SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE – Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) is excited to announce our selection to participate in Cohort 4 of the Transfer Student Success Intensive, in partnership with the University of Southern Maine (USM). This prestigious initiative is led by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), with support from the Ascendium Education Group. This year-long program aims to enhance outcomes for transfer students through data-driven strategies, peer learning, and expert guidance. 
“We are honored to be part of this initiative and to strengthen our longstanding partnership with USM,” SMCC President Kristen Miller said. “Transfer students are a vital part of our community at SMCC, and this program will help us create even stronger pathways to support their academic and career success.”
“This is an opportunity for staff at both USM and SMCC to come together and find new ways to improve on an already vital partnership,” said Meaghan L. Arena, the USM’s vice president for Enrollment, Marketing and Student Retention. “Thanks to the Aspen Institute, we will be able to examine the links between both institutions and do a deep dive into our processes to better serve our students.”
Cohort four includes ten teams of ten four-year institutions and thirteen community colleges, representing ten states. SMCC and USM will work collaboratively over the next year to create sustainable transfer reform strategies tailored to the needs of their institutions and students. This partnership will enhance efforts already in place, focusing on clear transfer pathways, academic advising, and student support services to ensure a smooth transition for students moving from SMCC to USM.
Since 2021, the Transfer Intensive has supported 91 colleges, including 41 AASCU members, impacting 16,000 transfer students across 23 states. SMCC and USM join this growing network of institutions committed to ensuring successful bachelor’s degree completion for transfer students.
“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.”
The Transfer Intensive offers institutions access to a research-based curriculum, individualized consultations, and workshops to accelerate institutional progress toward transfer reform. Participating institutions will focus on data collection, goal setting, and peer learning to enhance outcomes for transfer students in the communities that they serve.
For more information about the Transfer Student Success Intensive, visit https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/transfer-intensive/.