Pilot Transfer Pipeline Program: Rocky Top Transfer
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, (UT) recognizes a fortunate enrollment position. For three years, including through the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment has seen an increase with first-year and transfer students. With enrollment growth comes other opportunities to look for innovation and change. The residency requirement means all first-year students must live on campus, with few exceptions.
"In admissions you have to be nimble" (unknown). A projected larger incoming first-year class required enrollment management to be nimble and make very intentional decisions. One decision was to pause a 10-year bridge program between the university and a partner community college. The bridge program invited select students to become a resident member of UT living on campus while enrolling full-time at our partner community college.
The pause of the Bridge program presented an opportunity to re-imagine our partnership leading to a new pilot program, the Rocky Top Transfer Program beginning Fall 2022.
The Rocky Top Transfer Program is invitation-only for select in-state and out-of-state first-year applicants. Participating students apply to and enroll with our partner community college attending in person or virtually fall and spring semesters. The students are guaranteed transfer admission into UT's non-competitive majors provided they meet established minimum GPA and credit requirements at the end of their spring semester.
The Rocky Top Transfer program includes piloting a program-specific merit-based transfer scholarship eliminating an existing scholarship requirement to complete an associate degree and extending the award to cover three years of enrollment at UT.
The aim of this session is to compare the pilot to similar programs across the country and continue the dialogue around the need for transfer student recruitment, enrollment, and scholarships to adapt to ever-changing student and higher education needs for the future.
Which one or two theme(s) best describe the presentation? Academic, Institutional and External Partnerships, Enrollment and Student Services
What Professional Application does this sessions apply to? Attendees will learn about an adaptation developed at a public four-year institution, may be encouraged to continue if offering something similar, or may leave with ideas that could be presented to their institutions.
Presentation Begins:
Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 12:10 PM Eastern Time
Presented By:
Wendolyn Davis, University of Tennessee