Everyone likes an easy process. That includes students looking to transfer their credits to another school. At Southern, transfer students are getting a smooth process through the Transfer Admissions and Services Office (TAS), the only dedicated transfer department in the Connecticut State University System.
The office was established in 2016 and has developed into a vital entryway to Southern, particularly for students from the state’s community college. The team evaluates the unique needs and decision-making process of transfer students and collaborates with them from the start, said Julie Edstrom, vice president for enrollment management.
Clear communication has been the cornerstone of the transfer team’s success, along with improvements in the evaluation of transfer credits.
“Students would get admitted but it wasn’t until they committed that the transfer team would evaluate their transfer courses and connect them with advising,” Edstrom said. That left gaps in the process that were a missed opportunity to engage students.
Transfer opportunities expanded in 2023 with the consolidation of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges. Campuses at Gateway, Norwalk, Housatonic and Naugatuck Valley were among the schools that became CT State, now the largest community college in New England. Officials needed to align courses from those schools with Southern’s curriculum.
With 60% of Southern’s transfer students coming from CT State, it is the biggest pipeline for SCSU transfers.
“We had to make sure we were staying connected with our partners even as CT State was going through a lot of change, to make sure we were coordinating in a way that supports students,” Edstrom said.
This led to a concentrated effort to review course descriptions and content and finding equivalent SCSU courses and requirements to minimize credit loss in transfer.
That’s where Braxton Carrigan’s expertise came in. Carrigan, an associate professor of mathematics, addressed the challenge of credit and curriculum alignment with SCSU’s Liberal Education Program. “That was really critical work, making sure students coming from CT State have a smooth pathway with general education,” Edstrom said.
SCSU’s LEP transfer policy recognizes the coursework transfer students have already completed.
“We started with the 60+ policy. If a student comes with 60 credits completed, it is likely that they finished all their general education requirements at whatever institution they were at,” Carrigan said.
The CT State University System also recently adopted a new General Education Transfer Credit Alignment Policy, eliminating the barrier of transferring general education credits between CSU institutions.
Carrigan said transfer students from the community colleges have long affirmed that Southern’s knowledgeable advisers deliver a good experience. “Because we have a dedicated department, it’s one stop and not a waiting game,” Carrigan said.
Setting up the Transfer Admissions and Services Office began with the intention of recognizing the meaningful educational experiences that transfer student applicants bring with them.
“We wanted to honor that,” Carrigan said. “Southern is at the forefront of being transfer-friendly and recognizing that this population of students is a significant part of our community.”
“We set out to find ways to make transfer easy for students recognizing their previous education in a way that is equitable,” he said.
The trailblazing office is a testament to Southern’s commitment to giving transfer students the attention and help they need, said Carla Flynn, director of transfer admissions and services.
The transfer student population represents different journeys on the path to a college degree, which means the Transfer Office takes a personal approach. “It’s not ‘one size fits all,’ so we try to connect and provide service to the individual,” Flynn said.
The approach is working. The enrollment of new transfer students is up 7% over last fall, and transfers represent about 34% of the undergraduate population.
Leveraging technology also has helped to boost the program’s effectiveness. Even before applying, students can log in to see how their credits would transfer.
“We’ll evaluate your credits. Even if a student says it’s not the right time for me, the door is open. They can come directly to this office, they know who to call, who to email. They are not going to get bounced around,” Flynn said.
For student Angenee Spencer, ’25, the guidance from the Transfer Admissions Office erased any worries she had in transferring last fall.
She learned from members of Southern’s team who visited the CT State Norwalk campus how her Business Transfers Pathway Program might be credited. Spencer now is on track to graduate next spring. Her transfer into a marketing major at Southern included learning the latest trends in digital marketing, social media and data analytics, all geared toward preparing her for her field.
“I liked that my professors had previous experience in their field. They were speaking from experience and not just textbook material,” she said.
Spencer is one example of the great results the TAS is delivering as it evolves. Since its inception, it established dedicated office space at the Gateway campus and holds office hours with TAS counselors at every campus, providing pre-transfer advising.
“We do collaborative co-advising with the students over time to help them plan their programs, so they don’t feel like they have to do this on their own,” Edstrom said. The TAS also works closely with the CSCU Transfer Council, supporting the system’s goal to retain more CT State students within CSCU.
The university’s bank of transfer courses also has become more robust and accurate. Applications are growing.
One of Southern’s programs to gain an influx of transfer students this semester is the Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) program. Of the 72 incoming students, 46% are transfers, said Karen D’Angelo, assistant professor and coordinator of the B.S.W. program.
“We love our four-year traditional students, too, but appreciate our transfers,” D’Angelo said. “Many are parenting, taking care of adults, or are mid-career and much older than a traditional trajectory. College isn’t always set up to be conducive for them.”
D’Angelo said her department is developing a partnership with the social work and human service faculties at other community college campuses, developing a bridge program to deliver a more cohesive transition into Southern’s B.S.W. program.
Another benefit is the potential for transfer students to save time and money when they bring two years of community college credits with them. A traditional M.S.W. degree program typically takes a full year, D’Angelo said, so there is an opportunity to avoid extra expense while offering greater access to students.
The Transfer Admissions and Services Office is assessing its success, inviting student feedback to continue improving its process to help ensure a welcoming experience.
“It’s not where you’ve been, it’s where you’re going. We want Southern to be the premier destination for transfers in our region. For whatever reason you’re transferring, we want you at Southern,” Flynn said.
For more information, contact the Transfer Admissions and Services Office.
