Aspen Institute and AASCU Announce Cohort 4 of the Transfer Student Success Intensive

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 30, 2025 – Today, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen CEP) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) are pleased to announce the institutional teams selected to participate in Cohort 4 of the Transfer Student Success Intensive. This year-long professional development initiative is designed to strengthen transfer pathways between community colleges and four-year institutions, with the ultimate goal to improve bachelor’s degree attainment rates. Supported by Ascendium, this cohort represents the fourth iteration of the program, working to increase economic mobility and talent development for more students and communities through transfer.

Since its inception in 2021, the Transfer Intensive has worked with 91 colleges–including 41 AASCU members–impacting over 16,000 transfer students across 23 states. Cohort 4 aims to build on this success by engaging a new group of partnerships in implementing innovative transfer strategies that address the needs of underrepresented student populations.

“The Transfer Intensive is a hands-on program that gives institutions research and proven practices that help them reimagine and improve their transfer pathways,” said Tania LaViolet, Director of Research and Innovation at the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “Through this initiative, we are helping institutions address systemic barriers and develop actionable plans that if implemented, should improve transfer rates and bachelor’s degree attainment for students who begin at community colleges.”

Cohort 4 includes 10 teams composed of 10 four-year institutions and 13 community colleges, representing 10 states. These partnerships will work collaboratively over the next year to create sustainable transfer reform strategies tailored to their institutional and student needs.

Participating Institutions in Cohort 4

• Team 1: Queens College (CUNY), LaGuardia Community College, Queensborough Community College (New York)
• Team 2: California State University, Fullerton, and Fullerton College (California)
• Team 3: University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu, Honolulu Community College, and Kaua‘i Community College (Hawaii)
• Team 4: University of Houston-Downtown and College of the Mainland (Texas)
• Team 5: University of North Carolina-Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College (North Carolina)
• Team 6: Idaho State University and College of Southern Idaho (Idaho)
• Team 7: Portland State University and Portland Community College (Oregon)
• Team 8: University of Southern Maine and Southern Maine Community College (Maine)
• Team 9: Metropolitan State University of Denver and Community College of Denver (Colorado)
• Team 10: Slippery Rock University, Butler County Community College, and Community College of Beaver County (Pennsylvania)

Through its four cohorts, the Transfer Intensive has reached 17 Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI), including 15 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), one Predominantly Black Institution (PBI), and one Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). Collectively, participating colleges serve over 1.1 million undergraduates annually.

Past participants have lauded the program for providing a rare opportunity to focus on transfer at the presidential and cabinet levels, expand networks, and engage in meaningful peer consultancy.

“Collaboration is at the heart of this initiative,” said Jacquelyn Jones, Assistant Vice President for Student Success, AASCU. “By bringing together two-year and four-year institutions, we are creating sustainable transfer pathways that ensure all students, regardless of background, have the opportunity to succeed.”

The program will officially launch on February 6, 2025. Institutions selected for cohort four will join a distinguished group of colleges dedicated to addressing transfer challenges leading to more excellent outcomes for students nationwide. For more information about the Transfer Student Success Intensive, visit the website. 

###

About the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program
The Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program aims to advance higher education practices and leadership that significantly improve student learning, completion, and employment after college—especially for the growing population of students of color and low-income students on American campuses. We support colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to achieve this higher standard and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. For more information, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org.

About AASCU
The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association that represents the sector of over 500 regional public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underrepresented student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions delivering America’s promise.