Transfer orientation helps students get involved in various clubs and organizations around campus. For the fourth year, the University of Mississippi has been recognized by Phi Theta Kappa honor society for providing excellent service to help students transferring from community colleges. Photo by Robert Jordan/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
OXFORD, Miss. – For a fourth straight year, the University of Mississippi has been recognized by Phi Theta Kappa honor society for creating ways to support community college transfer students.
UM is among 78 colleges and universities nationally in PTK’s annual Excellence in Community College Transfer Honor Roll. Three other Mississippi universities also made the list, but UM is the only one to have made it every year since its inception.
“Our recognition by Phi Theta Kappa for the fourth year in a row means a tremendous amount to us as a leading institution in the Southeastern region,” Provost Noel Wilkin said. “We have exerted tremendous efforts to facilitate the smooth transition of students from community colleges to our university.
“This begins with offering amazing educational and experiential opportunities that can be pursued in the junior and senior years. Recognition by the premier honor society for two-year institutions is not simply validation of those efforts by our faculty and staff; it encourages us to continue to enhance and improve the opportunities for our transfer students.”
Other Ole Miss administrators concurred.
“The University of Mississippi is committed to providing resources and opportunities for transfer students to be academically successful and to be active, involved members of our campus community,” said Jody Lowe, associate director of admissions. “The combination of competitive scholarship packages, ongoing transfer support services and a wide array of campus leadership opportunities make Ole Miss an attractive option for many transfer students.”
Applications were judged based on engagement, collaboration, impact and achievements related to the transfer of community college students, as well as partnerships, support, admissions outreach, scholarships/financial aid, student engagement, opportunities and institutional priorities.
The Honor Roll institutions will be featured in the 2019 Phi Theta Kappa Partners in Excellence publication, which goes to higher education leaders nationally. They also have been recognized on PTK’s website and at PTK Catalyst, the 2019 annual convention, in early April in Orlando, Florida.
“This recognition validates the commitment that the university has made to serve and support transfer students,” Lowe said. “As we have consistently been recognized as one of the most transfer-friendly institutions in the country, our reputation has been strengthened among community colleges in Mississippi and beyond.
“This honor will help us continue to attract outstanding transfer students in the future.”
The recognition program reflects the growing importance of transfers in helping the U.S. achieve its college completion goals and promotes further study and sharing of best practices, said Lynn Tincher-Ladner, CEO and president of the honor society.
“The Transfer Honor Roll reflects the growing importance of recognizing and responding to the needs of transfer students,” she said. “We know community college transfer students perform as well or better than non-transfer students at four-year colleges.
“It’s more important than ever before to highlight what these colleges are doing right to promote transfer success and to encourage others to follow suit.”
Phi Theta Kappa is the oldest and largest honor society recognizing students pursuing two-year degrees. It has more than 3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in nine nations.