Robin A. Diana

Keynote Closing Speaker

9th Annual Conference of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students

January 26, 2011

Reflect on the learning and teaching experiences from conference

Share from the toolbox: wisdom from the experts

Make a commitment to being the champion on your campus

Reflect on your conference experience…

Transfer orientation and advisement are key components of any comprehensive program. Start with a focus on a mandated orientation (and orientation on the two-year campus for students who plan to transfer is crucial). Orientation is the quickest way to change the culture of a campus. –B. Jacobs

Do your homework. Don’t’ go to a party w/o reading the front page of USA Today. You need to say things beyond the focus of conversation. Building trust is key. -B. Haggerty

Being a champion starts with a clear cause or a purpose. It should be aligned to the institution's mission. The champion shares the vision and helps others understand why we are going in this direction as opposed to another direction. Communication is the key...and you can never over communicate “why”. –K. Bailey

Remember to listen to the student voice. Researchers, policy analysts, faculty, and/or administrators can sit together and design the most elegant and innovative program or service in isolation … but we need the student perspective to keep us grounded. Because until we walk in their shoes and see the system from their vantage point, we cannot truly help them be successful. –C. Keller

Communicate and collaborate…find ways to harness your energy to help others see the importance of creating specialized programming, opportunities and services for transfer students. Have a pitch and find individuals to partner with first-then offices-then divisions-then it will just become second nature in the language that you use. - R. Diana

To create a transfer-receptive culture, colleges must make those students’ success an institutional priority-instead of just seeing such students as a way to “backfill” first-year classes to meet enrollment goals. – A. Herrera

Faculty buy-in is key. - K. Kline

Know the politics of your campus. Effectively navigating the landscape is key. – S. Salvador

It is important to be planful and work out the parameters of a comprehensive transfer student support plan. However, do not fall prey to perseverating on details and a quest for perfection. At a certain point you have to "just do it." Your transfer students are worth it. – J. Keup

Speak with authority. A lot of times getting people to believe what you are saying is how you say it. Stand tall with conviction. -S. Sutton

The Ghandi quote to “be the change you wish to see in the world” is one I believe is essential to innovation. The only way our profession is going to fully meet the needs of our transfer students is for each of us to take personal responsibility to be the champion –to be their voice. We need to be willing to research, provide evidence, do the work, and be the ones to make change happen. –H. Levine

Coffee or tea? Take it to them: both the transfer students and campus community you are trying to get on your team. Get out of your office and go meet people: trade e-mail for a phone call invitation to participate. Schedule meetings on neutral ground, and over coffee-not in an office! – R. Diana

Don’t be intimidated. Your first initiative does not have to be monumental to make change. Change can be a small shift in the campus community. – J. Marling

The key to success…influence. – R. Diana

Be willing to adjust your perspective, opinions, and ideas to make win-win situations. – K. Skarie

Create an advisory board/committee focused on transfer students and a peer transfer board. – K. Hughes

Learn who your transfer student is at your institution. While there is plenty of research and articles out there to read about the transfer student, each transfer student is different and more specifically transfer students at each institution are different. Study them, talk to them and listen to what they have to say! - K. Harvey

Peer influence is a strong and powerful tool. Captivate it and use it to help build a transfer friendly culture on your campus! Put them in leadership roles--RAs, OAs, Transfer Student Connectors (mentors). They will then help your transfer students succeed and become part of the campus culture. –T. Priester

It is important to continue to serve transfers THROUGH the transition. So often we front load our support of students in transition and they flounder after the initial programming ends ("Where did everybody go?"). – J. Keup

I think that one element of success for transfer student advocates is to manage to tie this interest, passion, and priority to institutional goals and priorities. These might include accreditation processes and the focus on continuous improvement projects, or boosting enrollments, or a demonstration to state policy makers of the importance that an institution places on the success of transfer students...anything that makes the advocate's and the institution's interest align. –M. Cutright

Eliminate all the crap! Don’t be afraid to pick up the telephone and ask the hard questions. Sharing information is key…especially for the student. – C. Cammack

Avoid the accidental transfer. The transfer process begins when a student decides to go to college, not the day he or she shows up in your 4-yr admission office wanting to complete as soon as possible. –G. Niebling

Talk often about transfer students at any time possible. Be sophisticated in policy and practices within your state. – T. Bers

Communication between community colleges and 4 year institutions is crucial to achieving learning outcomes. – B. Griffin

Identify one new idea, initiative, or concept from the conference you will take back to campus.

How will you inform, inspire, and educate your campus community on your one commitment?

What wisdom would you share with colleagues?

Transfer students should be your capital. They have already proven they can be successful. The greatest return on your investment is the transfer student. Invest!

– T. Jackson