UNC Charlotte, Central Piedmont launch plan to strengthen transfer pathways

Faculty and staff from UNC Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College convened Thursday, Sept. 10, to officially launch their partnership to create a more seamless transfer experience for students.

About 50 representatives from the two institutions attended the Transfer Intensive Implementation Kickoff in UNC Charlotte’s Cone University Center Lucas Room.

The kickoff marked the implementation phase of the Strategic Transfer Excellence Plan, or STEP, developed through the Aspen Institute and American Association of State Colleges and Universities Transfer Intensive and a yearlong collaborative planning process involving both institutions.

The plan represents a significant step forward in strengthening transfer pathways, aligning institutional efforts and improving transfer student outcomes while expanding access to bachelor’s degree completion.

“Clearer pathways advance access, academic excellence, timely degree completion and the University’s responsibility to meet the needs of a rapidly growing region,” said UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. “STEP is more than a document or temporary initiative. It is a shared commitment to redesign how our institutions align curriculum, communicate with students, coordinate advising support and create belonging before and after transfer.”

This fall, Charlotte welcomed a record 3,154 new transfer students, a 5.6% increase from last year. More than 9,700 current undergraduates began their education elsewhere, including more than 2,950 who transferred from Central Piedmont.

While UNC Charlotte and Central Piedmont have established strong advising relationships, transfer guides and other support systems, transfer students can still encounter barriers such as lost credits, inconsistent information or requirements they discover too late.

“These barriers may occur in separate offices or systems, but students experience them as one journey,” Gaber said.

The institutions have already implemented or begun developing several solutions that will help make the transfer journey from Central Piedmont to UNC Charlotte easier, including a smoother transition from Central Piedmont’s honors program into UNC Charlotte’s honors programs; the creation of a 15-credit general education block that recognizes the general education coursework completed as part of an Associate in Applied Science degree; and a plan for Central Piedmont to identify students planning to transfer to UNC Charlotte earlier so the institutions can provide more intentional advising and engagement.

The partnership is also a way the institutions are coming together to meet the region’s workforce needs, especially in high-demand areas such as business, information technology, health care and engineering, said Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont.

“I’ve been a big proponent of saying transfer is workforce,” Deitemeyer said. “We cannot fuel this region with talent if transfer is not part of the workforce conversation.”

Students who intend to transfer or are on transfer pathways account for 65% to 70% of Central Piedmont’s enrollment, she said.

“Whether a student’s goal is a credential, a bachelor’s degree, a meaningful career or all three, they deserve a clear pathway forward,” Deitemeyer said.

The kickoff brought together faculty, advisors, transfer specialists and administrators who will now move the plan forward through three primary areas of focus: curriculum alignment and credit mobility, early outreach and advising, and the transfer student experience.

“This is not simply a transfer initiative,” Gaber said. “It is a commitment to making opportunity work better for students and for our region.”

From left: Heather Hill, provost at Central Piedmont; Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont; Chancellor Sharon Gaber; and Provost Jennifer Troyer.

Written by: Bernie Petit
Photo by: Kat Lawrence