Lander University, Piedmont Technical College partner to enhance transfer student experience

A team of educators from Lander University and Piedmont Technical College has been selected to be part of the inaugural cohort of the Transfer Student Success and Equity Intensive, sponsored by the Aspen Institute and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

“We are excited for this opportunity to partner with Piedmont Technical College to discover how we can better serve our transfer students,” said Dr. Scott Jones, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Lander University. “Both PTC and Lander University have a common commitment to the State of South Carolina to develop a strong and able workforce through high-quality education. PTC is a greatly valued community partner of Lander, and this partnership is a testament of our commitment to South Carolina.”

According to the Aspen Institute, the intensive is a one-year initiative that will give educators specific training designed to support partnerships between community colleges and AACSU members in advancing practices and policies associated with improved, more equitable transfer student success. Workshops will provide participants with practical support geared towards enhancing the transfer process between institutions. Support for the Lander-PTC team’s participation in the intensive comes from Ascendium’s Education Philanthropy, allowing the program to be offered to participating institutions free of charge.

“PTC and Lander are continuing their collaborative work to streamline transfer pathways between our two institutions. No two transfer experiences are the same, and our goal working with like-minded partners is to ensure that transfer students receive what they need to succeed,” said Dr. Keli Fewox, vice president for academic affairs at PTC. “That can include customized case management measures, personalized advisor check-ins, or various pilot programs to test proposed best practices. Progress comes in increments. This inaugural cohort is a superlative launching point.”

“Lander University is committed to being a premier destination for transfer students in South Carolina and has made great progress toward this goal over the past few years,” added Dr. Lloyd Willis, interim dean of the College of Graduate and Online Studies at Lander. “The AASCU-Aspen Institute Transfer Student Success and Equity Intensive will help us continue this momentum with the support of national experts in the field. We are thrilled to partner with Piedmont Technical College for this project.”