In April, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) launched the Maryland Transfer Intensive. This statewide partnership is focused on improving the transfer process for community college students. Over the next seven years, 25 Maryland colleges and universities will collaborate to help more students earn bachelor’s degrees.
“At Anne Arundel Community College, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed,” said AACC President Dawn Lindsay. “By uniting around a statewide strategy, we are creating clearer opportunities for community college students to transfer to four-year colleges, earn bachelor’s degrees and build their futures right here in Maryland.”
Transferring from a community college to a four-year school is an affordable pathway for families and good for Maryland. After graduating, 88% of community college students stay in the state and support the local economy.
The Maryland Transfer Intensive will bring college presidents together in a statewide Presidential Steering Committee on Transfer Student Success. It will invest in data-driven changes and strengthen partnerships between colleges and universities. Participating schools will go through a yearlong process to learn about effective practices and how to apply them.
“Maryland is proud to be one of the nation’s leading states when it comes to higher education attainment, and this transfer initiative solidifies our commitment to becoming number one,” said Sanjay Rai, Ph.D., secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. “By bringing together 25 institutions with a shared focus on transfer student success, we are strengthening our workforce, meeting employer talent needs and empowering thousands of Marylanders to reach their full potential.”
Over the next four years, the Maryland Transfer Intensive will track its results through metrics, including transfer enrollment and bachelor’s degree completion rates. The goal is to create a model for other states. With support from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, this effort shows Maryland’s commitment to educational excellence, student success and social mobility for all.
For information on the Maryland Transfer Intensive and how Anne Arundel Community College is contributing, visit Aspen’s state page.