What do faculty really think about transfer students and transfer policies? This episode explores that question through anonymous responses from nearly 4,000 CUNY faculty surveyed in 2021. Dr. Lexa Logue, who led the research, joins host Heather Adams and Emily Kittrell from NISTS to unpack what faculty said when given anonymity to speak candidly. Volunteer readers share direct quotes—some affirming, some negative, and some offering solutions. We examine the data honestly to identify where the system needs to change. Content note: This episode includes blunt language and deficit framing about community college faculty and students.

Special note:
Please help us send a huge THANK YOU to all the amazing volunteers who contributed their time and voices to this episode. You're awesome, and your clips sound fantastic! We couldn't have completed this special project without you. 💙💚💛

Want to read the quotes for yourself?
You can access a PDF of the episode transcript or dive into the full response database linked below. 
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For more information about the publications and resources mentioned during this episode, visit: 

• Logue, A. W., Rabinowitz, V., Oka, Y., Yoo, N., Torres, R., Gentsch, K., & Wutchiett, D. (2025). Faculty characteristics and views: Implications for vertical transfer. Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.33009/fsop_jpss138304 
• Faculty Quotes Dataset (includes all responses to the open-ended questions to the faculty survey) 
• CUNY Transfer Explorer (T-Rex) 
• National Transfer Explorer 
• Related CUNY A2B (Associate’s to Bachelor’s Degree Transfer) research publications
• Dr. Logue’s website 

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

Math requirements create persistent barriers on the transfer path, but how exactly do they block student progress? In this episode, we explore "A Complex Equation: Confronting Math Obstacles on the Transfer Path," a new report from Just Equations.

Authors Pamela Burdman, Robin Hale, and Jenn BeVard join host Heather Adams to discuss their research revealing how math anxiety, complex requirements, and scheduling challenges create a "Gate, Maze, and Pace" that particularly impacts STEM transfer students. The conversation explores why these barriers persist despite good intentions, examines fundamental policy tensions that make reform difficult, and offers practical recommendations for improving transfer success. 

Click the links to learn more!

• Just Equations  
  
  
• Read the "Complex Equation" Report 
  
  
• Meet the Authors: 
  • Pamela Burdman, Executive Director  
  • Alexis Robin Hale, Research Fellow
  • Jenn BeVard, Director of Operations and Programs

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

As fall term launches across the country, transfer students are once again navigating the complex journey from one institution to another. But what if our current approaches to supporting these transitions are too narrow?

In this timely episode, host Heather Adams sits down with Drs. Dallin George Young (University of Georgia) and Bryce D. Bunting (Brigham Young University), authors of Rethinking Student Transitions: How Community, Participation, and Becoming Can Help Higher Education Deliver on its Promise. Both transfer students themselves, these researchers challenge the traditional "adjustment" model that places the burden of transition squarely on students' shoulders.

Instead, they introduce a powerful new framework centered on three key concepts: Community, Participation, and Becoming. The approach offers both theoretical grounding and practical insights for reimagining how we design experiences, policies, and support systems that honor transfer students' complexity and potential.

The conversation spans everything from rethinking "checklist" engagement models to designing meaningful classroom experiences that draw on transfer students' rich backgrounds. Dallin and Bryce share thought-provoking perspectives on academic advising conversations, faculty development, and collaboration between sending and receiving institutions—all through the lens of seeing transitions as opportunities for growth rather than problems to be managed.

This episode offers fresh perspectives for anyone working with transfer students, challenging listeners to transform how they think about transitions from problems to be solved into opportunities for profound growth and becoming.

Perfect timing for the start of term, this conversation will reshape how you approach every transfer student walking through your doors this fall.

--- --- ---

Additional Links: 

Buy the Rethinking Transitions book! 

Watch Dallin and Bryce's Lunch & Learn webinar with the National Resource Center to learn more about community, participation, and becoming! 

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

Brew your favorite cup because you do not want to miss this one! In this exciting episode, Heather chats with Loida Gonzalez Utley, host of AACRAO's Transfer Tea podcast and co-chair of the upcoming AACRAO Technology & Transfer Summit! Together, they spill the tea on everything you can expect at the event – a must-attend convening for anyone passionate about transfer, mobility, and innovation in higher ed.

From bold conversations on AI and equity, to tools that can help institutions better serve transfer students, Loida and Heather give us an insider’s scoop on sessions, networking, and why this summit is a game-changer for transfer professionals everywhere. 

*The AACRAO Technology and Transfer 2025: A Learning Mobility Summit will be held IN PERSON at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA (across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.) 

Tech and Transfer 2025 Registration Link

AACRAO's Transfer Tea Podcast

Heather Adams, Ed.D.
Director, Special Initiatives at SOVA
Founder & CEO of Transfer Nation

Loida González Utley
Director of Recruitment & Enrollment Services at A&M- Central Texas
Co-Chair of AACRAO’s Technology and Transfer Summit

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

In this episode of Transfer Nation Talks, Heather is joined by esteemed faculty, authors, and researchers Dr. Lauren Schudde & Dr. Huriya Jabbar to discuss their recent book, Discredited: Power, Privilege, and Community College Transfer. We explore the under-examined influence of universities on the transfer process, the power of understanding transfer from a field-level perspective, and recommendations for policy and practice interventions to improve transfer credit mobility and the transfer student experience. 

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

In this episode of Transfer Nation Talks, host Heather Adams chats with Mackenzie White (University of Georgia) and JP Payne (University of Vermont), co-chairs of NODA's Transfer Services Community. They discuss what NODA is all about (hint: it's more than just orientation) and their approach to building a supportive network for transfer and transition services professionals. Drawing from their experiences at their respective institutions, they share observations about transfer student needs, common challenges they're hearing from colleagues, and the importance of campus partnerships in supporting transfer success.

For more info about the programs mentioned throughout the episode, please see:

UGA:
- University Transitions (main) > Transfer Students
- Interactive Transition Guide
- Dawg Packs
- Dawg Camp Connect

UVM:
- Office of Orientation and Student Advancement
- Switching Gears: Tr.A.C.E. Students Share Their Stories

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

Join hosts Heather and Bernard for a quick chat about building and nurturing the transfer student success community. In this episode, our hosts reminisce about the NISTS annual conference and announce exciting upcoming events for Transfer Nation.

💡 Featured Events:

• Transfer Playbook 2.0 Launch (Feb 20, 4PM ET)
• Researcher Ted Talks Think Tank (Feb 24, 4PM ET)
• Black Student Transfer Experience Think Tank (Feb 25, 6-7:30PM ET)
• Transfer Nation Virtual Happy Hour (Feb 27, 6-7:30PM ET)
  
  

🔗 Want to get involved? Email [email protected] to:

• Share your NISTS conference photos for our anniversary celebration
• Learn about Transfer Nation leadership opportunities
• Connect students with our new internship program
  
  

📋 Show Credits

• Hosts | Dr. Heather Adams, Bernard Huggins
• Producers | Sam Kaplan, Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittell
• Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

🎙️ Keep talking with Transfer Nation

• IG: @WeAreTransferNation
• LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
• TikTok: @TransferNation
• FB Group: Transfer Nation
• Email: [email protected] 

Talk soon!

#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

Is it transfer student parents or parenting transfer students? Maybe transfer students with dependents? The multifaceted identities of student parents who transfer challenge standard mechanisms of classification, data collection, and institutional structure. Maya Valree, Senior Policy Analyst at EdTrust-West, joins Dr. Heather Adams to discuss trends in policy and practice designed to center and support parenting students through their postsecondary journey, including implications for transfer practitioners. 

Check out the important work happening at EdTrust-West and The California Alliance for Parent Student Success. 

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

The experience of transfer athletes is an easily siloed topic in the transfer field. We do not often discuss what is happening in athletics and the parallels or contrasts with community college transfer. Artis Gordon and Heather Adams investigate what transfer can learn from athletics and vice versa in this miniseries.

The series will explore the community college transfer experience within athletics and aim to:

• understand the resources, support, and community that D1, D2, and D3 athletes have access to as transfer students;
• discuss the characteristics that make the transfer athlete experience unique;
• explore community, academics, and professional development through the lens of transfer athletes; 
• and lastly, identify what transfer professionals can learn from athletics and how the two fields can better collaborate to support this student community in the transfer journey. 

#TransferSuccess #TransferAthletes #Athletics #CommunityCollegeAthletics

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation

Dr. Heather Adams and Dr. La'Tonya (LT) Rease Miles discuss how vital it is to reflect on and share our transfer, first-gen, and/or adult-learner stories. They provide insight into the why behind adding this narrative to our LinkedIn profile and suggestions on making our story dynamic on the platform and how we share this part of ourselves. 

Heather and LT challenge listeners to add their first-gen, transfer, and adult learner experience to their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and cover letters.

#TransferStudentWeek #TransferSuccess #TransferPride #Media #LinkedIn
#ChangeTheNarritive #EndCCStigma 

Resources Mentioned:

My Tribe Media: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tribe-media 

National Transfer Student Week Media Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vEXD1IWKvQE9q0EpRU_V3KMmYurOo2qs

First-GenForward: https://firstgen.naspa.org/ 

ReUp Education: https://reupeducation.com/ 

The First-Gen Catylst Awards: https://adeii.com/catalyst-awards 

Show Credits

Host | Dr. Heather Adams | https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherhighered/ 

Guest | Dr. La'Tonya Rease Miles | https://www.linkedin.com/in/latonyareasemiles/ 

Producers | Sam Kaplan, Rhian Waterberg

Sound Editing | Abraham Urias 

Show Credits
Host | Dr. Heather Adams
Producers | Rhian Waterberg, Emily Kittrell
Sound Editing | Abraham Urias

Keep talking with Transfer Nation
IG: @WeAreTransferNation
LinkedIn: Transfer Nation Page
TikTok: @TransferNation
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: [email protected]

Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation