORE 42 is to facilitate the seamless transfer of academic credits. Since being instituted, there are currently over 2700 individual courses that comprise the CORE 42. These courses were chosen by the Core Curriculum Advisory Committee and the list is regularly updated to reflect changes by participating institutions. Courses are guaranteed to transfer one-to-one among all public (and participating independent) colleges and universities in Missouri. These courses represent one the five knowledge areas of: communications, humanities and fine arts, mathematics, natural sciences, and social and behavioral sciences, as defined by the Higher Education Core Transfer Curriculum Act.

In addition to these courses, The Core Curriculum Advisory Committee has added an interdisciplinary course which is comprised of learning outcomes from Natural Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences the course and is in the process of adding more interdisciplinary courses. While the goal of CORE 42 is to guarantee seamless transfer, the process is complex with many stakeholders involved. The Core Curriculum Advisor Committee depends on feedback to guide and improve the transfer process for all students at all institutions!

Session #1 – Partnering with AI: Empowering Enrollment, Retention, and Student Success through Innovative Tools  
Niangua Room | Elizabeth Kirby,  Director of Enrollment Solutions at EnrollML

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming higher education, offering institutions new opportunities to streamline processes, enhance student support, and foster collaboration. However, with these opportunities come significant challenges, particularly in navigating administrative and ethical considerations. This session will explore how institutions can leverage AI to foster positive student-centered transfer practices while building strong vendor partnerships and ensuring alignment with ethical standards. This session will highlight real-world examples of institutions that have successfully implemented these initiatives, demonstrating measurable impacts on retention and student success.

Attendees will gain insights into:

• Practical applications of AI to improve transfer pathways, including adaptive learning, career guidance, personalized advising, and early identification of barriers.
• Working through common AI-related challenges, such as data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and lack of transparency, while maintaining student trust.
• Real-world case studies from institutions that have successfully integrated AI into their transfer enrollment or student support strategies.

Session #2 –  Practical Strategies for Building Inter-Collegiate Relationships Between Community Colleges and Four-Year Universities
Lakeside Room | Jamie Stanley and Heather Flint, Crowder College

Successfully facilitating student transfer from community colleges to four-year universities requires intentional relationship-building between institutions. In this session, presenters will share Crowder College’s proven strategies for fostering strong inter-collegiate relationships, benefiting both students and partner institutions.

Key strategies to be discussed include:

• Coordinating group campus visits to four-year universities to familiarize students with their potential transfer destinations.
• Establishing and maintaining professional relationships with staff and faculty at partner institutions.
• Collaborating across internal departments and programs to streamline student support.
• Organizing annual Transfer Fairs and specialized workshops tailored to transfer students at all six Crowder College campuses.

Presenters will also highlight challenges encountered in this process—such as navigating institutional differences and resource limitations—and the creative solutions that have allowed Crowder College to overcome these obstacles.

Session #3 –   NSC Reverse Transfer Process: How to Begin the Journey Toward Successful Implementation  
Gravois Room | Joanna Szewczak, Robert Halbach, Faustina Abrahams, Missouri Southern State University

 This session highlights how collaboration between IT and the Office of the Registrar’s departments ensured the successful setup of the NSC Reverse Transfer tool to facilitate the Missouri Reverse Transfer process. We’ll demystify technical setup, share key lessons, and provide actionable tips to help others begin their own projects.

Key Points:

• Collaboration is Key: Success requires open communication. Quick calls, chats, and thorough reviews aligned IT and departmental goals.
• Simplifying the Technical Setup: Addressing the most challenging aspects of the process with clear steps and maintainable solutions.
• Lessons Learned: Examples like clarifying the “Official Grades Date” showcase how understanding departmental needs solved technical issues quickly.
• Encouragement to Start: The hardest step is beginning. This session offers the guidance and confidence teams need to take that first step.

Why it Matters:

Our experience shows that with clear communication and practical guidance, implementing the NSC Reverse Transfer process is achievable for your institution and will be a time-saver for your institution.