Celebrating the Transfer Ecosystem

What happens when two of higher education’s most candid transfer voices share one stage? Find out in this one-of-a-kind plenary experience, as Transfer Tea and Transfer Nation come together for a live podcast mashup featuring three transfer students telling it like it is. From navigating institutional barriers to making sense of learning mobility, hear directly from students about what worked, what didn’t, and what colleges and universities must do better. This session blends authentic student voices with practical takeaways for practitioners ready to rethink and strengthen their transfer ecosystems.

Experts from Transfer Nation and the Community College Research Center will discuss current trends and impacts of transfer and dual enrollment programs. We will engage in a collective activity identifying common friction points, promising practices, and strategies to support seamless student learning transitions. We will gain an understanding of how institutions can recognize, validate, and build learning wherever it occurs, fostering more interconnected and student-centered experiences.

This session focuses on the intentional design of student-centered programs that drive meaningful outcomes. By connecting system-level innovation with frontline implementation, it highlights how thoughtfully designed practices are developed, adapted, and sustained across institutions. Featuring a diverse panel of higher education professionals, the session explores what it takes to design programs that truly meet student needs while underscoring the critical role of advisors and counselors in shaping, refining, and delivering these experiences.

Join a community-driven conversation bringing students, faculty, and professionals together to imagine
what transfer success can look like, while reflecting on a month of shared insights and dialogue.

The transfer ecosystem is grounded in a rich and evolving history shaped over decades by policies, partnerships, and practices designed to expand opportunity and mobility for learners. This fireside chat will feature perspectives from leading transfer experts and invite participants to look beneath the surface to explore the roots of transfer in higher education, including the foundational structures, early research, and historical developments that continue to shape the field and influence the evolving role of transfer professionals in meeting the needs of today’s learners.

 “Past, Present, and Future of the Transfer Ecosystem” is a reflective and forward-looking discussion focused on following the evolving needs of transfer over the years and the opportunities shaping the field ahead. As higher education continues to evolve, so too must the systems, partnerships, and practices that support student transfer and mobility. This conversation will bring together thought leaders and practitioners to examine emerging trends, innovative approaches, and the strategic partnerships helping shape the future of transfer across institutions and systems nationwide.

Led by Heather Adams, Founder of Transfer Nation, Emily Kittrell, Transfer Expert in Residence with the National Resource Center on the First Year Experience, and Bernard Huggins, Senior Program Manager at The Aspen Institute, this discussion will explore the history of transfer while drawing on a national perspective to explore how collective action, policy alignment, and stronger professional communities can accelerate innovation and drive meaningful systemic change for the next generation of transfer learners.