Last week was National Transfer Week and area colleges and universities made the most of it while touting their efforts to advance college students to the next level.
At Lone Star College — which serves a wide swath of school districts in north Harris, Montgomery and Liberty counties — touted the fact that it helped more than 13,400 students transfer to four-year universities in fall 2022.
“Lone Star College is committed to helping students transfer once they complete their studies here,” said Dwight Smith, Ed.D., LSC vice chancellor academic and workforce success. “These students saved thousands of dollars by starting at Lone Star College and are now ready for the next phase of their academic journey.”
According to the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, it dedicates the third week in October as National Student Transfer Week, with this year’s events taking place Oct. 17-21. “The goal is to recognize transfer students and the college professionals who help students achieve the next level of their academic journey,” the organization reports.
“I attended Lone Star College-CyFair and took all of the classes that I needed to transfer to and be accepted in the School of Music and the Clarinet Studio at Sam Houston State University,” said Gracie Lopez, LSC transfer student. “I successfully continued my education thanks to the amazing professors and affordable tuition at Lone Star College-CyFair.”
LSC also has articulation agreements with more than 50 four-year colleges and universities which ensures a student is on the correct path to earning their bachelor’s degree, allowing them to save time and money.
“Our Transfer Program works with students to ensure they are on the correct path to earning their bachelor’s degree,” said Smith.
View LoneStar.edu/Transfer-Services for additional information on LSC’s Transfer Program.
Lone Star College is just one of the regional institutions which celebrated the week.
In the Houston area, 13 institutions are part a coalition known as Houston Guided Pathways to Success (Houston GPS). It helps students transition from community colleges to universities.
Houston GPS institutions include the University of Houston, University of Houston-Downtown, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of Houston-Victoria, Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, Houston Community College, Lone Star College, Alvin Community College, College of the Mainland, San Jacinto Community College District, Galveston College and Wharton County College.
Students can “use Houston GPS’ degree maps to chart a course toward their selected bachelor’s degrees. These degree maps essentially outline those community college courses that will transfer to a student’s university of choice.”
The maps offer guidance for students entering a four-year institution as to which classes to take for their respective majors.
“Our goal is to help students navigate clear academic pathways, free from detours, and with the final destination of graduating clearly in sight,” said Teri Longacre, University of Houston associate dean for academic affairs.
Houston GPS began at UH under Provost Emeritus Paula Myrick Short. It is driven by a Governing Council comprised of college and university chancellors, presidents, and other academic officers.
“Houston GPS plays an essential role on each of our campuses and throughout the region,” said Dr. Loren J. Blanchard, UHD president and chair of the Houston GPS Governing Council. “The mantra at my university is ‘Once a student is enrolled, then the clock begins ticking on our responsibility to make sure they persist and graduate.’ This philosophy holds true for all of our institutions, and Houston GPS helps us ‘beat the clock,’ so to speak. We’re able to work together to ensure students achieve their goal of earning bachelor’s degrees in a timely manner.”
For more information on Houston GPS go to https://higheredtransfer.org.
Source: By Roy Kent, Staff writer, Houston Chronicle
