Transfer students make up a large proportion of students at universities, with over one-third of students beginning their bachelor’s degree at a community college (Shapiro et al., 2017). Compared with non-transfers, these students are more likely to be first-generation, from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, and from low-income households (Jenkins & Fink, 2016; Velasco et al., 2024). Educational development that focuses on transfer students provides a concrete opportunity for instructors to consider diverse student experiences and identify implications for their teaching. This “reflection on practice” highlights the integrative practice of using transfer student experiences as a conceptual lens in educational development. This way of thinking can inform the design of workshops, activities, and discussions across educational development contexts, helping to better support this underserved population and prompt instructors to consider the broad range of backgrounds and experiences their students bring.
Understanding Transfer Student Identities and Experiences
Because community colleges are designed to offer a more accessible and affordable path to higher education, they enroll students from a wide variety of backgrounds (Taylor & Jain, 2017). Compared with their non-transfer peers, community college transfer students are more likely to be from low-income neighborhoods, identify as students of color, and be older (Jenkins & Fink, 2016; Velasco et al., 2024). This population also includes a higher proportion of students with dependents, as well as first-generation, Native American, and undocumented students (American Association of Community Colleges, 2024; LaViolet et al., 2018; LaViolet et al., 2025; Jain et al., 2020). In addition, transfer students also have unique experiences shaped by their time at multiple institutions and may encounter challenges related to navigating credit transfer, integrating into campus communities, and adapting to new academic norms (Harbin, 1997; Townsend & Wilson, 2006). Their student experiences are shaped by both these intersecting identities and their varied educational pathways. For example, a first-generation transfer student must adapt to a new campus culture while navigating higher education expectations; students transferring from racially diverse community colleges to predominantly white universities may struggle to feel a sense of belonging; older students balancing caregiving and work responsibilities may face unique social and academic challenges.
There is a growing need for four-year institutions to more intentionally support transfer student success. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC), transfer student enrollment is increasing nationally, with an overall 8 percent rise since 2020 and students transferring from two- to four-year institutions accounting for the majority of transfer enrollment (NSCRC, 2025). At the same time, students who transfer from two- to four-year institutions continue to graduate at lower rates that students who begin at four-year institutions, highlighting a need for campuses to invest in better serving transfer students (Velasco et al., 2024). While transfer student support commonly focuses on student programs, advising, or credit transfer (Gardner et al., 2023; Jain et al., 2020; Poisel & Joseph, 2018), classroom experiences and academic engagement have been shown to be critical to transfer student success (Berger & Malaney, 2003; Lester et al., 2013; Wang et al., 2017; LaViolet et al., 2025). These findings highlight the important role that instructors play in promoting transfer student success.
Unfortunately, many university instructors lack awareness of the varied needs and challenges of their students, including those of transfer students (Hyatt & Smith, 2019; Rabinowitz et al., 2022). Instructors may rely on their own educational backgrounds when interpreting student behavior, shaping how they interact with and support students. For example, instructors may hold inaccurate beliefs about the academic preparedness or engagement of community college transfer students (Gardner et al., 2023; Wang et al., 2021a). These beliefs overlook structural challenges, such as misaligned prerequisites or competing off-campus responsibilities, which can affect student performance and campus involvement. This pattern of deficit-based thinking about transfer students, common among instructors (Wang et al., 2021a), can also lead them to overlook the many strengths transfer students bring to learning environments, including rich life experiences, diverse perspectives, ambition, and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities (DiBenedetto et al., 2023; Jain et al., 2020).
The Practice: Educational Development That Centers Transfer Students
Educational developers can play an important role in raising awareness of transfer students and preparing instructors to more effectively support them in academic contexts. Early in my educational development career, I rarely considered transfer students, despite working in a state with a large community college system and at an institution where a significant proportion of students transfer in. As a result, my work unintentionally centered dominant educational pathways, failing to help instructors consider the characteristics and needs of students who began their education elsewhere. For example, I used student personas in workshops that reflected “typical” students following a continuous four-year timeline and shared syllabus language that assumed students entered as first-year students and completed prerequisites at the same institution.
My thinking began to shift when I participated in a statewide project that aimed to improve outcomes for STEM students transferring from two- to four-year institutions, which included developing programs for instructors and others who support transfer students (Branchaw & Mirus, 2023), such as the workshop and course examples highlighted below. Through this project and in my subsequent work I came to see that focusing on transfer students, especially those transferring from community colleges, provides a valuable lens for helping instructors to consider the varied needs, backgrounds, and experiences in their classrooms. Just as I saw how an earlier push toward online learning environments provided a “hook” for intentional course design, it became clear to me that educational development centered on transfer students offers an accessible entry point for engaging instructors on issues of equity, intersectionality, and inclusive teaching. In this article, I describe a workshop for instructors (faculty, instructional staff, and graduate student instructors) at a four-year institution as one example of how transfer students can be centered in educational development. I also briefly describe a second example of integrating transfer student considerations into existing educational development programs.
A workshop titled “Promoting Success for Transfer Students through Inclusive Teaching Approaches” aimed to increase awareness of transfer students on our campus as well as demonstrate how inclusive teaching practices that support transfer students also benefit all students (Schmid et al., 2019). The one-hour session was offered for faculty, instructional staff, and graduate student instructors as part of our annual campus-wide teaching and learning symposium; it included a series of activities that promoted engagement and reflection in a variety of ways. Principles guiding the workshop design included creating opportunities to learn about the topic in multiple ways (e.g., through data and narrative), grounding the content in research and our institutional context, promoting self-reflection and learning in community, and helping participants identify actionable steps they could take.
After a brief introduction to the workshop goals and topic, participants individually responded to a series of research-based “was this true for you?” statements highlighting characteristics common for community college transfers (e.g. “I couldn’t afford to take part in extracurricular college experiences”), challenges they face (e.g. “Other students already had established study groups and friends”), and assets they bring (e.g. “I had a career before enrolling in college”), which was followed by a small group discussion and brief share out. This activity was designed to increase participants’ awareness of transfer student experiences while also promoting reflection on biases and assumptions shaped by their own educational experiences. Next, we reviewed campus-specific data and national research about transfer students; we then split into small groups to discuss case studies, which were then discussed as a large group. Case studies addressed issues students commonly face, such as different academic norms, competing responsibilities, curriculum misalignment, and difficulty making peer connections. We emphasized that while certain experiences and characteristics may be common among transfer students, they are not a uniform population. The session concluded with participants reviewing a list of inclusive teaching strategies designed to support transfer student success and identifying approaches they would like to try. Throughout the session we emphasized how strategies that especially support the success of transfer students can also benefit all students. For example, new transfer students especially benefit from frequent and positive interactions with faculty (Wang et al., 2021b), but all students are more likely to thrive when they see faculty as approachable and encouraging (Felten & Lambert, 2020). All workshop materials (slides, handouts, activity descriptions) are available online at https://wiscience.wisc.edu/beyond-access-to-success.
In a short post-workshop survey, participants reported that the session deepened their understanding of transfer students and prompted reflection on their own biases, while also illustrating how practices that support transfer students can improve support and understanding for all learners. Participants consistently indicated that the workshop met its stated goals, with at least 95% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing with each of the following statements:
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I found it useful to reflect on my own experiences, biases, and identity to consider how I can better support my students (100%, n = 24)
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This session helped me gain awareness of the needs and characteristics of transfer students (96%, n = 24)
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This session advanced my understanding of how I can better support transfer students in teaching and learning contexts (96%, n = 24)
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I am likely to make at least one change to make my teaching more inclusive for transfer students (95%, n = 21)
Open-ended responses described learning specific to transfer students, as well as broader gains related to inclusive teaching practices (Table 1). A substantial subset of responses highlighted enhanced self-awareness, including reflection on personal biases and limitations of current teaching practices. Several comments explicitly connected the focus on transfer students to improved understanding of how to better support all students (bolded in Table 1). When asked what was most useful about the session, one participant captured this sentiment, stating “It’s just helpful to be aware of the challenges transfer students face and how these relate to issues for minorities and other students.” Additional aspects identified as most useful by multiple participants included the use of case studies, hearing different perspectives through discussion, concrete inclusive teaching strategies, and opportunities for self-reflection.
Table 1: Summary of workshop evaluation open response comments for: “What have you gained from attending this session? What is one important idea you are taking away?”
| Theme | % of responses (n = 24) | Representative participant quotes |
| Understanding transfer student needs and assets | 42% |
|
| Inclusive teaching practices benefitting all students | 62% |
|
| Reflection on biases and practices | 25% |
|
In addition to offerings that focus solely on transfer students, such as the workshop described above, I have integrated transfer student considerations into my routine educational development work to help instructors consider the varied ways that student backgrounds shape campus experiences. For example, I highlight assumptions based on dominant educational pathways in instructional consultations and incorporate transfer student considerations into course design workshops and discussions. In a graduate seminar I offer on teaching college STEM courses, transfer student considerations are integrated throughout the curriculum. Initially, I only shared the percentage of transfer students enrolled on our campus in a lesson on student identities but I have progressively woven transfer student experiences across multiple course topics. For instance, when discussing learning objectives and alignment across levels, I introduced transfer equivalencies. In a session on how learning works and the importance of prior knowledge, we discussed how students may have different prior knowledge depending on where they completed prerequisite courses. In a session on student experiences, I shared campus climate data showing differences in sense of belonging and peer connections between transfer and non-transfer students. By explicitly addressing transfer student experiences, graduate students broaden their understanding of diverse student backgrounds, but also gain insights into institution types, expanding the careers they consider.
Reflections on Transfer Students as a Lens for Inclusive Educational Development
Centering transfer students in educational development is an important step in acknowledging their growing presence and developing classroom environments that are better equipped to support them. Educational development increasingly focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion (Castillo-Montoya et al., 2023), and emphasizing intersectionality helps instructors to understand how students’ multiple identities can privilege or marginalize them within educational contexts (Banks et al., 2011; Salazar et al., 2010). Transfer students bring a wide range of experiences and identities, making them an ideal lens for exploring these intersecting dimensions of student diversity and considering how varied student experiences shape learning and success.
Programs centered on transfer students offer opportunities for instructors to explore these intersecting dimensions of student diversity and consider strategies that benefit transfer students, as well as other students with varied identities and experiences. When instructors examine data and case studies about transfer students, they gain insights into the wide range of student identities and experiences. When they reflect on their own college experiences compared to those of transfer students, they challenge ingrained assumptions. This focus reframes conversations about student diversity to emphasize the assets students bring and describes challenges as rooted in systemic issues rather than in individual shortcomings. Additionally, because transfer status is not tied to any single demographic group, it provides an accessible entry point into discussions of equity and inclusion compared to conversations focused solely on race, gender, or socioeconomic status. By engaging with transfer student experiences, instructors can uncover assumptions and improve teaching practices in ways that benefit all students, including those from historically underserved groups.
For readers who are beginning to integrate transfer students into their educational development work, I offer several recommendations related to gathering information and program design. A useful starting point is to connect with staff or units dedicated to transfer advising or transition programs, or with colleagues at a nearby community college. These individuals can share patterns and first-hand accounts from students they have supported, offering valuable insights into prior credits and preparation, academic and career goals, and life experiences and responsibilities. Examining institutional data is also a valuable step. Comparing the population of first-year students with those who start as transfers, or comparing populations between two-year and four-year institutions, can highlight differences in academic preparation, access to resources, and opportunities for identity-based communities. Limited or disaggregated data may require educational developers to collaborate with institutional research offices to establish new reporting practices, which may be especially important on campuses with large transfer student populations. Because transfer student experiences and pathways vary widely across institutions, educational developers should adapt their materials to fit their own institution. For developers working with limited capacity, it may be more practical to embed transfer student considerations into existing efforts rather than to create new targeted programs. This can include incorporating transfer student examples into current case studies, disaggregating student data already used in workshops to highlight transfer experiences, or adding reflective prompts that help faculty consider how their current practices may affect students entering with different prior coursework and experiences. Finally, reviewing existing resources will provide additional insights into recommendations for faculty practices that support transfer student success (Wang et al., 2021a), approaches to engaging transfer students in gateway courses (Foote, 2021), and guidance on engaging faculty values to shift the culture around transfer students (Jaggars & Rivera, 2021).
Conclusion
What we include in educational development programming impacts who is seen, valued, and supported on our campuses. Through this work, we can support instructors in recognizing the wide range of experiences and needs that students bring, and in developing strategies to support them. In my own practice, focusing on transfer students has provided a valuable lens for considering students more holistically, integrating their identities, off campus experiences, and varied educational pathways into an understanding of student success. Recognizing the diversity within the transfer student population can help instructors move beyond a “one-size-fits-all” mindset and more fully appreciate the complexity of students’ backgrounds.
Educational developers are well positioned to make transfer student experiences more visible in concrete ways through the work we are already doing. When sharing data about student populations in faculty workshops or orientations, we can intentionally include information about transfer students and their varied identities. Similarly, in consultations with instructors, we can challenge assumptions based on dominant educational pathways and reflect on where our own practices may unintentionally reinforce these norms. By intentionally centering transfer students in educational development, we can foster more inclusive teaching practices that make classrooms more equitable, not only for transfer students, but for all students.
Acknowledgements
The practices described in this article emerged from a project funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence Initiative (Grant #GT11073, 2018–2025) awarded to WISCIENCE at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. I gratefully acknowledge Janet Branchaw (UW-Madison) and Kevin Mirus (Madison College), the project’s principal investigators, whose leadership and vision shaped the overall initiative that made this work possible. I also thank Megan Schmid and Pam Larson for their collaboration on the workshop described here, as well as Amanda Butz and Nafsaniath Fathema for their assistance with workshop evaluation. Finally, I appreciate Sarah Sweger for conversations that informed the graduate course example included in this manuscript. Access all workshop materials and learn more about the project, “Beyond Access to Success: Creating Flexible Pathways to STEM Degrees for Transfer Students in Wisconsin,” at https://wiscience.wisc.edu/beyond-access-to-success.
Competing Interests
The author has no competing interests to declare.
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