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Episode 27

From Credit Hours to Currency: The New Economy of Higher Education

Guest: Drew Melendres

Higher education has entered a new era—one where student movement is no longer the exception, but the expectation.

In this thought-provoking episode of TransferTALK, Jay Fedje welcomes back Drew Melendres for a forward-looking conversation about one of the most significant shifts facing colleges and universities today: the evolution of college credit from an academic record into an economic asset.

Together, they explore why the traditional "first-time freshman" model is becoming less representative of today's learners and why institutions must begin designing systems around student mobility instead of institutional permanence.

From dual enrollment and transfer students to adults returning with previously earned credits, today's learners are assembling their education across multiple institutions. As a result, transparency, portability, and the perceived value of credit have become strategic issues affecting recruitment, student success, institutional sustainability, and public trust.

Whether you're a president, provost, registrar, enrollment leader, faculty member, or policymaker, this episode challenges long-held assumptions about ownership, transfer, and the future of higher education.

In this episode you'll hear:

•  Why transfer students may become the dominant student population. 
•  The concept of credit hours as currency and why it changes everything. 
•  How student mobility is reshaping enrollment strategy. 
•  Why transparency around transfer credit matters more than ever. 
•  The institutional barriers slowing meaningful credit mobility. 
•  What colleges can do today to prepare for tomorrow's learners. 

About Drew Melendres

Drew Melendres serves as a leader at DegreeSight, where he works with colleges and universities to improve credit mobility, transfer transparency, and the student experience. His work focuses on helping institutions rethink long-standing processes in ways that better serve today's increasingly mobile learners.

About TransferTALK

Hosted by Jay Fedje, TransferTALK features conversations with higher education leaders, innovators, and practitioners exploring transfer, enrollment strategy, student success, artificial intelligence, leadership, and the future of higher education.

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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What does it really mean to provide access in higher education?

For decades, institutions have answered that question with a focus on admission — increasing application volume, improving yield, and shaping incoming classes.

But as this conversation between Jay Fedje and Dr. James Steen makes clear, that definition is no longer enough.

In today’s environment, access must be understood more broadly — encompassing not only entry, but connection, persistence, and completion.

This episode explores how enrollment leaders must rethink their role in the student lifecycle, particularly for transfer students, who often experience the greatest disconnect between access and success. 

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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What does it look like to lead the institution that helped shape who you are?

In this episode of TransferTALK, Jay sits down with Dr. Phil Cook, President of Lee University, for a deeply personal and insightful conversation about leadership, calling, and the evolving realities of higher education.

Phil shares his journey as a first-generation college student from rural West Virginia to becoming president of his alma mater—highlighting how Lee University played a transformative role in his life during a critical season. From his early days as a resident director to leading enrollment growth and ultimately stepping into the presidency, Phil reflects on how relationships, mission, and strategic clarity have shaped his leadership approach.

Together, Jay and Phil explore what it means to lead with both heart and strategy, how enrollment leaders bring a unique perspective to institutional leadership, and the tension of honoring tradition while making necessary changes in today’s higher education environment. 

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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What happens when an enrollment leader becomes a university president?

In Episode 24 of TransferTALK, Jay Fedje sits down with Dr. André Stephens, President of Fresno Pacific University, to explore leadership in one of the most challenging eras in higher education.

With a career that began in admissions and evolved through student development and executive leadership, Dr. Stephens brings a unique perspective to the presidency — one rooted in student success, relationship-building, and institutional mission.

In this conversation, Jay and Dr. Stephens discuss:

• The transition from enrollment leadership to the presidency 
• Navigating enrollment decline and financial challenges 
• Making difficult institutional decisions with a student-centered lens 
• The importance of vision, purpose, and leadership clarity 
• The future of higher education and the evolving role of AI 

This episode offers valuable insights for higher education leaders, enrollment professionals, and anyone interested in the future of institutional leadership. 

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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Every student’s path to a college degree is unique—often winding, sometimes uncertain, but always filled with potential. In this episode of TransferTALK, Jay Fedje sits down with Jaime Smith, author of The Complete Guide to College Transfer, to explore how transparency, empathy, and thoughtful guidance can transform the transfer experience.

Drawing on her extensive background in counseling and advocacy, Jaime sheds light on the realities faced by today’s learners—particularly “swirlers” and dormant degree seekers navigating multiple institutions in search of the right academic fit. The conversation challenges long-standing assumptions within higher education, encouraging institutions to recognize the value of prior learning and to assume transfer credits are valid unless proven otherwise.

Together, Jay and Jaime discuss the evolving landscape of higher education, the growing population of non-traditional students, and the importance of clear, early credit evaluations. They also examine the role of technology in advising, emphasizing that while AI can enhance efficiency, it cannot replace the wisdom and empathy of human counselors.

Ultimately, this episode is a call to action for institutions to move beyond simply enrolling transfer students and toward truly supporting their path to completion. By embracing transparency and student-centered practices, colleges can transform the transfer process from a barrier into a bridge.

🎧 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why transparency in transfer credit evaluation is essential for student success 
• The challenges faced by “swirlers” and dormant degree seekers 
• How institutions can shift from being transfer-tolerant to transfer-attractive 
• The enduring importance of human guidance in an AI-enhanced advising landscape 
• Strategies for helping students not just enroll—but complete their degrees 

📘 About the Guest

Jaime Smith is an author, counselor, and advocate for transparent and student-centered college admissions. Through her work and her book, The Complete Guide to College Transfer, she 

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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Higher education has been navigating a decade of disruption.

In this episode of TransferTALK, Jay Fedje sits down with Jon McGee, author of Breakpoint: The Changing Marketplace for Higher Education, to revisit the forces reshaping colleges and universities and examine how those predictions are playing out today.

McGee has spent much of his career studying the demographic, economic, and cultural changes influencing higher education strategy. In their conversation, Jay and Jon explore how the narrative around higher education has shifted—from education as a transformational experience to education increasingly viewed through a transactional, return-on-investment lens.

They also discuss how students and families are navigating the complexity of college decisions, the increasing role parents play in the process, and why the rising cost of education has fundamentally changed how people evaluate its value. 

Jon introduces his framework of **four student archetypes—Selectivity Seekers, Fit Finders, Simplifiers, and Gamblers—and explains why institutions must understand their “modal student” if they hope to position themselves effectively in the marketplace. 

The conversation also tackles a persistent challenge in higher education: why so many colleges sound alike and what real institutional distinctiveness requires.

For leaders working in enrollment, strategy, and student success, this episode offers thoughtful insights into how colleges can better align mission, market realities, and student expectations.

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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In this episode of TransferTALK, Jay sits down with Paul Singh of Phi Theta Kappa to explore the rapidly shifting world of credit transfer in 2026. They discuss PTK’s mission evolution, the rise of dual-enrolled and adult learners, and the changing expectations of students who now compare institutions based on transparency and transfer-friendliness. Paul shares national insights and on-the-ground PTK student feedback, highlighting the barriers students face — especially those with older credits or multiple transcripts.

The conversation dives into state-mandated portability, faculty-driven policy bottlenecks, the need for human advisors, and how automation and AI can support clarity and speed. Jay and Paul also explore high-ROI strategies institutions are using to support transfer students, from proactive advising to clear credit evaluation pathways. This is a timely, future-focused conversation for anyone working to build a transfer-inclusive campus culture.

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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In this episode of TransferTALK, Jay sits down with John McLoughlin, Associate Dean of Enrollment Management & Student Success at NYU’s School of Professional Studies, to explore how the future of work is reshaping the future of college.

NYU SPS has built a reputation for serving adult learners, transfer students, and working professionals with surprising agility — and John breaks down how modular learning, recognition of prior learning, stackable credentials, and employer partnerships all fit together to create a more flexible, future-ready education model.

Jay and John dig into:
 • SPS’s history as an entrepreneurial, workforce-aligned academic unit
 • Applied and project-based learning models that get students employer-ready
 • Credit mobility that actually works
 • Lifelong learning and nonlinear student pathways
 • Why adaptability, interdisciplinarity, and advising matter more than ever
 • How SPS is preparing students for real-world work experiences today
 • The cultural shift higher education must make to stay relevant in an AI-driven economy

A must-listen for anyone thinking about adult learners, transfer pathways, or the evolving relationship between education and the workforce.

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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What if the future of community college enrollment isn’t just about 18-22-year-olds—but also 73-year-olds? In this episode, Jay sits down with Dr. Dan Predoehl, Assistant Dean of Extended Learning at Saddleback College and a nationally respected voice in equity-centered enrollment strategy.

They explore Saddleback’s Emeritus Institute—one of the largest senior education programs in the country—and what it reveals about community connection, sustainability, and lifelong learning.

Dan also shares his vision for a more aggressive, data-informed future for California’s community colleges, including coalition-building across departments, streamlined credit-for-prior-learning policies, and why it’s time to ditch the term “non-traditional student” altogether.

From baseball metaphors to real-world policy shifts, this is a sharp and timely look at who college is really for—and where the future of enrollment might be headed.

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight 

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 Accrediting bodies are changing their tune on credit transfer — and it could reshape higher education. In this episode of TransferTALK, host Jay Fedje sits down with higher ed researcher and consultant Scott Jeffe to unpack the recent Accreditors endorsement of AI in credit assessment and what it means for institutions and students.

Jay and Scott tackle the barriers that still frustrate transfer students, the contradictions between policy and practice, and the rise in adult student enrollment. They discuss how online learning, transparency, and career readiness are driving enrollment decisions, and why higher ed leaders must rethink outdated credit policies.

If your institution is serious about transfer and adult learners, this conversation offers data, stories, and strategies you can put to work right now.

#degreesight #higheredleaders #scottjeffe #transferstudents

If you'd like to talk transfer strategies or have questions on this episode: www.degreesight.com. You can also find us at  www.linkedin.com/company/degreesight