University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

The Transfer Academy: providing community college students with the informational, structural, relational, and cultural resources to transfer successfully to a four-year college

(USC Thesis Other)

The Transfer Academy: providing community college students with the informational, structural, relational, and cultural resources to transfer successfully to a four-year college

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content

THE TRANSFER ACADEMY: PROVIDING COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS
WITH THE INFORMATIONAL, STRUCTURAL, RELATIONAL, AND CULTURAL
RESOURCES TO TRANSFER SUCCESSFULLY TO A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE

by

Kenechukwu (K.C.) Mmeje
________________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

August 2012

Copyright 2012 Kenechukwu (K.C.) Mmeje

ii
DEDICATION
This volume is dedicated to my loving wife, my parents, siblings, and dear
friends, who supported me unconditionally throughout this journey. Last, but certainly
not least, I dedicate this work to my beautiful daughters, Anaya Adaeze Mmeje and
Savannah Ndidi Mmeje, you bring unimagined joy and meaning to my life. May this
work inspire you to always pursue your dreams, I love you!

iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am eternally grateful for the continuous love and support that I received from
family, friends, mentors, and colleagues; your belief in my abilities and your
encouragement sustained me throughout this process.
First, I’d like to thank my amazing parents, Mbaeru and Nwakego Mmeje, for
instilling in me a passion for learning and the importance of education. You made
countless sacrifices (financial and otherwise) to ensure that your six children received a
good education. I hope that we’ve proven ourselves worthy of those sacrifices and made
you proud while doing so. To my incredible wife and dear friend, Natasha Mmeje, thank
you for your unwavering support. You’ve been by my side from the very beginning of
this process. Thank you for being a great mother and father to our children on many
nights when my dissertation called me away from my parental responsibilities. To my
siblings and sister in-law, Okeoma, Chinedu, Ikenna, Uzoma, Obieze, and Renee, I
appreciate the many phone calls and words of encouragement. I am very proud of each of
you for all that you have accomplished, and I look forward to celebrating your future
successes. To my uncle and Godfather, Tony Ikebudu, thanks for your continued
guidance and motivation. To my in-laws, Bernie and Fred, and Mr. and Mrs. Thompson,
your countless prayers and support mean a great deal to me. Lastly, to the next generation
of the Mmeje family, my two daughters—Anaya and Savannah, and my niece and
nephew, Adanna and Arinze—you inspire me to be a positive role model. I look forward
to supporting each of you as you make your mark on this world.

iv
To my dissertation committee, thank you for generously lending your wisdom and
expertise to this project. I am forever indebted to Dr. Estela Bensimon, Dr. Alicia Dowd,
and Dr. Kaneesha Tarrant for the time and energy you invested in this study. Estela—
thank you for agreeing to serve as my chair; I could not have completed this project
without your sage advice and ongoing support. You taught me a great deal about what it
means to be a scholar engaged in research that promotes social change. Alicia—thanks
for your critical yet gentle questions that helped me clarify my ideas and the manner in
which I presented them. Kaneesha—thanks for your ongoing advocacy and support,
which made this study possible. I offer my heartfelt thanks to each of you for believing in
my ability to complete this study, even when I questioned my ability to do so.
Throughout my collegiate and professional career, I have been blessed to have
mentors that have shaped me into the individual I am today. They all encouraged and
supported my pursuit of doctoral study in meaningful ways. Specifically, I would like to
thank the following individuals: Dr. Michael D. Young, Rachel Arriaga, Dr. Jacob L.
Diaz, Dr. David Nestor, Dr. Shaun Harper, Dr. Lori S. White, Dr. Michael L. Jackson,
Dr. Denzil J. Suite, Dr. Judi Biggs Garbuio, Patrick Bailey, Dr. Martha Enciso, Dr.
Lynette Merriman. Last but certainly not least, I’d like to thank Drs. Robert D. Kelly and
Bridget Turner Kelly for being such great friends and mentors. I’m eternally grateful for
the unwavering love and support you’ve given me throughout the years.
To my dear friends and confidants throughout this process, Dr. Christopher B.
Newman and Dr. Frank Harris III, thanks for always providing a listening ear. I

v
appreciate your sometimes blunt, yet always honest, feedback. You challenged me during
times when I needed it; but most important of all, you motivated me to see this project
through to completion. Your friendship is a gift and a blessing that I will always cherish.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my current colleagues who have
been instrumental in helping me complete this project. Most especially, I would like to
thank my current supervisor, Jane F. Neufeld, for being understanding of my situation
and for offering me the flexibility at work to complete my “book report.”
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my peers who shared the journey through this
doctoral program with me. Thank you Dr. Sumun Pendakur, Dr. Sonja Daniels, Dr.
Karen Ravago, Dr. Mark “Dekan” Pearson, Dr. Kari Enge, and Dr. Aba D. Cassell for
your encouragement. I appreciate each of you checking in with me to ensure I didn’t give
up on the process.
A special thanks goes to Dr. Melissa Gaeke for serving as my writing coach. I
sincerely appreciate all the time and energy you devoted to getting me through this
process. Our weekly conversations and periodic check-ins were instrumental in keeping
me on task. Thanks for teaching me the power of making formal declarations! 
Finally, I would like to thank all the men and women who voluntarily participated
in this study. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with me. I wish each of
you the best of luck as you continue your academic careers.

vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication ii
Acknowledgements iii
List of Tables viii
Abstract ix
Chapter One: Overview of the Study 1
Introduction 1
Background 5
Problem Statement 13
Purpose of the Study 17
Importance of the Study 19
Dissertation Organization 20

Chapter Two: Literature Review 22
Application of Social Capital to this Study 25
Institutional Agents 27
Forms of Institutional Support and Institutional Agent Roles 30
Transfer Agents 35
Barriers to Transfer 36

Chapter Three: Research Methods 68
Introduction to Research Methods 68
The General Perspective 69
Methodological Approach: Case Study 69
Research Site Description 72
Sample and Population 78
Instrumentation 81
Data Collection 84
Data Analysis 91
Data Verification 95
Limitations 96
Summary 97

Chapter Four: Findings 98
Participant Portraits 98
Cultural Theme 120
Relational Theme 135
Structural Theme 158

vii
Informational Theme 184
Conclusion 203

Chapter Five: Discussion 204
Research Questions Revisited 204
Cultural 205
Relational 214
Structural 220
Informational 223
The Transfer Academy as a Source of Institutional Support 224
Transfer Academy’s Influence on Transfer Choice 228
Recommendations 231
Implications for Future Research 242
Conclusion to Chapter Five 244

References 248

Appendices
Appendix A: Student Interview Protocol 254
Appendix B: Administrator Interview Protocol 261

viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Institutional Agent Roles and Corresponding Forms of Support 31
Table 2: Survey Question Typology and Resulting Data 82
Table 3: Research Questions and Data Collection Strategies 86
Table 4: Participants’ Expressions of Support 131
Table 5: Parental Support of Education and Parental Education 138
Table 6: Participants’ Time to Transfer and Units Completed 161
Table 7: Participants’ Transfer Destination of Interest 229

ix
ABSTRACT
Access to the baccalaureate by way of the community college transfer function is
diminishing. Students who are first generation, low-income, or from historically
underrepresented backgrounds are most impacted by constrained access to four-year
universities vis-à-vis transfer; these populations are more likely to access higher
education through community colleges (Shulock & Moore, 2005). This study explored
ways in which a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), Morningside College, through a
purposeful student program (the Transfer Academy), provided participants the support
and resources they needed to overcome the barriers commonly associated with transfer.
Stanton-Salazar’s (1997, 2001, 2004) social capital framework and Bensimon, Dowd,
Alford, and Trapp’s (2007) notion of transfer agents were applied to understand how the
professionals associated with the Transfer Academy (i.e., coordinators, counselors,
faculty, administrators) and its related programs and activities, provided students with the
relational, structural, cultural, and informational resources they needed to achieve their
transfer goals. The findings of the study demonstrated that the Transfer Academy offered
active participants the following: unobstructed access to knowledgeable counselors,
regular transfer-related information from a credible source, a community of peers that
shared their interest in transfer and provided emotional support, regular opportunities to
establish meaningful relationships with institutional personnel, and a structured
experience that made their transfer process manageable and their transfer goals tangible.
With the help of the Transfer Academy, seven of my eight study participants achieved

x
their transfer goals. Many of the students transferred to four-year universities they never
thought were possibilities when they joined the program.

1

CHAPTER ONE:
OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Introduction
Morningside College is a Hispanic Serving
1

1
Hispanic Serving Institutions are defined as colleges, universities, or systems/districts where total
Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total enrollment (full time and part time).
Institutions must seek HSI designation through the U.S. Department of Education; this process is often the
first step in applying for Title V funding.
(HSI) community college in
California that enrolls over 28,000 students per year. In 2008, Morningside College
launched a Transfer Academy whose mission is to assist students in “fast track[ing] their
transfer to a four year college or university” (Transfer Academy Brochure, 2008). The
Transfer Academy was designed to target incoming and continuing students that place
into college-level English and math courses (students who are one level below college-
level are also allowed to participate). The program prepares participants for transfer by
providing regular transfer preparatory counseling, exposing students to various transfer
possibilities, offering participants vital information regarding the transfer process, and
creating regular opportunities for participants to develop meaningful relationships with
individuals (e.g., peers, counselors, administrators, college/university representatives)
who will support and guide their transfer. The impetus for creating the Transfer Academy
was findings from several action research studies examining Morningside’s effectiveness
in producing equitable educational outcomes among historically underrepresented
students and promoting transfer. The Transfer Academy was developed specifically to

2
address the institutional barriers shown in the studies to be impeding students’ ability to
transfer.
The action research projects illuminated institutional policies and practices that
limited students’ access to critical transfer-related resources. The findings from the
studies revealed a shortage of available counselors to serve the thousands of students at
Morningside College effectively, which resulted in a limited availability of counseling
appointments. During peak times in the semester (registration period), students routinely
waited two to three weeks for a half hour counseling appointment. The study findings
also suggested that the Transfer Center and transfer-related services lacked visibility.
Students recounted the difficulties they faced to access transfer-related information, and
not knowing where to turn for accurate information about transfer requirements and the
transfer process. The college did not have reliable and systematic means of disseminating
important transfer-related information to all students, let alone to students with an
expressed interest in transferring. Instead, Morningside students were more likely to
receive transfer-related information coincidentally or informally from peers, flyers, or—
on rare occasions—from professors or counselors. Additionally, the study highlighted
that students had limited access to recruiters from four-year colleges, specifically
recruiters from selective universities. Procedures for meeting with college recruiters were
inconsistent; some recruiters met students by tabling on campus, other recruiters met with
students in the transfer center on a drop-in basis, whereas recruiters from selective
institutions met with a limited number of students by appointment only. Lastly, the study

3
concluded that there was insufficient faculty involvement in the transfer process. Faculty
members in general at Morningside College failed to routinely discuss transfer in the
classroom setting, and few instructors used class time to encourage students to transfer,
or to provide them with information about transfer requirements or transfer-related
activities on campus (Bensimon, Dowd, Alford, & Trapp, 2007). Overall, Morningside
College had a weak transfer culture.
However, one of the findings of the study was that students who were successful
in transferring often had been assisted by an individual whom the researchers described
as a transfer agent—a term adapted from Ricardo Stanton-Salazar’s (2001, 2004)
research on institutional agents. The term transfer agent refers to institutional personnel
(e.g., faculty, counselors, staff) who go above and beyond the scope of their normal
duties to provide students with ongoing support, encouragement, and critical resources
that facilitate transfer (Bensimon et al., 2007). Specifically, interviews conducted with
successful transfer students during the action research projects demonstrated the critical
role of transfer agents throughout the transfer process. For example, one interviewee
noted that his economics professor was not only supportive of his decision to transfer to a
selective university but also assisted him with admission applications and in choosing a
major (Bensimon et al., 2007). Several students attributed their success in navigating the
transfer process to transfer agents who not only expressed confidence in their ability to
transfer, but also assisted them with the “hidden” requirements of the transfer process. To

4
address the many barriers to transfer uncovered by these action research projects, and to
enhance its transfer culture, Morningside College established a Transfer Academy.
Preparing community college students for transfer involves more than providing
them with information regarding transfer requirements and application deadlines.
Although ensuring that students are aware of the procedural aspects of transfer is
important, studies have shown—particularly for historically underrepresented and first-
generation students—that faculty, counselors, administrators, and community members,
play an important role in helping students navigate the transfer process (Bensimon et al.,
2007; Dowd, Bensimon, Gabbard, Cheslock, Dee, Giles, et al., 2006; Pak, Bensimon,
Malcom, Marquez, & Park, 2006). Many community college students lack relationships
with institutional personnel who can help them navigate campus policies and procedures,
and who can facilitate access to critical information and unique programs or services that
often promote transfer to a four-year college or university. Stanton-Salazar referred to
these relationships as “social networks” and to the benefits they often produce as “social
capital” (Stanton-Salazar, 2001, 2004).
The purpose of this study was to document the experiences of Transfer Academy
participants. I mentioned previously that an important finding of the action research
projects conducted at Morningside College was the important role of individuals
described as “transfer agents” in facilitating transfer. Thus, in this study, I explored the
ways in which individuals associated with the Transfer Academy (i.e., coordinator(s),
counselor, faculty, administrators) and its related activities provided participants the

5
institutional support/resources they needed to achieve their transfer goals. Equally
important, I documented how students utilized their newly acquired transfer knowledge
(social capital) and valuable relationships with institutional personnel (social networks) to
achieve their transfer goals.
Background
The Role of Community Colleges in Providing Transfer
Community colleges are the primary point of entry to postsecondary education for
many students in the United States of America. According to the American Association
of Community Colleges, as of 2011, 1,167 community colleges in the United States were
serving 12.4 million students. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics
(NCES), 48% of all first-time freshmen begin their postsecondary education at a
community college, and nearly half (47%) of all undergraduates at public institutions
attend community colleges (NCES, 2003–2004 Beginning Postsecondary Education
Longitudinal Study). Although community colleges exist throughout the United States,
the majority of the nation’s community colleges are located in western states. California
leads the nation with 112 community colleges that serve over 2.6 million students
annually (California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office website, 2012).
Many community college systems in the United States were established primarily
to prepare students to transition to four-year colleges and universities (Cohen & Brawer,
2008. In the 1960s, community colleges began evolving into more comprehensive
institutions, offering vocational training, remedial courses, adult education, and

6
certificate programs in addition to the liberal arts curriculum (Wassmer, Moore, &
Shulock, 2004). Community colleges are now an important component of the
postsecondary education enterprise because they are open access and they serve a wide
range of societal needs.
In recognition of the important role that community colleges play in American
higher education, specifically by way of workforce development and providing access to
four-year colleges, President Barack Obama recently announced his American
Graduation Initiative: Stronger American Skills through Community Colleges, which will
invest 12 billion dollars into our nation’s community colleges over the next 10 years.
Through this initiative, President Obama plans to create an additional five million
community college graduates by 2020, fund innovative programs that promote college
completion, enhance existing community college facilities, and increase the capacity of
community colleges to offer online courses (Department of Education, 2009). President
Obama’s American Graduation Initiative is the first major federal initiative to promote
community colleges since 1947, when President Truman’s Commission on Higher
Education argued that education through two years of community college should be
available like education through high school (Dowd, 2003).
Open Access: All are Welcome
Unlike four-year colleges and universities, community colleges do not have
admission requirements; and they provide vocational training, associate degrees,
certificates, personal enhancement courses, and transfer preparatory general education

7
courses. Among the appealing features of community colleges is the relatively low cost
of attendance compared to public and private four-year institutions. Consequently,
community colleges often serve by default as the access point to higher education for
many students—particularly students who attended urban high schools, students who
lacked the guidance and encouragement to consider four-year colleges directly from high
school, students who are among the first in their families to pursue postsecondary
education, and those with limited financial resources (Wassmer et al., 2004). In addition,
“nontraditional” students and working professionals seeking career advancement are
more likely to enroll at community colleges than in four-year institutions.
“Nontraditional” students are more likely to be balancing work and professional
responsibilities with their academics, which leads to half time and varied enrollment
patterns. Such students enroll at community colleges not only to save money but also to
improve their academic credentials with the hope of transferring to more selective
colleges and universities (Hilmer, 1997; Long & Kurlaender, 2009). Many students,
particularly first generation, low income, and historically underrepresented students,
enroll at the community college with the expectation of completing their lower-division
course work and ultimately transferring to a four-year institution to earn their
baccalaureate. The community college transfer function theoretically affords all students
the opportunity to access and earn a bachelor’s degree.
The California Master Plan, written in 1960, was intended to ensure that all
citizens in California had access to a quality postsecondary education regardless of high

8
school completion and academic preparation. In theory, those who did not qualify to
enroll directly from high school to the state’s four-year institutions—California State
University (CSU) and University of California (UC)—would still have an opportunity to
do so by first enrolling at a community college and then transferring to a CSU or UC
campus. Over the years, legislative mandate expanded the functions of community
colleges to include workforce development, certification programs, and personal
development curriculum, to name a few; consequently, the transfer function that was very
prominent in the 1960s Master Plan was compromised. Despite the array of educational
options that community colleges offer students, through the transfer function community
colleges fulfill their egalitarian commitment to providing affordable access to
postsecondary education, specifically the baccalaureate (Grubb, 1991). Providing the
general education curriculum that prepares students for transfer to four-year colleges
continues to be a major function of community colleges (Moore, Shulock, Ceja, & Lang,
2007).
The Transfer Function
The California Master Plan established a three-part educational system with
varying degrees of selectivity, ranging from the University of California, the state’s most
selective institutions, to the California Community College system, which is open access
and available to all California residents. In theory, the opportunity to enroll at a UC or
CSU would not be denied to students due to their academic performance in high school.
The theoretical promise made by the Master Plan stipulates that a student deemed

9
ineligible to enroll at a UC or CSU directly from high school reserves the right to enroll
at one of those institutions—provided they first enrolled at a community college,
performed well academically, and completed the courses required for transfer.
A distinguishing feature of California’s Master Plan for Higher Education was
that it did not foreclose the opportunity to an elite education; it allows all students,
regardless of academic preparation or high school performance, the opportunity to enroll
at a CSU or UC school. Through the transfer function, students can enroll at community
colleges, complete their lower-division courses, and transfer to a CSU or UC school. The
Master Plan states, “The transfer function shall be recognized by the Governor,
Legislature, and the governing boards of each of California’s postsecondary segments as
a central priority of all segments of higher education” (California Master Plan, 1960).
Furthermore, the Master Plan stipulates that UC and CSU’s lower-division enrollment
should not exceed 40% of their total undergraduate enrollment, a stipulation intended to
ensure that the CSU and UC saved adequate space in each incoming class to
accommodate transfer students. The California Master Plan and subsequent legislation
(Title V) created the structures and procedures (i.e., Intersegmental General Education
Transfer Curriculum, articulation agreements between CCs and four-year universities,
and Transfer Centers) within California’s educational system to promote and facilitate
transfer; however, findings from the action research projects conducted at Morningside
College showed that despite existing transfer-related structures, students faced a myriad
of barriers that complicated and, in some instances, precluded transfer. The institutional

10
data and the student experiences shared through these studies demonstrated that the
structures intended to promote transfer were far more difficult for students to access and
successfully navigate. Consequently, many students were not transferring from
community colleges to four-year institutions as the California Master Plan initially
intended; this reality makes California’s promise of “access” to an elite education by way
of transfer a theoretical promise at best. From as early as the 1980s, scholars and
policymakers alike have questioned the effectiveness of the transfer function vis-à-vis
community colleges in promoting access to CSU—and especially UC—for all students
(Moore et al., 2007).
Though the intent of the 1960 California Master Plan was to design an
educational system that offered students a seamless transition from two-year colleges to
four-year colleges, studies have shown that completion rates for California community
colleges are quite low (Moore et al., 2007; Wasmer et al., 2004). In their study of
persistence and completion rates among community college students, Moore et al. (2007)
noted that only 24% of all degree seekers (defined as students interested in earning a
certificate, associate’s degree, or transferring) actually “complete” their intended
educational objective within six years of enrolling at a community college. In 1999, the
researchers began observing the enrollment patterns (e.g., units per semester, semesters
enrolled, courses attempted, courses completed) of an entering cohort of 500,000
students; their enrollment patterns were studied for six years, through 2005. Based on
enrollment characteristics, students were classified as “degree seekers” or “non-degree

11
seekers.” Degree seekers were defined as students who met at least one of the following
three criteria:
student was age 17-19 at time of enrollment, student identified a goal of
degree completion or transfer at the time of enrollment, student
demonstrated an intent to finish a program by completing at least 12 units
of coursework and attempting a transfer or degree level English or Math
course. (p. 5)

Of the initial cohort (500,000 students), 60% (300,000 students) were classified as degree
seekers and 40% (200,000 students) were classified as non-degree seekers.
This study found that only 50% of degree seekers (150,000 students) were
retained from its first to second year of community college, degree seekers successfully
completed only 61% of the courses in which they enrolled, only 3% of degree seekers
earned a certificate (4,500 students), 11% of degree seekers earned an associate’s degree
(16,500 students), and only 18% of degree seekers (18,000 students) transferred to a four-
year university (Moore et al., 2007). When disaggregated by race, the aforementioned
statistics tell a sobering story about the experiences of Black and Latino students at
community colleges in comparison to their White and Asian peers. Of the degree seekers
in this study, Latinos and Blacks had the lowest overall completion rates (certificate, AA,
transfer), 18% and 15%, respectively. Specifically, Latinos and Blacks had the lowest
rates of transfer to four-year universities, 13% and 11%, respectively. The
aforementioned statistics are emblematic of the challenges that students face in
successfully navigating the community college environment, specifically as it relates to
the transfer process. The aforementioned statistics demonstrate that, despite the intended

12
goals of the California Master Plan, the majority of students that enroll at California’s
community colleges fail to complete their intended educational objective within six years.
Equally dismal is the rate of completion for students who enroll with the intent of
transferring to a four-year college or university.
Low transfer rates are not always apparent or easy to uncover within the existing
California community college accountability structures. Community colleges’
performance with regard to their transfer function is not always transparent because,
despite a statewide accountability system (California’s Accountability Reporting for the
Community College—ARCC), accountability indicators do not specifically look at the
performance of community colleges in relation to their transfer function. In addition, the
transfer function is among the most challenging performance outcomes to measure
because there is no consensus among practitioners and policymakers about how to
effectively calculate transfer rates. When individual campuses and districts report their
transfer rates, the data is rarely ever disaggregated by race and ethnicity (Dowd, Chase,
Pazich, & Bensimon, 2009). Given the lack of accountability indicators regarding
transfer, the action research projects that Morningside College engaged in became even
more important because they were able to examine obstacles to transfer within their own
institutional context, personalizing the problem by considering it through the experiences
of their own students.

13
Problem Statement
Shulock and Moore (2005) noted that although California community college
enrollment increased by nearly 400,000 students during the past decade, the number of
annual transfers from community colleges (50,000–60,000 students) remained stagnant
during that same time period. Access to the baccalaureate by way of the community
college transfer function is diminishing. Students who are first generation, low income,
and/or from historically underrepresented backgrounds are most impacted by the
constrained access to four-year universities vis-à-vis transfer, because these populations
are more likely to access higher education through community colleges. According to
Shulock and Moore (2005), nearly 80% of all Black and Latino college students in
California are enrolled at community colleges (p. 422). Community colleges’ limited
ability to transfer large numbers of students to four-year universities is particularly
detrimental to those populations for whom community colleges are the most likely entry
point into higher education; indeed, this inadequacy denies these students the benefits
associated with earning a baccalaureate degree (i.e., upward economic and social
mobility).
The barriers preventing students from transferring are numerous. They include,
but are not limited to, complex transfer requirements, lack of institutional emphasis on
transfer, insufficient guidance counseling, limited availability of required transfer
courses, weak articulation agreements between community colleges and four-year
institutions, to name a few (Suarez, 2003). Scholars (Bensimon et al., 2007; Pak et al.,

14
2006) categorized the various impediments to transfer into economic barriers,
informational barriers, relational barriers, and cultural barriers. Economic barriers often
refer to the misconceptions that students have about the cost of attending a four-year
university and their ability to meet that cost. In addition, economic barriers include the
insufficient (and sometimes inaccurate) information that students receive about the
various forms of financial support available to assist them with the cost of education,
including application fee waivers, the financial aid application process, need-based
financial aid, merit aid, and private scholarships. Information barriers include, but are not
limited to, cumbersome or complexly written transfer requirements that students and even
counselors have difficulty understanding, and the absence of systematic modes of
disseminating transfer-related information to students, to name a few. Cultural barriers
often refer to organizational cultures found within community colleges. Unfortunately,
many community colleges do not have institutional cultures that promote and support
their transfer function. The aforementioned barriers prevent students from transferring
from community colleges and, in some instances, constrain the institutional choice of
well-prepared students, leading them to enroll at less-selective institutions (Dowd,
Cheslock, & Melguizo, 2008).
Community college practitioners and policymakers have tried to improve transfer
rates, particularly by focusing on the economic and informational barriers to transfer. The
state of California provides low-income students Board of Governors (B.O.G.) grants that
cover tuition at the community-college level, often saving students thousands of dollars

15
in Cal grant eligibility that can be applied to their education at a four-year college once
they transfer. In addition, the state invested millions of dollars in developing an
automated online system, Assist.org, which allows students to track their progress in
meeting transfer requirements for UC and CSU. The system was designed to increase
student access to, and familiarity with, general transfer requirements and specific major
requirements for each public four-year college in the state. The two above-mentioned
initiatives are examples of key statewide efforts to address the informational and
economic barriers to transfer. Unfortunately, the cultural and relational barriers to
transfer are often overlooked in the effort to improve transfer rates. Findings from
Morningside’s previous action research projects not only demonstrated how cultural
barriers can impede students’ ability to transfer, but also illustrated the critical role of
“transfer agents” in helping students overcome these cultural barriers and accomplish
their transfer goals. By examining the experiences of students who successfully
transferred, Bensimon et al. (2007) were able to illuminate the relational aspect of the
transfer process. The study revealed how meaningful relationships that students enjoyed
with well-placed institutional personnel provided them the support, encouragement, and
resourced they needed to successfully transfer to a four-year university. The cultural and
relational aspects of transfer have not been studied extensively. In this study, I focused
specifically on an institutional effort, the Transfer Academy, and the extent to which the
individuals and activities associated with the program helped students acquire critical
transfer-related information and establish meaningful relationships with institutional

16
personnel who provided the advocacy, support, and encouragement needed to transfer.
My study was informed by Ricardo Stanton-Salazar’s work on social capital and
institutional agents.
Stanton-Salazar contended that many of the hardships that first-generation, low-
income, and historically underrepresented students face in education, particularly K–12
education, can be attributed to a lack of a particular kind of social capital—typically
associated with the middle class—that is needed to navigate the educational system and
access critical resources (Stanton-Salazar, 1997). Stanton-Salazar defined social capital
as “those resources and opportunities that come to us through ‘connections’ or
relationships with high-status, resourceful individuals-usually relationships based on trust
and reciprocity, yet often oozing with complexities linked to differences based on race,
gender, and social class” (Stanton-Salazar, 2010, p. 27). His research highlighted the
importance of “institutional agents,” individuals who hold moderate to high positions of
authority in hierarchical organizations and have access to vast social networks. Most
importantly, Stanton-Salazar asserted that institutional agents are individuals with the
capacity and commitment to provide others with valuable resources and opportunities,
and must be willing to mobilize resources on behalf of those from historically
underserved groups (Stanton-Salazar, 2010).
Building on Stanton-Salazar’s notion of the “institutional agent,” Bensimon and
her colleagues coined the term transfer agent in reference to well-connected individuals
within the community college who possess resources and go beyond their formal

17
responsibilities to help students access hard-to-find transfer-related resources and
opportunities. The Missing 87 study shed light on the experiences of community college
students—specifically the academic, financial, social, and personal challenges that impact
students’ ability to transfer. The study highlighted the critical role that various transfer
agents played in helping students overcome challenges associated with transfer.
I studied whether the Transfer Academy at Morningside College, which was
created to address the problems documented in several action research projects, provided
the important relational support that Pak et al. (2006) and Bensimon et al. (2007) ascribed
to transfer agents. Unfortunately, many students lack the kind of meaningful relationships
with institutional personnel that can help them not only navigate institutional policies and
procedures but also gain access to transfer-related resources. Likewise, institutional
personnel often fail to recognize the extent of their impact on students (for better or
worse), and many lack the skills and interest needed to develop meaningful relationships
with students.
Purpose of the Study
Access to the baccalaureate by way of the California community college transfer
function is in jeopardy, particularly for historically underrepresented, low-income, and
first-generation students (Grubb, 1991; Moore et al., 2007; Shulock & Moore, 2005). If
California community colleges are to achieve their egalitarian mission of ensuring access
to the state’s four-year universities by way of the transfer function, corrective action is
needed. Studies (Bensimon et al., 2007; Dowd, Bensimon, Gabbard, Cheslock, Dee,

18
Giles, et al., 2006; Pak et al., 2006) have shown the important role that institutional
personnel (e.g., faculty, counselors, administrators) play in helping students achieve their
transfer goals. This study explored ways in which Morningside College, through a
purposeful program (the Transfer Academy), provided participants with the needed
support and resources to overcome the barriers commonly associated with transfer. The
purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of students participating in a
specialized program intended to facilitate transfer to four-year colleges and universities.
Additionally, I was interested in understanding what affect (if any) the Transfer Academy
had on Morningside College’s overall transfer culture. This study applied Stanton-
Salazar’s social capital framework and Bensimon et al.’s (2007) notion of transfer agents
to an intervention program (the Transfer Academy) to understand the ways in which the
professionals associated with the Transfer Academy (i.e., coordinators, counselor,
faculty, administrators) and its related programs and activities, provided students with the
support/resources they needed to achieve their transfer goals. In what ways did the
Transfer Academy increase participants’ access and exposure to critical resources that
supported their academic success and facilitated their readiness for transfer to four-year
colleges or universities? I answered this question by conducting interviews with students,
faculty, and administrators involved with the planning and execution of the program, and
by observing program activities. My study was framed by the following questions:
1. In what ways does the Transfer Academy provide the informational, cultural,
structural, and relational resources that support transfer?

19
2. In what ways does the Transfer Academy influence participants’ transfer
choice?
Importance of the Study
This study can benefit community college administrators who coordinate student-
centered programs and services. The results demonstrate how ongoing and purposeful
programming can enhance student access to critical institutional personnel and resources
that provide them with the support they need to overcome the well-documented barriers
to transfer. In addition, this study highlights the impact (if any) of a programmatic
intervention into participants’ knowledge of, and aspirations to, transfer. Findings from
this study may help practitioners design purposeful programs that increase students’
access and exposure to critical resources that support their academic success and facilitate
their readiness for transfer. In addition, findings from this study can inform the creation
of professional development curriculum designed to teach faculty, counselors, staff, and
administrators how to be effective transfer agents, thereby enhancing the institution’s
transfer culture and increasing its capacity to produce desirable transfer-related outcomes.
This study contributes to existing promising practices in developing programs that
promote engagement and maximize student success.
A growing body of literature (Bensimon et al., 2007; Dowd, Bensimon, Gabbard,
Singleton, Macias, Dee, Melguizo, Cheslock, & Giles, 2006; Gamble, 2007; Rodriguez,
2007; Stanton-Salazar 1997, 2001, 2004) has demonstrated the importance of institutional
agents helping minority, low-income, and first-generation students realize their academic

20
goals. However, still needed is scholarship that applies the traditional conceptualization
of institutional agents to include specialized student programs and/or learning
communities. Given that specialized programs exist at many community colleges and are
serving larger number of students, I asked the following question: Is it possible to design
such programs in ways that mirror the function and characteristics of institutional agents?
Additional research was needed to determine whether it is possible to apply the
institutional agent framework to an entity, in this case, a programmatic intervention—the
Transfer Academy. Such research may demonstrate the potential impact of well-
developed programmatic interventions on students’ ability to access critical information,
individuals, and resources that support their success. More importantly, this research
suggests that students alone are not responsible for producing desirable educational
outcomes; institutions (at the organizational and individual levels) are equally responsible
for producing student success.
Dissertation Organization
This chapter provided the background, purpose, and significance of this
dissertation study. Through a brief discussion on the role of community colleges in
California’s higher education system and the decline of the community college transfer
function, this chapter revealed the problem addressed in this study. In Chapter Two, I
identify the theoretical frameworks used to shape this dissertation study, as well as
provide a synthesis of the related literature on institutional agents, institutional support,
and the multidimensional barriers to transfer, and their impact on community college

21
students’ ability to successfully navigate the transfer process. The third chapter discusses
the methodological strategies with which the experiences of Morningside College’s
Transfer Academy participants were explored. In Chapter Four, I present my findings. I
conclude with Chapter Five, in which I offer a thorough discussion of the findings and
offer practical recommendations for the institutional leaders at Morningside College, also
outlining areas for future research.

22
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
Preparing community college students for transfer involves more than providing
them with information about transfer requirements and application deadlines. Although
ensuring that students are aware of the procedural aspects of transfer is important, studies
have shown, particularly for historically underrepresented and first-generation students,
that faculty, counselors, administrators, and community members play an important role
in helping students navigate the transfer process (Bensimon et al., 2007; Pak et al., 2006;
Dowd et al., 2006). Many community college students lack the kinds of relationships
with institutional personnel that can help them navigate campus policies and
procedures—people who can facilitate access to critical information and unique programs
or services that often promote transfer to a four-year college or university. Stanton-
Salazar referred to these relationships as “social networks” and to the benefits they often
produce as “social capital” (Stanton-Salazar, 2001, 2004).
The existing research on barriers precluding community college transfer is often
focused on the informational and procedural aspects of the transfer process, neglecting
the relational and cultural aspects of the process. The results from Bensimon et al.’s
(2007) Missing 87 Report indicated that students who were able to establish and maintain
relationships with supportive, well-connected institutional personnel significantly
enhanced their ability to successfully navigate the transfer process; this finding was
particularly true of historically underrepresented students and first-generation college

23
goers. In this study, I focused specifically on a student program, the Transfer Academy,
and the extent to which the individuals and activities associated with the program helped
students acquire critical transfer-related information, and to establish meaningful
relationships with institutional personnel who provided the advocacy, support, and
encouragement they needed to transfer. My study was informed by Ricardo Stanton-
Salazar’s work on institutional agents (1997, 2001).
This chapter provides a thorough examination of Stanton-Salazar’s institutional
agent framework, specifically as it relates to examining how relationships with supportive
and well-connected institutional personnel facilitates students’ academic achievement and
other desirable educational outcomes (i.e., engagement, persistence). Stanton-Salazar
offered a network analytic framework for understanding the institutional and ideological
barriers that constrain students’ access to social capital and institutional support
(primarily in the form of meaningful relationships with institutional agents)—both
significant factors in promoting academic achievement (Stanton-Salazar, 1997). This
framework challenges the prevailing paradigm that attributes individual achievement and
advancement in society solely to individual ability, merit, and motivation. Instead, the
institutional agent framework sheds light on how individuals situated in the middle and
upper class routinely rely on social networks and social capital to facilitate their
advancement in various social contexts; yet working-class minorities do not reap the
same benefits because their networks are starved of resources, opportunities, and
relationships to high-status individuals (Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001). The network

24
analytic approach to examining the extent to which students are establishing meaningful
relationships with institutional agents has the potential to highlight obstacles that
preclude access to a vital form of support that is essential for success and advancement in
the educational system.
Stanton-Salazar (1997) described the principal thesis of his framework in two
statements. First, and foremost, he acknowledged that human development, academic
achievement, social integration, and overall social mobility depend largely on “regular
unobstructed opportunities to develop meaningful relationships with institutional agents”
(Stanton-Salazar, 1997, p. 6) in various societal domains that provide the support and
resources needed to achieve individual goals. Secondly, Stanton-Salazar asserted that
low-status youth have difficulty establishing meaningful relationships with institutional
agents outside their immediate families. Stanton-Salazar attributed this difficulty to the
capitalistic sociopolitical dynamics of our hierarchical society, which affords and denies
privilege, wealth, opportunities, and resources to individuals or groups on the basis of
race, class, and gender (Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001). Recent studies in education have
focused on social capital (or the lack thereof) as a possible explanation for disparities in
the educational achievement of racial minority, low-income, and immigrant students
(Lareau, 2001; Lareau & Horvart, 1999; Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001). Institutional
agents are critical in the educational experiences of low-status students; they help
mitigate societal forces that reproduce inequality, providing the support needed for

25
students to gain access to resources and opportunities that otherwise would be
inaccessible.
Although Stanton-Salazar made a compelling argument as to why institutional
agents are critical to promoting positive educational experiences and educational
achievement for low-status students, he made a clear distinction: Institutional agents are
important because they provide students social capital and institutional support. Social
capital is a critical component of Stanton-Salazar’s institutional agent framework because
it aptly describes what institutional actors contribute to the lives and educational
experiences of low-status youth. Consequently, fully understanding the concept of social
capital before progressing any further with our discussion of institutional agents is
crucial.
Application of Social Capital to this Study
For the purpose of this study, I relied primarily on Stanton-Salazar’s definition of
social capital, which is informed in large part by the work of Pierre Bourdieu (1986) and
Nan Lin (1999, 2000). Stanton-Salazar (2001) defined social capital as “relationships and
networks that transmit vital forms of resources and institutional support that enable young
people to become effective participants within mainstream institutional spheres,
particularly the school system” (p. 20). Stanton-Salazar’s analysis of social capital
acknowledged the societal structures that differentiate access to social capital (i.e.,
resources, opportunities, wealth, power) on the basis of class, race, and gender. In
addition, his analysis focused special attention on the educational system and its potential

26
to reproduce societal inequalities or to help low-status youth gain access to social capital
by way of forming meaningful relationships with supportive high-status institutional
personnel. In describing the true spirit of his social capital framework Stanton-Salazar
(2001) wrote:
This Framework also attends to those processes that allow individual
exceptional cases to emerge--minority adolescents who are able to
experience the necessary supports that not only buffer them from the worst
effects of class, race, and gender oppression, but pave the way for a
significant degree of social mobility. (p. 12)

Similarly, my study sought to understand the activities and individuals associated with
the Transfer Academy, and the ways in which they support and develop students’ transfer
aspirations.
Stanton-Salazar’s conceptualization of social capital focused on strategies used by
individuals, groups, and communities to mitigate the oppressive effects of unequal access
to wealth, power, and opportunities. Stanton-Salazar (2001) referred to these strategies as
“countervailing forces,” describing them as strategic efforts enacted by individuals,
communities, or organizations designed to provide low-status youth access to networks
that offer emotional, social, and institutional support that, in turn, facilitate societal
advancement and individual goal achievement. I consider the Transfer Academy a
countervailing strategy implemented by Morningside College to provide a select group of
students with the institutional support needed to successfully navigate the transfer
process, a much-needed step in advancing from community college to other segments of
California’s postsecondary educational system.

27
Given that the familial and neighborhood networks of many low-status youth do
not afford them access to high-status individuals who control institutional resources and
opportunities, the educational experiences of these adolescents serve as a second
opportunity to gain access to resources that are vital for long-term success and
advancement (Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001, 2004; Stanton-Salazar & Dornbusch, 1995).
The educational system not only has the potential to transmit the technical knowledge
that students need to achieve success, but it can also help students broaden their social
networks and increase their access to—and possession of—social capital. School or
institutional personnel are in a unique position to serve as a bridge that connects students
to the resources and support they need to succeed. The following section of this chapter
closely examines how meaningful relationships between students and institutional
personnel provide the resources and institutional support needed to promote academic
achievement.
Institutional Agents
The term institutional agent was developed by Stanton-Salazar (1997, 2001,
2004, 2010) to characterize
[an] individual who occupies a hierarchical position or a set of such
positions of relatively high-status, either within a society or in an
institution . . . Relative to others, the individual possesses a high degree of
human, cultural, and social capital. (Stanton-Salazar, 2010, p. 7–8)

Stanton-Salazar’s definition clearly placed emphasis on the fact that institutional agents
typically have positional authority within a hierarchical institution or organization. In
other words, the individual not only has access to valued institutional resources but

28
he/she also has influence over how those valued resources are distributed within that
context. Stanton-Salazar made a clear distinction that warrants emphasis: Occupying a
high-status position within a hierarchical organization alone does not constitute being an
institutional agent. In that instance, the individual/actor simply has the potential to be an
institutional agent—a potential that is not realized until the individual directly or
indirectly provides highly valued institutional support (resources, opportunities, services)
that benefits others by facilitating their advancement (Stanton-Salazar, 2010). In other
words, institutional agents act intentionally to mobilize valuable, yet scarce, resources to
benefit others, who otherwise would not have access to those resources. Institutional
agents are societal actors who facilitate individual achievement and upward mobility; like
other valuable resources in society, access to institutional agents is differentially allocated
by socioeconomic status, race, and gender.
Institutional agents are a common feature of the social networks found in White
middle- and upper-class communities. As a result of their social position, individuals in
these groups are often embedded in diverse social networks (representing various social
institutions) that are full of high-status individuals with tremendous access to resources,
privileges, and services. Stanton-Salazar (2009, 2011) referred to these networks as
“resource rich.” Institutional agents are highly concentrated in communities,
organizations, and schools that serve people from high socioeconomic backgrounds,
thereby maintaining the status quo and advancing the reproduction of inequality.

29
Institutional agents play a very different role in the social networks of working-class and
racial minority communities.
Unlike in middle- and upper-class communities, institutional agents are not a
common feature in the social networks of working-class and racial minority communities.
Due to societal forces that stratify communities according to socioeconomic status and
along racial lines, working-class and minority communities are not embedded in social
networks characterized by regular access to diverse groups of nonkin high-status
individuals who control valuable resources (Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2011).
Stanton-Salazar offered the following comparison of the social networks found in
working-class communities relative to those found in upper-class communities,
“Working-class networks, are relatively smaller, more homogenous, tightly knit
(everyone knows each other), and turf-bound, and have little access to institutions and
diverse networks scattered throughout the mainstream” (Stanton-Salazar, 2001, p. 17).
Consequently, those from working-class and minority communities are embedded in
“resource starved” networks, and are not well positioned to reap the benefits associated
with having regular access to high-status individuals. In rare instances, when working
class and minority youth do have access to high-status individuals who serve as
institutional agents, that entrée is usually through school or school-based programs,
community organizations, and specialized mentor programs (Farmer-Hinton, 2008).
As mentioned earlier, the educational domain is particularly important in
increasing working-class and minority students’ access to institutional agents who

30
provide the countervailing support and resources required for achieving individual goals.
Specifically, within the educational experience, institutional agents help working-class
and minority students gain access to specialized programs and courses, decode the
institutionally sanctioned discourse within the educational setting, and provide the
individualized support and encouragement they need to establish a psychological
disposition that promotes academic success (Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001, 2004).
Counselors, teachers, school administrators, and intervention program staff—given their
position within the educational system and their frequent interaction with students—have
the greatest potential to serve as institutional agents.
Forms of Institutional Support and Institutional Agent Roles
Institutional agents play a critical role in promoting academic achievement for all
students, especially first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented
students (Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001, 2004). Institutional agents play a number of roles
through which they provide key forms of institutional support that students need to
successfully navigate the educational system. Stanton-Salazar (2001, 2011) identified the
following institutional agent roles and forms of institutional support that are essential to
student success within any educational system: knowledge agent, bridging agent,
advocate, role model, advisor, and provider of emotional/social support. Table 1 (below)
further explains each institutional agent role and the type of institutional support
associated with each role.

31
Table 1
Institutional Agent Roles and Corresponding Forms of Support
Institutional Agent Roles Forms of Institutional Support
Knowledge Agent Transmission of Key Funds of Knowledge—Procedural or subject
knowledge (e.g., knowledge about transfer requirements, financial aid
application process, scholarships)
Bridging Agent Bridging—Acts as a “human bridge” connecting students to valuable
resources and opportunities.
Advocate Advocacy—Intervenes on behalf of students or defends their right to
participate in specialized program (e.g., lobbies for a student to have
the opportunity to join the honors program)
Role Model Role Model—Exemplifies specific skills and behavioral patterns that
are essential for academic success (e.g., help-seeking behavior,
perseverance)
Advisor Evaluation, Guidance, and Advice—Helps students gather
information about various educational opportunities, assesses those
opportunities, and facilitates informed decision making
Provider of Emotional/Social
Support
Emotional/Social Support—Provides the emotional and social support
necessary to participate in mainstream domains, including education.
Enables students to develop greater confidence and sense of self-
efficacy

In the following section, I describe each of these forms of institutional support and their
importance to student achievement.
Perhaps the most important contribution that institutional agents make in the
educational experiences of students is providing them with information that facilitates
their advancement within the educational system. Knowledge agents provide students
with academic knowledge (subject knowledge), information about school policies and
procedures, information about unique opportunities (i.e., advanced placement courses,
honors programs, and scholarships), and problem-solving knowledge (Stanton-Salazar,
2001). The transmission of this valuable form of institutional support to students not only
enhances their ability to successfully navigate the educational system, but also allows

32
them to take ownership/control of their educational experience (Stanton-Salazar, 2001);
however, providing information alone is seldom enough to drastically alter a student’s
chances of achieving academic success.
Similarly, institutional agents have the capacity to connect students to valuable
resources and to individuals who exist beyond the school—and possibly even the
educational system. Bridging agents help students expand their existing social networks
and gain access to other social structures by making personal referrals to other
institutional agents, social networks, and organizations (Stanton-Salazar, 2001). For
example, a transfer counselor at a community college provides bridging support when
he/she not only encourages a student to explore a four-year university, but also personally
introduces the student to an admissions counselor from that institution. In this example,
the transfer counselor introduces the student to a personal contact at a four-year
university who can provide the student with valuable information about the admissions
process. In essence, the transfer counselor has served as a bridge between the student and
the previously inaccessible four-year university. Effective bridging is predicated on trust
between the student and the institutional agent. The student must trust the institutional
agent and believe that she is invested in his/her success; only then will the student cross
the proverbial bridge.
A student’s access to scarce resources or limited capacity programs within the
educational system depends largely on the extent to which an adult (parent, teacher,
counselor, etc.) advocates on his or her behalf. Given that low-status parents often lack

33
the social and cultural capital to effectively advocate for their children within the
educational system, their children are often deprived of a critical source of advocacy and
support (Horvat, Weininger, & Lareau, 2003). Consequently, advocates become
especially important in providing support for students. True advocacy occurs when an
institutional agent (specifically an advocate) uses his or her accumulated social and
cultural capital to speak and act on behalf of students in social circles where special
opportunities, privileges, and scarce resources are allocated (Stanton-Salazar, 2001,
2004). For example, a math teacher provides advocacy when she is willing to write a
letter of recommendation for a student’s college admission application. In this instance,
the math teacher uses her positional authority (as a math teacher) and social capital to
advocate for her student’s admission to college (an exclusive opportunity). Advocacy is
an extremely valuable form of institutional support and is critical to increasing
opportunities for students within the educational system.
Another critical form of support that institutional agents offer is role modeling.
Through their actions and words, role models demonstrate appropriate behaviors and
strategies for successfully navigating the educational context. Within the educational
system, role models serve as a physical representation of “success” for students,
confirming that academic, professional, and personal successes are possible (with the
appropriate resources and support). Their presence and support motivates students to
persist despite daily challenges. Stanton-Salazar (2001) “emphasizes modeling behaviors
associated with (1) effective participation in the educational system, in other middle-class

34
mainstream domains, and (2) effective coping with the stratification forces via help-
seeking behaviors, rational problem-solving strategies” (see Fig A.1, p. 268).
Intellectual ability and motivation alone are not enough to achieve success in the
educational system; students must also receive regular emotional and social support
(Coleman, 1988; Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001, 2004). Providers of emotional/social
support offer students much-needed encouragement and guidance, which ultimately
enhances students’ confidence in their ability to succeed academically. Admittedly,
numerous forms of social and emotional support exist; however, Stanton-Salazar (2001)
highlighted the importance of “support geared toward promoting effective participation in
mainstream domains and effective coping with stratification forces” (p. 267). Such
support might include encouraging a student to explore attending college and helping him
with the college application process, or it could entail helping a student respond to an act
of discrimination and providing her with the support needed to remain engaged in the
educational process. Effectively providing emotional and social support requires a
relationship between the student and the institutional agent, one that is established over
time and is based on mutual trust and respect.
At various points during the educational experience, students make decisions that
impact their ability to ascend in the education system (i.e., course selection, participation
in summer programs vs. working, attending a community college vs. a four-year
university). Key forms of support provided by institutional agents (specifically advisors)
are evaluation, advice, and guidance (Stanton-Salazar, 2001). This support specifically

35
addresses the role that institutional agents play in not only providing students with special
opportunities but also helping them carefully weigh their options and advising them how
to proceed after considering their unique circumstances. Stanton-Salazar (2001) placed
emphasis on helping students “make appropriate and effective decisions related to
ascension within the educational system” (p. 267).
To maximize the chances of student achievement and success within the
educational context, students should receive all forms of institutional support mentioned
in the preceding section (Stanton-Salazar, 2001). Unfortunately, the reality is that many
students, particularly low-status youth, go through most, if not all, their educational
experience without receiving any institutional support. Related to community college,
studies (Bensimon et al., 2007; Gabbard et al., 2006; Pak et al., 2006) demonstrated the
important role that institutional agents play in helping students achieve their transfer
goals.
Transfer Agents
Bensimon and her colleagues (2007) employed a border-crossing metaphor to
describe the vastly different social and cultural landscapes that low-income and non-
traditional students faced when transferring from community colleges to four-year
universities (Bensimon et al., 2007; Pak et al., 2006). These students are often not
equipped with the social and cultural capital needed to overcome the barriers associated
with “crossing the border”; consequently, their success in doing so depends largely on
their having regular access to people who can offer various forms of institutional support.

36
Applying Stanton-Salazar’s institutional agent framework to the community college
transfer process, Pak et al. (2006) coined the term transfer agent to describe institutional
personnel (i.e., faculty, counselors, and administrators) who provide students with the
resources and institutional support needed to successfully cross the border between
community college and four-year university. Results from recent studies (Bensimon et
al., 2007; Bensimon & Dowd, 2009; Pak et al., 2006) that examined the experiences of
students who successfully transferred from community colleges to selective four-year
universities indicated that transfer agents play a critical role in promoting transfer for
first-generation, low-income, and non-traditional students.
Barriers to Transfer
Over the years, policymakers and scholars have conducted extensive studies of
the transfer function of community colleges, especially of the barriers constraining
transfer to four-year universities. These barriers include, but are not limited to, complex
transfer requirements, lack of institutional emphasis on transfer, insufficient guidance
counseling, limited availability of required transfer courses, and weak articulation
agreements between community colleges and four-year institutions, to name a few
(Suarez, 2003). Scholars (Bensimon et al., 2007; Dowd et al., 2006; Hagedorn, Lester,
Garcia, McLain, & May, 2004; Hagedorn, Perrakis, & Maxwell, 2002; Pak et al., 2006)
organized the various impediments to transfer into the following categories: structural,
informational, relational, and cultural barriers.

37
Structural barriers refer not only to the complexity of the transfer process (i.e.,
transfer options, course requirements, and transfer lexicon), but also to the availability (or
lack thereof) of resources designed to help students successfully navigate the transfer
process. Informational barriers address the lack of formalized mechanisms for
disseminating valuable information about the transfer process, financial aid, and other
academic support/transfer support resources to all students—specifically to students with
an expressed interest in transfer. Students are a product of the schools that educate them.
Schools play an important role in ensuring that students understand the importance of
academic achievement and receive the resources they need to reach their individual
potential. The organizational culture found within schools helps students understand what
is expected of them within the school context. Institutional culture encourages students to
perform in ways that lead to academic and social success (Kuh, 2001). Unfortunately,
many schools lack an organizational culture that supports and encourages student success
and transfer. Specifically as they relate to community colleges and their ability to
promote transfer, schools without programs and services in place to encourage transfer
are thought to have weak transfer cultures (Ornelas & Solorzano, 2004). Cultural barriers
to transfer refer to situations in which students attend community colleges where the
transfer function is not actively supported or valued. Relational barriers to transfer
become magnified when students are unable to rely on family members or others in their
personal networks for the support they need to successfully navigate the transfer process.
Consequently, institutional personnel become very important in the educational

38
experiences of these students because they provide the institutional support needed to
transfer. Relational barriers to transfer refer to the difficulty that community college
students experience in establishing meaningful relationships with institutional personnel
(i.e., faculty, counselors, and administrators) who provide the various forms of support
needed to transfer.
In the following section, I review the existing literature that demonstrates how
each of the aforementioned barriers impedes students’ ability to transfer to four-year
universities. Next, I explain how the support provided by institutional agents/transfer
agents helps students overcome these barriers to transfer. Lastly, I highlight the gaps in
the existing literature and explain how this study contributes to the literature on
promoting community college transfer.
Structural
I define structural barriers to transfer as policies (articulation and statewide
transfer curriculum, or lack thereof) and institutional practices that inhibit students’
ability to transfer from community colleges to four-year universities. Structural barriers
include, but are not limited to, complex and cumbersome transfer requirements, lack of
transfer-related resources, limited offerings of courses required for transfer, and excessive
use of adjuncts to teach transfer preparatory courses, to name a few. Studies that have
examined structural barriers were concerned primarily with community colleges’
capacity to promote transfer. In other words, do community colleges have the expert
knowledge, resources, physical space, and personnel required to not only promote

39
transfer, but also to regularly assess the extent to which their students are accessing
transfer-related information and transferring to four-year colleges and universities?
Structural barriers can originate from the state level, district level, or local level
(individual community college). Regardless of their origin, all structural barriers impact
students’ ability to efficiently navigate the transfer process.
California’s Complex Transfer Process
Among the chief barriers to transfer in California is the complexity of the state’s
higher education system and its transfer process. California’s public higher education
system is comprised of three segments: the University of California (UC), California
State University (CSU), and the California Community Colleges. The UC and CSU
systems have different general education (GE) requirements for transfer; the UC GE
course pattern is called Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC),
and the CSU GE course pattern is known as CSU-Breadth Requirements. The IGETC
course pattern is accepted by the UC and the CSU systems; the CSU-Breadth pattern is
only accepted by CSU. Students who are interested in transfer but are unsure of which
system they would like to attend are encouraged to complete the IGETC course pattern.
In addition to each system having its own GE requirements, individual campuses
within each system have additional lower-division prerequisites for admission into
particular majors. For example, a student who is majoring in psychology and has
identified three CSU campuses as possible transfer destinations must complete the CSU-
Breadth requirements and up to three different lower-division prerequisite course patterns

40
for that major. California’s transfer process is further complicated by independent
colleges and universities, which usually have their own course requirements for transfer.
Students interested in transfer are expected to understand these transfer requirements and
plan their course enrollment accordingly. In reality, many community college students do
not know or understand the various transfer requirements; instead, they rely on
counselors and faculty to explain these complex transfer pathways and requirements, this
dependence is especially true for first-generation college goers. Unfortunately, even
professional community college counselors have difficulty interpreting these transfer
requirements, which adversely impacts students’ ability to transfer (Moore, Shulock, &
Jensen, 2009).
Moore et al.’s (2009) policy report, Crafting a Student-Centered Transfer Process
in California: Lessons From Other States, highlighted the complexity of California’s
transfer process. The report showed that the lack of consistency in California’s transfer
requirements across its higher education system was driven in large part by faculty
control over curriculum, academic programs, and program requirements (Moore et al.,
2009). They observed how the system empowered faculty at each campus to set
additional prerequisites for specific majors, thus placing students at a disadvantage in
their efforts to transfer. Rather than maintaining the current faculty- and institution-
centered system, Moore et al. (2009) urged policymakers and practitioners to develop a
student-centered transfer process for the state of California. Moore et al.’s (2009) review
of California’s past legislative attempts to streamline the transfer process noted that

41
previous policies addressed barriers in one segment of the higher education system,
failing to consider how those policies impact other segments of the system (See Moore et
al., 2009, p. 9 for previous transfer policies). Despite various policies designed to
promote community college transfer, statewide transfer rates remain low, especially for
African American and Latino students (Moore et al., 2007).
Unfortunately, Moore et al.’s (2009) policy report focuses exclusively on policy
reform, neglecting to consider significant variations in how individual campuses interpret
and implement statewide mandates. In addition, their report fails to acknowledge the
impact of differential allocations of resources (human and fiscal) and their affect on
individual campuses’ ability to effectively promote transfer. Whereas Moore et al.’s
(2007) study showed how California’s complex transfer process impeded students’ ability
to transfer, the report did not draw attention to the fact that this problem disproportionally
affects low-income, first-generation, and historically underrepresented populations,
namely African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. Lastly, in their report, Moore
et al. (2009) described the problem of low transfer rates solely as a matter of developing
new policies to simplify California’s complex transfer process; their report did not
acknowledge the other dimensions of transfer—specifically, the cultural and relational
aspects of the process.
Like Moore et al.’s (2009) policy report, a study by Hagedorn et al. (2002)
showed that the complexity of California’s transfer process posed challenges for students
and community college counselors alike, ultimately impeding students’ ability to transfer.

42
In a study of common community college practices that hinder student success, Hagedorn
et al. (2002) found that students often received inaccurate or misleading information from
counselors. Hagedorn et al. (2002) conducted interviews and focus groups with students,
counselors, and administrators from nine community colleges that comprised the Los
Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The data collected from students and
counselors revealed that students routinely received inaccurate information about transfer
requirements from counselors. Such misinformation resulted in students taking
unnecessary courses, which prolonged their time to transfer. Consequently, many
students lost faith in their counselors and in the information they provided. Students
reported intentionally avoiding specific counselors or the entire counseling department
for fear of being misled. Hagedorn et al. (2002) attributed this phenomenon of
misinformation to complex ever-changing transfer requirements and to the lack of
ongoing training for the general counseling staff (Hagedorn et al., 2002).
The complexity of California’s transfer process is a significant barrier for
community college students and for the practitioners tasked with promoting transfer.
Understanding the various transfer options and their corresponding requirements is a
critical first step in the transfer process. Yet, many students go through significant stages
of their community college experience unsure of which courses they need to achieve their
transfer goals. Inadequate counseling services and a lack of transfer-related support
services further complicate the situation, as students rarely have sufficient resources to
gain understanding and to navigate the complex transfer process.

43
In the short term, it is unlikely that much-needed comprehensive changes will be
made to California’s transfer process to significantly enhance statewide transfer rates.
Absent such reform, individual community colleges are tasked with helping students
understand and efficiently navigate California’s cumbersome transfer process.
Consequently, community colleges need faculty, counselors, administrators, and other
institutional personnel to serve as knowledge agents and advisors for their students.
Knowledge agents who provide students with information about transfer requirements,
and advisors who help students consider various transfer options and provide them with
personalized advice, are in a unique position to help students understand and efficiently
navigate California’s transfer process. Knowledge agents and advisors have the potential
to help students consider various degree options; which postsecondary educational
segment (CSU, UC, or private) best meets their needs; and which courses they need to
satisfy admission and premajor requirements. By increasing interactions with knowledge
agents and advisors, students may be more likely to receive transfer-related funds of
knowledge and the guidance needed to overcome California’s complex transfer process.
Campus Provision of Transfer-Related Resources
Individual community colleges have a responsibility to ensure they are effectively
encouraging and supporting their transfer function. Whereas there are statewide policies
for transfer, each campus also develops its own practices and procedures for promoting
transfer. In California, there are often differences in the programs and services offered by
individual community colleges to support their transfer function. Consequently, some

44
community colleges are known for their high transfer rates, whereas others are known for
providing minimal support for their transfer function (Calcagno, Bailey, Jenkins, Kienzl,
& Leinbach, 2008).
In a study of transfer centers in the Los Angeles Community College District,
Hagedorn and her colleagues highlighted varying levels of support for transfer within a
single district. The data collected from interviews with transfer center directors and
administrators from nine urban community colleges revealed that at most campuses,
promoting transfer was not a shared responsibility among counselors, faculty, and
administration (Hagedorn, Lester, Garcia, McLain, & May, 2004). Instead, a few
counselors and administrators shouldered the responsibility for promoting the campus’s
transfer function. The transfer center directors in the study perceived that, generally,
faculty members rarely encouraged students to consider transfer or even discussed
transfer in the classroom setting. Additionally, almost all of the transfer center directors
cited a need for additional resources (human and financial) to effectively promote transfer
(Hagedorn et al., 2004).
The study noted differential allocation of transfer-related resources among the
community colleges, namely, space for the transfer center, budget allocation for transfer
center, size of transfer center staff, and the existence of specialized programs designed to
promote transfer. In describing the lack of counselors, one transfer center director noted,
“In this office we have one full-time and two part-timers that come in two days or two
nights a week” (Hagedorn et al., 2004, p. 23). Transfer center staffing levels within the

45
district varied according to institutional resources and commitment to transfer.
Interestingly, the community colleges in this study with relatively large transfer center
staff sizes were still ill equipped to serve their campus populations. The study revealed
that the “Transfer Counselor to student ratios at all of the schools [within the Los Angeles
Community College District] ranged from 1:1,000 to 1:2,000 counselors to students”
(Hagedorn et al., 2004, p. 23). Consequently, for students to schedule appointments with
transfer counselors and obtain transfer-related information was extremely difficult.
Campuses with small transfer centers, limited human and budgetary resources, and few
programs and activities to promote transfer were considered lacking commitment to their
transfer function. The study concluded that promoting transfer must be an institutional
goal shared by all members of the campus community, and that institutional leaders must
invest resources to support the transfer function. As one transfer center director in the
study aptly noted during an interview, “Our [transfer] numbers are low. They’re supposed
to be low. You get what you pay for” (Hagedorn et al. 2004, p. 31).
Although it did not prove that increased spending on transfer-related resources
yielded higher transfer rates, Hagedorn et al.’s (2004) study clearly demonstrated how
insufficient institutional support of the transfer function can complicate students’ ability
to transfer. Hagedorn et al.’s (2004) study focused primarily on the availability and
effectiveness of individuals and programs specifically responsible for promoting transfer
at the community colleges. In doing so, their study included only the experiences and
perspectives of students who were already connected to their campus’s transfer center,

46
which is typically a small subset of the general student body. Furthermore, the study did
not disaggregate student data by race, making it difficult to determine whether students
from certain racial/ethnic backgrounds were more likely to access transfer-related
information and resources than others. Finally, Hagedorn et al.’s (2004) study neither
investigated where students were most likely to receive information about transfer (e.g.,
peers, faculty, administrators, or family members) nor examined the role of institutional
personnel (outside the transfer centers) in promoting transfer. Consequently, the study
determined institutional capacity to promote transfer solely by accounting for individuals
and programs directly responsible for promoting transfer (i.e., transfer center, transfer
counselors, and specialized transfer programs), overlooking entirely the potential that
general institutional personnel have to promote and support transfer.
Institutional Practices
Studies have also highlighted how the common practice of community colleges
relying excessively on part-time faculty to teach gateway courses serves as a structural
barrier to transfer (Calcagno et al., 2008; Hagedorn 2004). In response to dwindling
budgets, many community colleges in California rely heavily on adjunct faculty to teach
courses; this practice promotes cost savings because part-time faculty are not eligible for
benefits (Calcagno et al., 2008). Adjunct faculty often teach at multiple community
colleges during a given semester; thus, they are rarely available to interact with students
outside the formal classroom setting, which represents a missed opportunity for students
to develop meaningful relationships with their professors and to receive institutional

47
support related to transfer. Furthermore, tenured faculty members with years of
experience prefer to teach advanced-level courses that serve students whom they perceive
as more academically engaged, whereas adjuncts—who generally have less teaching
experience—are left to lead lower-level courses that serve students at greater risk of
experiencing academic difficulty. Community colleges that rely excessively on adjuncts
to teach courses typically have lower transfer and completion rates (Calcagno et al.,
2008).
Given the difficult budget realities facing California community colleges,
community colleges are unlikely to stop relying on adjunct faculty to teach a large
portion of their courses. The common practice of employing large numbers of adjunct
faculty might not be as problematic if students were offered additional programs and
resources in which they received direct mentorship, feedback, and information that they
would otherwise expect to receive through formal and informal interactions with their
faculty. Institutional agents (i.e., knowledge agents, bridging agents, and advisors) and
well-developed programs have the potential to supplement students’ classroom
interactions with faculty (full-time or otherwise) and to provide them with the
institutional support needed to succeed academically and, ultimately, to transfer.
Another structural barrier to transfer is limited availability of required courses that
students need to transfer. Community college students sometimes experience difficulty
registering for critical courses like math and English, which are needed to fulfill transfer
requirements. As a cost-saving measure, community colleges within the Los Angeles

48
Community College District have limited the number of course sections offered in certain
subject areas (Hagedorn et al., 2002). Consequently, course sections fill quickly. Students
who register late are unable to take the courses they need, which prolongs their time to
transfer. This practice is particularly common at community colleges that offer and
confer more certificates than associate’s degrees. Calcagno et al. (2008) described these
campuses as “occupational-oriented” institutions; transfer-related resources at such
institutions are typically limited and overshadowed by workforce development programs.
Institutional agents/transfer agents can counter the negative effects of a campus’s
inadequate support of its transfer function. The negative impact of having a small transfer
center staff, few transfer-related programs, and few transfer counselors could be
mitigated if campuses had more faculty, administrators, and general counselors acting as
institutional/transfer agents. These transfer agents would be able to supplement the
existing transfer-related resources (no matter how minimal) by providing students with
information about the transfer process and financial aid, and by generally supporting
students on their path to transfer. By doing so, these institutional agents would contribute
to a campus culture in which students are expected to transfer despite the campus’s
limited resources for supporting its transfer function. The Transfer Academy is a
programmatic intervention that has the potential to operate in the same way, providing
students with the information, resources, and support needed to transfer, while creating a
culture for its participants in which transfer is the norm.

49
Informational
I define knowledge barriers as a lack of formalized mechanisms for disseminating
valuable information about the transfer process, financial aid, and other academic support
resources to all students—but specifically students with an expressed interest in transfer.
Studies that have examined the knowledge/information barriers to transfer tend to
highlight the significant differences between students’ perception of what it takes to
successfully transfer and the realities of what it actually takes to complete that task
(Dowd, 2006; Hagedorn et al. 2002; Hagedorn et al. 2004; Pak et al., 2006). These
studies often reveal that the transfer process is far more complicated than students expect,
and that students lacked access to vital transfer-related information. Another component
of the knowledge/information barrier deals specifically with the perceived cost of
transferring to a four-year university. Community college students often have
misperceptions about the true cost of earning a bachelor’s degree and don’t fully
understand the eligibility requirements or process of applying for financial aid (Dowd,
2006). Consequently, insufficient access to accurate information about transfer
requirements, time to transfer, financial aid, and other transfer-related resources can
adversely affect students’ ability to transfer.
First-generation, historically underrepresented, and low-income students are
disproportionally overrepresented at community colleges in comparison to other
segments of California’s public postsecondary educational system (Moore & Shulock,
2007). Although these students often receive emotional support and encouragement from

50
their families to continue their education, their families are unable to provide them with
vital information about the college-going process (Pak et al., 2006). Consequently,
students arrive at the community college with varying levels of knowledge regarding
degree options, course requirements, financial aid, and student support services. It is safe
to say that many community college students lack the information needed to efficiently
navigate the educational experience (Hagedorn et al., 2002; Moore et al., 2009). This lack
of knowledge adversely impacts the student experience, as many students struggle
unnecessarily because they are unfamiliar with the resources available to support them.
Pak et al. (2006) described this phenomenon as the knowledge barrier, which restricts
students’ ability to make informed decisions about the transfer process.
A Pak et al. (2006) study highlighted the difficulty that community college
students experienced accessing transfer-related information; they examined the life
histories of 10 community college students who successfully transferred to highly
selective four-year universities. The study participants were primarily from low-income
backgrounds; they were first-generation college students; the majority of study
participants were women and of color, and four of the participants were White (Pak et al.,
2006). Although these students ultimately persevered and achieved their transfer goals,
they faced many obstacles on their road to transfer, among them, a lack of information
and access to transfer-related resources. In recounting their community college
experiences, almost all of the study participants noted that they initially had very little
guidance and direction. The majority of the respondents (8 out 10) simply enrolled in

51
courses without knowing which (if any) requirements the courses satisfied (Pak et al.,
2006). Many respondents continued through their community college experience with
little to no guidance until they encountered a faculty member or counselor who directed
them toward transfer. Pak et al. (2006) described these instances as “accidental transfers,”
meaning that their introduction to transfer resources was fortuitous rather than through
formalized institutional efforts designed to produce that outcome.
Insufficient access to transfer-related knowledge and resources was also a
significant finding in Hagedorn et al.’s (2004) study of transfer centers within the
LACCD. The purpose of their study was to examine the effectiveness of transfer centers
in promoting community college transfer. The researchers conducted interviews with
nine transfer center directors and focus groups with students who utilized transfer center
services (Hagedorn et. al, 2004). The results indicated that students began their
community college experience with limited understanding of the degree options offered
at community colleges, and many of them knew nothing about the transfer process.
Although the participants of this study eventually became familiar with the transfer
center, their introduction to the transfer center was almost always the result of a personal
referral made by a friend, instructor, or counselor (Hagedorn et al., 2004). The transfer
center directors acknowledged that most of their students were unaware of the transfer
center and its resources; the students included in the study were atypical in that they were
familiar with the transfer center and utilized its services regularly. Hagedorn et al. (2004)
concluded that transfer centers are effective in promoting community college transfer;

52
however, they also acknowledged that transfer centers are not operating efficiently and
are incapable of serving a large number of students.
In addition to having limited access to, and knowledge of, transfer-related
resources, community college students on their path to transfer face a barrier in the form
of finances. Oftentimes, community college students are balancing additional
responsibilities that require them to work. In some cases, students are working full time
while attending community college part time (Moore & Schulock, 2007). Unfortunately,
many community college students are unaware of financial aid, and they have
misperceptions about the true cost of transferring to a four-year university (Hoover,
2008). In 2008, the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)
included a special topic section dedicated to understanding the behaviors of community
college students as they related to financial aid. This section of the report was based on a
three-year cohort of colleges that participated in the survey in 2006, 2007, and 2008. In
total, the cohort included 340,000 students from 585 community colleges (Hoover, 2008).
According to the report, 45% of respondents cited financial hardship as a potential barrier
to their degree objective (including transfer), yet only 56% of respondents completed the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Most students who did not complete
the FAFSA did not believe they would qualify for aid (CCSSE 2008). The study did not
disaggregate respondent data by race nor did it explore how race and ethnicity impacted
students’ access to financial aid. Overall, the study concluded that an insufficient number
of community college students were applying for financial aid primarily due to a lack of

53
information about the application process and to misperceptions about financial aid
eligibility requirements. The report urged policymakers and practitioners to develop
programmatic interventions that educate students and parents about the financial aid
process as early as the 6
th
-grade.
Knowledge agents play a critical role in neutralizing knowledge barriers, because
they provide students with various types of information (i.e., financial aid, degree
options, transfer) that are essential to efficiently navigating the community college
experience. The Transfer Academy was a programmatic initiative that functioned as a
knowledge agent, providing participants with regular information about limited
opportunity programs, various academic support resources, and transfer-related
requirements. Until community colleges develop comprehensive systematic capabilities
to address the above-mentioned knowledge barriers, it is crucial to increase students’
access to and interactions with knowledge agents.
Relational
Increasingly studies are showing that promoting transfer involves more than
informing students of transfer requirements, financial aid, and other transfer-related
resources. Instead, these studies are highlighting the critical role that relationships play in
promoting community college transfer (Bensimon, 2007; Bensimon et al., 2007;
Bensimon & Dowd, 2009). Of particular interest in these studies are the relationships
between community college students and institutional personnel (i.e., administrators,
counselors, and faculty), and how these relationships encourage and support students’

54
transfer aspirations. Equally important is student access to and involvement with peer
social networks based on shared academic/professional goals; these networks also serve
to encourage and support students’ transfer goals. The existence of these relationships is
viewed by many as an indicator of academic engagement, a necessary condition for
persistence and academic success (Astin, 1984; Pascarella & Terrenzini, 1991; Tinto,
1987). Unfortunately, many community college students lack meaningful relationships
with institutional personnel and peers.
A common feature in the experiences of students who have successfully navigated
the community college transfer process is relationships with institutional agents who
provided them with various forms of institutional support and encouragement along the
way (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009; Bensimon et al., 2007). In a study of 10 community
college students who successfully transferred to selective four-year universities, Pak et al.
(2006) found that most (9 out of 10) participants identified individuals outside of their
families who played a significant role in helping them transfer. Study participants
described their professors, counselors, and program directors not only as teachers but also
as individuals who “cared” about them. The study participants noted that these
institutional agents not only challenged them in the classroom setting but also encouraged
them to continue their education. More importantly, the institutional agents gave them the
information, support, mentorship, and confidence needed to achieve their transfer goals
(Pak et. al., 2006).

55
Pak and her colleagues concluded that institutional agents are especially important
in the educational experience of first-generation and low-income students—those
typically overrepresented at community colleges. These students are more likely to have
had negative K–12 educational experiences and to have encountered teachers and
counselors who did not believe in their ability to learn. Undoubtedly, those negative
experiences impact how students think of themselves and their ability to achieve
academic success. For these students, institutional agents provide a much-needed source
of validation, and they “have the power to affirm students and influence them to achieve
their full academic potential” (Pak et al., 2006, p. 32). Despite mounting evidence that
these meaningful relationships between community college students and institutional
agents promote transfer, these relationships are not a common feature in most community
colleges. This lack of support exacerbates other barriers to transfer, as many students are
left without a critical source of support to potentially mitigate the barriers outlined earlier
in this section.
Similarly, findings from the Missing 87 Study revealed that students who were
successful in transferring were often assisted by transfer agents—institutional personnel
(e.g., faculty, counselors, staff) who went above and beyond the scope of their normal
duties to provide students ongoing support, encouragement, and critical resources that
facilitated transfer (Bensimon et al., 2007). Interviews with successful transfer students
conducted for the Missing 87 study demonstrated the critical role of transfer agents
throughout the transfer process. For example, one interviewee noted that his economics

56
professor not only was supportive of his decision to transfer to a selective university but
also assisted him with admission applications and in choosing a major (Bensimon et al.,
2007). Several students attributed their success in navigating the transfer process to
transfer agents who not only expressed confidence in their ability to transfer but also
assisted them with the “hidden” requirements of the transfer process. Most remarkable
about the experiences of these students was that their initial contact with or introduction
to these institutional agents was purely fortuitous; in other words, students were not
introduced to these individuals through formalized programs or any intentional efforts.
Unfortunately, the majority of community college students are not as lucky as those
featured in the Missing 87 Study; they rarely have meaningful encounters or relationships
with institutional agents.
Bensimon and Dowd’s (2009) study examined the academic experiences of five
Latino students who successfully transferred from community college to four-year
universities, demonstrating the negative consequences of students lacking sufficient
access to transfer agents. Despite the fact that the majority (four out of five) of the
students featured in the study were eligible to transfer to selective four-year universities,
only one did so. In examining the experience of the student who did successfully transfer
to a selective four-year university, Bensimon and Dowd (2009) connected this student’s
access to critical forms of support, namely, a role model (his older brother who had
already transferred to a selective four-year university, an adviser—his counselor whom
he met with frequently—strong peer networks that reinforced his transfer aspirations, and

57
bridging support). He also befriended an admissions counselor from the institution to
which he desired to transfer (Bensimon & Dowd, 2009).
The other students in the study who were eligible to transfer to selective four-year
universities did not, in fact, transfer. Bensimon and Dowd (2009) concluded that these
students did not transfer to selective senior institutions because they lacked the
information and guidance needed to consider the full range of their transfer options. For
example, during an initial counseling appointment, one Latina student, Graciela,
informed her counselor that she was interested in transferring to a specific selective
private university. The counselor handed the student a “pink sheet” outlining the courses
she needed to complete in order to meet the school’s transfer requirements. After
completing the courses outlined on the “pink sheet” and applying to the university,
Graciela was denied admission. Consequently, she was forced to enroll at a less-selective
university, because she was never advised or encouraged to apply to the University of
California campuses (another group of selective four-year universities). This student’s
transfer opportunities were constrained because she had insufficient information and
limited interactions with counselors and instructors to discuss her options (Bensimon &
Dowd, 2009). Graciela’s story and those of the other three students who did not transfer
to selective universities—despite being eligible—exemplify the need for transfer agents
and the much-needed support that they offer.

58
Cultural
Students’ ability to succeed academically and to successfully navigate the
educational system depends, in part, on the organizational culture found within their
schools. If students are products of their educational environment, and their educational
environment is influenced by organizational culture, then examining organizational
culture is a worthy endeavor in seeking to understand the potential schools have to
support student success. Kuh (2001) noted that organizational culture, especially student
subcultures, exert influence (positive or negative) on students’ persistence decisions and
other aspects of the student experience, ultimately impacting student success. Edgar H.
Schein, arguably one of the preeminent scholars of organizational culture, traced the
origins of organizational culture as an area of scholarly inquiry back to the 1950s,
emerging from the discipline of organizational psychology (Schein, 1990). This
particular field of study was born out of a need to understand and compare work groups
or whole organizations. As the need to better understand organizations and
interorganizational relationships grew, the field of organizational psychology began
incorporating elements of other academic disciplines, namely, anthropology and
sociology (Schein, 1990). This expansion led to the application of the concept of culture
to organizations, thus giving way to the formal study of organizational culture.
Despite extensive multidisciplinary research on organizational culture, no
consensus exists in the scholarly community as to how organizational culture is defined.
The definitions of organizational culture vary, depending on the discipline and context in

59
which the concept is being applied. For example, Schein (1990) defined culture as what a
group learns over an extended period of time as it works to achieve its mission and stated
goals. He then explained that the deepest and perhaps most critical element of
organizational culture is found within the cognitive realm because the perceptions,
language, and perspective that a group shares ultimately impacts the feelings, attitudes,
espoused values, and behaviors of individuals belonging to the group. Schein identified
three aspects, or levels, of culture: (a) observable artifacts, (b) values, and (c) basic
underlying assumptions. Observable artifacts are the most readily identifiable aspects of a
group organization; they are detectable using our senses. Observable artifacts include, but
are not limited to, physical layout of a space, dress code, the smell or feel of a space, the
manner in which group members interact with one another, and last—but certainly not
least—group documents (i.e., philosophy statements, annual reports, etc.). Observable
artifacts, although useful, provide an incomplete understanding of an organization’s
culture because they do not explain why things occur the way they do within a group.
Organizational/group values often explain the “why”; why the group operates in the
manner it does. Basic underlying assumptions are taken for granted, assumptions that
determine perceptions, feelings, and behaviors. Schein’s definition of organizational
culture is most commonly applied within the business context, specifically as it relates to
how organizational culture influences productivity.
In a 2002 study that examined how organizational culture impacted change
strategies and processes within institutions of higher education, Kezar and Eckel (2002)

60
defined organizational culture as “the deeply embedded patterns of organizational
behavior and the shared values, assumptions, beliefs, or ideologies that members have
about their organization and its work” (p. 438). They noted that culture provided
meaning and context for members of a group or organization; furthermore, they argued
that whereas organizational culture permeates all levels of an organization, organizational
culture is influenced most by organizational leaders—those with decision-making
authority. Lastly, Kezar and Eckel (2002) noted that organizational types vary; they did
not characterize organizational cultures as positive or negative; they simply described
them as being different. The distinct characteristics of an organization’s culture reflect
the uniqueness of the organization; specifically, the collective learning and shared
experiences of its members over time.
Kuh (2001) provided a similar but more thorough definition of organizational
culture that appropriately frames my application of organizational culture in this study.
He defined organizational culture as:
the collective, mutually shaping patterns of institutional history, mission,
physical settings, norms, traditions, values, practices, beliefs, and
assumptions that guide the behavior of individuals and groups in an
institution of higher education and which provide a frame of reference for
interpreting the meanings of events and actions on and off campus. (p. 25)

Unlike definitions of organizational culture referenced above, Kuh’s explanation of
organizational culture addresses its impact on student performance and the student
experience. Kuh explained that institutional culture assists students in understanding
various events and activities within the institution. More importantly, he argued that

61
through institutional culture students learn what the institution stands for and how it
operates. Institutional culture encourages students to perform in ways that lead to
academic and social success. Simply stated, Kuh’s explanation of organizational culture
established a causal connection between organizational culture and student performance.
Additionally, Kuh highlighted the importance of subcultures, identifying three subculture
categories that are important to understanding how culture influences student success.
The enhancing subculture promotes and reinforces the academic mission of the
institution. This subculture is commonly associated with student groups that are affiliated
with academic departments such as academic honor societies. Orthogonal subcultures
generally have an ethos that is congruent with the institution’s values; however, they also
have characteristics that are unique to the subgroup. Non-revenue-generating sports (i.e.,
swimming, track and field, etc.) and student organizations are examples of orthogonal
subcultures. Finally, countercultural subcultures hold values that conflict with
institutional values and norms. Fraternities and revenue-generating sports (i.e., football)
are often considered examples of countercultural subcultures. Notably, students might be
simultaneously affiliated with, and therefore influenced by, multiple subcultures.
The growing body of empirical research examining the organizational cultures
found within schools and their impact on student performance highlights the existence of
differing and sometimes conflicting subcultures (Rendon & Valdez, 1993; Thomas &
Willower, 1992). For example, regarding organizational cultures within high schools,
Thomas and Willower (1992) noted that the most prevalent subcultures within many high

62
schools were the student and adult/teacher subcultures. The adult/teacher subculture tends
to focus on shared commitment to teacher autonomy, academic instruction, discipline,
and student control. Student subculture tends to focus primarily on being with friends in
school or involved in specialized activities like athletics. Furthermore, Thomas and
Willower (1992) explained that the student and teacher/adult subcultures in most high
schools often oppose one another rather than form a unifying organizational culture,
thereby hampering student success. Similarly Rendon and Valdez (1993) highlighted the
disconnection between student culture and institutional culture as a potential barrier that
impeded Hispanic students’ ability to successfully transfer to four-year universities.
In their case study of a “good” high school (Jamestown High) with a
demonstrated ability to encourage student success, Thomas and Willower (1992)
identified elements of organizational culture that they believe contributed to the school’s
ability to support student success and encourage the pursuit of higher education.
Important elements of Jamestown High School’s organizational culture were (a) a shared
understanding among all subgroups of the importance of academics, (b) strong school
spirit among the student population (students embraced the school’s reputation for having
strong academic and athletic programs), (c) highly motivated adults/teachers who
respected the school’s administration and felt supported by the school board, (d) strong
leadership from the principal and the school board superintendent, who placed an
emphasis on high quality instruction and hiring talented teachers, (e) remarkable support
(financial, services, etc.) from the surrounding community. Thomas and Willower (1992)

63
called for educational leaders to understand the importance of merging the student and
adult/teacher subcultures for the sake of creating a unifying subculture that focuses on
student success and academic achievement.
Rendon and Valdez’s (1993) study sought to understand attitudes (a key
component of organizational culture) of college administrators, staff, and faculty
regarding the impact of institutional factors on student achievement and transfer. The
study was conducted at a community college in a border town in southwestern United
States. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with students, faculty, and
administrators to understand the factors that most impacted students’ ability to transfer.
Rendon and Valdez (1993) identified five themes that influenced whether students
transferred from community college to four-year universities: (a) importance of the
family, (b) economic considerations, (c) knowledge of the system, (d) cultural
understanding, and (e) relationships with feeder schools and senior institutions. Their
findings suggested that, in some cases, familial customs and attitudes influenced
students’ educational decisions. For example, some students were encouraged by their
families to continue their education, whereas other families placed emphasis on securing
employment and working. If students did pursue education, economic considerations
often influenced which majors or academic programs they pursued. Many students in this
study came from economically depressed communities; consequently, they were under
immense pressure to pursue fields of study that provided immediate prospects for
employment. This pressure caused many students to pursue vocational programs rather

64
than majors that led to four-year degrees, which means that many of the students were not
equipped to transfer. Additionally, many of the students came from immigrant families
with little to no experience with the educational system, which complicated their ability
to make informed decisions about the educational process (including transfer). Another
factor that influenced students’ educational decisions was academic preparation. Students
and faculty at the college believed that the K–12 educational system failed to adequately
prepare students for college. The biggest factor that adversely impacted students ability to
transfer was the vast cultural disconnect between the students and faculty at the
community college.
A significant increase in the immigrant population in the area surrounding the
community college led to an increase in new student enrollments. Many of the new
students came from “limited-English-speaking and diverse backgrounds” (Rendon &
Valdez, 1993, p. 32). Yet the faculty at the college remained almost exclusively White.
More important than the lack of diversity reflected in the faculty was a cultural
insensitivity to the new students, which in some cases meant that students were subjected
to intentional and unintentional acts that fueled an unwelcoming and sometimes hostile
learning environment, causing them to leave school prematurely. Interviews with faculty
at the college revealed that faculty felt they were being asked to “lower academic
standards” to accommodate the new students, a move they vehemently opposed (p. 33).
The faculty subculture at the college was not supportive of the Hispanic students
achieving academic success—let alone transfer. In this particular case, the faculty

65
subculture relative to the growing Hispanic student population was not supportive of the
college’s transfer function and, consequently, served as a barrier to transfer for many
students.
Focusing on community colleges’ ability to effectively promote transfer, Ornelas
and Solorzano (2004) conducted a case study designed to illuminate promising practices
for creating and sustaining a transfer culture. They interviewed students, faculty, and
administrators at a California community college (Esperanza College), and their goal was
to answer the following questions: “(1) What are the resources for academic motivation
and potential barriers that inform the transfer function and process for Latina/o
community college students? and (2) What are the essential elements required for
instituting a community college transfer culture?” (p. 235). After analyzing interview
data from Esperanza’s students, faculty, and administrators, Ornelas and Solorzano
(2004) identified the following institutional barriers: lack of institutional commitment to
the transfer function, problems within the faculty, institutional politics, cultural deficit
thinking, and insufficient institutional resources. In other words, Esperanza College had a
weak transfer culture; although it was an institutional goal, transfer was only minimally
supported. When offering recommendations for instituting and sustaining a transfer
culture, Ornelas and Solorzano provided specific recommendations for each group of
stakeholders (i.e., administrators, faculty, counselors, and students). This effort was
undertaken intentionally, to suggest that developing an institutional transfer culture
requires shared responsibility. Among the recommendations offered to administrators

66
were to create a computer-based information system that allowed students and counselors
to individually track student progress toward transfer, to provide funding for programs
that utilized the learning community model, and to insure that sufficient class sections
were available for transfer requirement courses. The recommendations given to
counselors included, but were not limited to, requiring all students to meet with a
counselor and develop an Ed plan, instituting a required counseling course where
students were given information about their transfer options and other transfer-related
information, and developing innovative systems for disseminating transfer-related
information. Faculty recommendations encouraged faculty to work in small teams to
share best practices for supporting transfer and to intentionally involve faculty members
in all stages of the transfer process. Lastly, Ornelas and Solorzano (2004) suggested that
students take it upon themselves to seek out accurate information regarding the transfer
process and to play an active role in their learning process. This study is important
because it demonstrated that developing a sustained transfer culture at a community
college requires cooperation from all constituencies within the college. Like Rendon and
Valdez’s 1993 study, Ornelas and Solorzano’s (2004) work underscored the important
role that institutional leaders play in ensuring that the college’s transfer function is a
priority and, consequently, is adequately supported.
It is unfair and unrealistic to expect that community college students will pursue
transfer in large numbers if their community colleges fail to create environments or
institutional cultures that not only expect them to transfer but also provide them with the

67
support and resources needed to do so. Unfortunately, community colleges with strong
transfer cultures are becoming the exception rather than the norm (Ornelas & Solorzano,
2004). If the transfer function as a whole is to improve, this troubling trend must be
reversed.

68
CHAPTER THREE:
RESEARCH METHODS
Introduction to Research Methods
The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of students participating
in a specialized program designed to facilitate transfer to four-year colleges and
universities. This study applies Stanton-Salazar’s (1997, 2001, 2004) social capital
framework and the concept of transfer agents (Bensimon, 2007) to an intervention
program, the Transfer Academy. Based on students’ accounts of their experience in the
Transfer Academy, this study sought to understand the extent to which the professionals
and activities associated with the program served as a conduit through which to transmit
transfer-related social capital to participants. Of particular interest were the ways in
which the professionals and activities associated with the Transfer Academy increased
participants’ access to critical resources, including key individuals, who provided various
forms of support that facilitated transfer. The study was framed by the following
questions:
1. In what ways does the Transfer Academy provide the informational,
cultural, structural, and relational resources that support transfer?
2. In what ways does the Transfer Academy influence participants’ transfer
choice?

69
The General Perspective
This study called for qualitative inquiry methods, because qualitative data capture
rich descriptions and explanations. Qualitative data also capture the chronology of events
occurring within a setting (Miles & Huberman, 1984). Qualitative research offers the
researcher the freedom to produce thoughtful interpretations of the data from multiple
perspectives. After analyzing the data, the researcher uses narrative to recreate the
experience for the reader, and ultimately creates new understanding of the case (Merriam,
1998; Miles & Huberman, 1984).
I was primarily interested in understanding the Transfer Academy and its context;
specifically, I was interested in understanding the experiences of the program participants
and the extent to which their involvement in the Transfer Academy enhanced their
transfer aspirations and readiness. Furthermore, I was also interested in understanding
what impact (if any) the Transfer Academy had on Morningside College’s transfer
culture. Qualitative inquiry methods allowed me not only to fully appreciate the
uniqueness of each participant’s experience, but also to compare their experiences and to
identify similarities.
Methodological Approach: Case Study
Given that my primary interest was to conduct an intensive holistic description
and examination of the Transfer Academy and the experiences of its participants, I used
qualitative inquiry methods, specifically case study to conduct this study (Merriam,
1998). Qualitative case study is particularly useful in appreciating the uniqueness of a

70
case; it also captures the extent to which the case is incorporated into a larger structure,
and interaction of the case with its larger context (Stake, 1995). Context is sometimes
understood as the external (outside the case) pressures or circumstances that impact the
case. In this instance, the context can be thought of as a number of things, including—
but not limited to—the structural, political, and economic climate of the campus
(Morningside College), the state’s dire economic situation, and external pressure from the
state legislature to improve transfer, to name a few. Case study is often the method of
choice when examining how complex cases (organizations, initiatives, programs, etc.)
work. Merriam (1988, 1998) and Stake (1995) noted that case study can only be used in
instances when a “bounded system” is the focus of study; if the entity does not have
bounds, case study would be an inappropriate inquiry method for that situation. For the
purpose of this study, the case, the object of my inquiry, is the Transfer Academy. The
Transfer Academy is a bounded system that serves a specific group of students, has
specific activities and events, and has a dedicated staff that administers the program.
Merriam (1998) highlighted three distinct types of case study research:
particularistic, descriptive, and heuristic; each is defined by unique features.
Particularistic case studies tend to focus on a specific situation, event, or program. The
case is studied to reveal new information about a phenomenon, which ultimately
contributes to new knowledge about the case and, in some instances, generalizable
knowledge (Merriam, 1998). Descriptive case studies are characterized by a “thick
description” of the case and its context; the descriptions often include a discussion of

71
relevant variables and, more importantly, of the interaction among variables (Merriam,
1998). Descriptive case studies typically rely on qualitative data—data that provides
exceptional detail and recreates the experience for the reader. Heuristic case studies
generally contribute to the readers’ existing knowledge about a situation or phenomenon;
in some cases, heuristic case studies might help the reader to understand the phenomenon
from a new perspective, or perhaps reveal unknown relationships among variables
(Merriam, 1998). A heuristic case study can provide explanations as to why certain
problems exist, or illuminate the circumstances that led to the problem.
This examination of the Transfer Academy is best classified as a descriptive case
study. Throughout this study, I examined how the Transfer Academy participants
experienced the program. By engaging in a variety of data collection methods, including,
observation and interviews, I sought to understand how the professionals and activities
associated with the Transfer Academy provided participants with the informational,
cultural, structural, and relational support they needed to overcome the well-documented
barriers to transfer. Olson (in Hoaglin, 1982, p. 138–139) specified characteristics of
descriptive case studies that I believe are aligned perfectly with the goals of my study;
they are:
• Illustrate the complexities of a situation—the fact that not one but many
factors contributed to it
• Have the advantage of hindsight yet can be relevant in the present
• Show the influence of personalities on the issue

72
• Show the influence of the passage of time on the issue—deadlines, change of
legislators, cessation of funding, and so on.
• Include vivid material—quotations, interviews, newspaper articles, and so on
• Obtain information from a wide variety of sources
• Present information in a wide variety of ways . . . and from the viewpoints of
different groups
Research Site Description
Morningside College was a comprehensive community college that offered an
associate’s degree, a wide array of certificate programs, and a transfer preparatory
curriculum (www.lbcc.edu). Morningside College was a single campus district comprised
of two sites, the Waterfront Campus (pseudonym) and the Parkview Campus
(pseudonym); together the sites serve four local communities/neighborhoods.
Morningside College enrolled a diverse student body population of 28,447; the campus’s
racial/ethnic demographics were as follows: 36.5% Hispanic/Latino, 26% White, 15.8%
Asian American, 15.5% African American, 0.7% Native American, and 0.9% multiraces;
6.7% did not report its racial/ethnic background. The campus was designated as a
Hispanic-serving institution. The majority (55.4%) of the students at Morningside
College were between the ages of 20 and 29; the average student age was 29 years old.
Students at Morningside College enrolled with a variety of educational goals, but 41.4%
enrolled with the intent of earning a bachelor’s degree (transfer), 23.2% for vocational
training, and only 6.3% with the intent of earning an associate’s degree. The students at

73
Morningside College enrolled primarily as part-time students, 63.4% of students took
between .5 and 11.5 units per semester; only 32.8% of Morningside College students
were enrolled full time (12 units or more).
Morningside College was one of several community colleges that participated in
the Center for Urban Education’s: Equity for All: Institutional Responsibility for Student
Success project. The Equity for All project was comprised of a series of campus-based
action research studies designed to assess the extent to which individual community
colleges were producing equitable student outcomes across various domains (including
transfer).. The Transfer Academy was started in response to the findings from the Equity
for All action research studies conducted at Morningside College. I provide a brief
chronological overview of the events that preceded the establishment of the Transfer
Academy.
In 2006, Morningside College participated in the Equity for All: Institutional
Responsibility for Student Success project. Morningside and a number of other
community colleges utilized the Equity Scorecard (Bensimon, 2004) to examine their
effectiveness in facilitating equitable educational outcomes. An evidence team
2

2
An evidence team is a group of practitioners working collaboratively to examine a problem of mutual
interest that impacts their work. Together, team members identify/define the problem, gather and analyze
the necessary data, and develop a plan of action for resolving the problem. Although the evidence team’s
efforts may be facilitated by an external expert researcher, the majority of the investigation, analysis, and
response are developed by local practitioners who are impacted by the problem (Bensimon et al, 2007).

comprised of Morningside faculty and administrators analyzed institutional data across
four domains—

74
academic pathways, persistence and retention, transfer readiness, and excellence—to
better understand how the institution met students’ needs (Bensimon et al., 2007). The
findings from the Equity Scorecard, specifically the metrics for transfer readiness and
excellence perspectives, revealed that many more students were transfer ready than the
number that actually transferred, and that students who met the requirements for the
University of California (UC) system transferred to the less selective campuses of the
California State University (CSU) system. To analyze the transfer readiness domain, the
evidence team examined a cohort of first-time students that enrolled at Morningside
College from 1999–2002; 27,422 first-time students enrolled at Morningside during that
period. By reviewing student records, the evidence team determined that only 520 (1.9%)
of the initial cohort (27,422 students) were eligible for transfer to the CSU or UC systems
within three years of enrolling at Morningside College (Bensimon et al., 2007). Of the
520 students who were eligible to transfer, 62% were eligible to transfer to the CSU
system and 38% were eligible to transfer to the UC system (which also made them
eligible for the CSU system). Only 20% of those students eligible for transfer to the UC
system accomplished that goal, whereas 58% of UC-eligible students elected to transfer
to the less selective CSU system. As a result of this inquiry exercise, three key findings
emerged: (a) less than 2% of students that enrolled at Morningside from 1999–2002 were
transfer ready after three years of matriculation; (b) almost a quarter (22%) of the
students who were eligible for transfer did not transfer at all—Bensimon and her
colleagues referred to this phenomenon as the transfer gap; (c) of the students eligible to

75
transfer to the UC system, 53% of them elected to enroll at the less-selective CSU
system—what Bensimon et al. coined the choice gap (Bensimon et al., 2007). These
startling findings prompted further investigation into Morningside’s transfer function.
In spring of 2007, USC’s Center for Urban Education (CUE) received a small
grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to help Morningside College learn
why students who were transfer ready did not transfer and why students who could have
transferred to the University of California System opted to transfer to the California State
University System. To answer these questions, CUE assisted Morningside College in
forming two evidence teams to conduct a study of transfer support services at
Morningside and to interview students who transferred successfully. One of the most
important findings of the teams was that Morningside College had a weak transfer
culture. The findings from the study revealed a shortage of available counselors to
effectively serve the thousands of students at Morningside, which resulted in a limited
availability of counseling appointments. During registration periods, students routinely
waited two to three weeks for a half-hour counseling appointment. The study findings
also suggested that the transfer center and transfer-related services lacked visibility.
Students recounted their difficulty accessing transfer-related information—
not knowing where to turn for accurate information about transfer requirements and the
transfer process. The college did not have reliable and systematic means of disseminating
important transfer-related information to all students in a timely manner, let alone those
students with an expressed interest in transferring. Instead, Morningside students were

76
more likely to receive transfer-related information incidentally or informally from peers,
flyers, or—on rare occasions—from professors or counselors. Lastly, the study concluded
that there was insufficient faculty support for the transfer process. Faculty members in
general at Morningside College failed to routinely discuss transfer in the classroom
setting; few instructors used class time to encourage students to transfer, or to provide
them with information about transfer requirements or transfer-related activities on
campus (Bensimon et al., 2007).
In 2008, Morningside College started the Transfer Academy as an effort to build a
stronger transfer culture. The development of the Transfer Academy was guided by a
crossfunctional team of student services personnel and faculty members. Many of the
members of the team were participants in the Equity for All projects and had established
ties. The Transfer Academy was developed as a programmatic response to the transfer
barriers that were uncovered by the Equity for All action research projects that were
conducted at Morningside College. .
Transfer Academy Description
The Transfer Academy was implemented at Morningside College during the
2008–2009 academic year; it was created to strengthen Morningside’s transfer culture,
one of the main needs indicated by findings in the Improving Transfer study. The
Transfer Academy was a programmatic intervention designed to target students who
placed into college-level English or math courses (or no more than one level below). The
program prepared participants for transfer by providing ongoing transfer-preparation

77
counseling, exposing students to various transfer possibilities, providing participants with
vital information regarding the transfer process, and offering regular opportunities for
participants to develop meaningful relationships with individuals (peers, counselors,
administrators, college/university representatives, etc.) who would provide the support
and guidance they needed to transfer.
The Transfer Academy was not available to all students; those interested in
joining the program had to submit an application and meet the following requirements:
(a) Complete Morningside College’s admission application, assessment, and orientation;
(b) Be eligible for Math 130 and English 105/ESL 34, or above; (c) Participate in regular
counseling and enroll in math and English during their first semester in the program; and,
(d) Maintain satisfactory course completion. Students selected to participate in the
program were expected to attend a program orientation and all subsequent Transfer
Academy activities (typically once a month). Participants received the following benefits
by way of their participation: personalized updates on transfer activities; academic,
personal, and career counseling; financial aid and scholarship assistance; transfer
workshops; priority registration for college/university tours; assistance with the
university application process; and recognition on transcripts or resume, to name a few
(Transfer Academy Brochure). To maintain eligibility for the program, students were
expected to enroll in a minimum of 9–12 units per semester, meet at least once a semester
with the Transfer Academy Counselor to develop and revise their transfer plan, and
participate in at least one workshop each month as part of the Morningside College

78
Transfer Services program, to name a few. Each student completed a Transfer Academy
contract indicating his/her willingness to meet the program requirements.
Sample and Population
Sampling Methodology
Merriam (1998) defined the sample as “the unit of analysis” (p. 60). Common
units of analysis in qualitative research are individual people, clients, or students (Patton,
2002). When identifying the study sample, the researcher makes decisions about whom to
include and whom to exclude from the study, what to observe, and when the observation
will be conducted. These seemingly small details have huge implications for the data that
is collected, and ultimately, for the researcher’s ability to answer his/her research
question(s) (Patton, 2002). In the end, the sampling strategy used in any study depends on
the research question(s).
I utilized purposeful sampling to conduct this study. Merriam (1998) defined
purposeful sampling as, “sampling [that] is based on the assumption that the investigator
wants to discover, understand, and gain insight and therefore must select a sample from
which the most can be learned” (p. 61). Patton (2002) argued that the strength of
purposeful sampling lies in selecting information-rich case, which he defined as “cases
from which one can learn a great deal about issues of central importance to the purpose of
the inquiry” (p. 230). Patton’s definitions of purposeful sampling and information-rich
cases imply that the researcher knows what he/she is looking for; or, in other words, has a
clearly defined study purpose. In addition, his definitions imply that the researcher

79
understands not only which individuals know the most about the object of study, but also
that they have sufficient access to it. In order to answer the research questions outlined
earlier in this chapter, this study focused primarily on the experiences of program
participants and administrators involved in the creation of the program—or those charged
with administering it. I believe that program participants and the administrators who
developed and administered the Transfer Academy had the most information about the
program and thus were most appropriate for study. In the following section, I detail my
criteria for selecting study participants.
Study Participants
The sample for this study was comprised of Transfer Academy participants
(Morningside College students) and Morningside College administrators who were either
involved in the creation of the Transfer Academy or were responsible for its
management/oversight. The students had first-hand knowledge of the program; thus, they
were the most appropriate to speak about their experiences in the program. The
Morningside College administrators who established the Transfer Academy, and those
responsible for managing the program, offered unique insight into why the program was
established, the program’s goals and structure, the context in which the program
operated, and the challenges of administering the program. Participants of the study were
selected using criterion sampling.
Criterion sampling is a type of purposeful sampling often used in qualitative
research. In criterion sampling, the study sample is selected based on predetermined

80
criteria established by the researcher (Patton, 2002). Only cases that meet the
predetermined criteria are included in the study sample. The criteria for selecting student
participants for this study were as follows: was a current Morningside College student
with at least 12 earned transferable units who had maintained eligibility requirements for
the Transfer Academy, had attended at least three Transfer Academy–sponsored
programs or activities, had met at least once with the Transfer Academy counselor, and
had completed an Educational Plan.
3
The criteria for selecting Morningside College administrators included having
been involved in the committee that developed the Transfer Academy, serving on the
In selecting study participants, I made every effort
to recruit a diverse sample that had a balanced number of men and women, to include
students of color (specifically Latino and African American students) and students with
various levels of transfer preparation (units completed). The aforementioned criteria
ensured that those included in the study had sufficient experience in and involvement
with the Transfer Academy and its staff. I provided the criteria for selecting study
participants to the Transfer Academy Coordinator, Roger Sepulveda, asking him to
contact eligible participants on my behalf, and to inquire whether they were willing to
participate in my study. I planned to select at least eight students who met the criteria to
participate in this study.

3
An educational plan is an individualized curriculum plan developed by counselors for students. The plan
is based on the student’s academic and career goals. A student majoring in chemistry and interested in
transferring has a very different education plan than a student pursuing an associate’s degree in fashion
design. Students are often encouraged to develop their education plan with their counselors early on during
their community college experience in an effort to reduce the possibility of enrolling in unnecessary
courses.

81
Transfer Academy advisory board, having formal responsibilities in administering the
program (coordinating activities, advising students, etc.), or having direct or indirect
oversight of the Transfer Academy program. Morningside College administrators were
required to meet at least one of the aforementioned selection criteria to be included in the
study sample. I identified the administrators for this study by reviewing the
organizational structure for the Transfer Academy and the organizational chart for the
Division of Student Services (the unit that houses the Transfer Academy). I planned to
select at least two Morningside College administrators who were involved with the
Transfer Academy to participate in this study.
Once potential study participants were selected using the criterion sampling
method, I worked with the Transfer Academy coordinator to establish contact with the
students. After introducing myself, explaining the purpose of the study and any and all
risks, I asked each person whether he/she was willing to participate in the study. I then
scheduled an interview time at the participant’s convenience.
Instrumentation
I developed two open-ended interview guides designed to elicit responses that
provided rich description from respondents and, most importantly, addressed the two
research questions guiding this study. (See Appendix A and B) One interview guide
(Appendix A) was used for the student participants of the Transfer Academy, and the
other interview guide (Appendix B) was used to interview institutional personnel
associated with the Transfer Academy. Both interview guides were developed using

82
Patton’s (2002) classifications of interview questions. Patton described six types of
interview questions, and he noted that, a well-developed interview guide incorporates
each of the following question types: experience and behavior questions, feeling
questions, knowledge questions, sensory questions, and background/demographic
questions. Table 2 explains the type of information each of these questions is intended to
generate (Patton, 2002, p. 350).
Table 2
Survey Questions Typology and Resulting Data
Question Type Data Generated
Behavior and Experience
Questions
Provide information about what a person does or
has done. Describe situations or instances that are
observable—if an observer was present
Opinion and Values Questions Provide information about what a person thinks.
These questions also provide insight into a
person’s intentions, desires, and expectations.
Feeling Questions Elicit emotions—feeling responses of people to
their experiences.
Knowledge Questions Provide insight into a respondent’s factual
information; what they know.
Sensory Questions Provide information about what the respondent
has seen, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled.
Background/ Demographic
Questions
Provide additional information that aids in
understanding the respondent’s lived experiences,
characteristics, and perspective.

By incorporating the various forms of questions listed above, I ensured the collection of
different types of data that ultimately allowed me to answer my research questions.
The student interview guide was comprised of 22 initial questions, and 52 follow-
up questions that were used, if needed, to gain a deeper understanding of the respondents’
experiences. The student interview guide consisted of three sections: background, pre-

83
Transfer Academy knowledge and experiences at Morningside College, and experiences
in the Transfer Academy. The background section (questions 1–9) of the interview guide
contained questions inviting respondents to provide individual and family demographic
information. In addition, the background section included questions about when
respondents initially became interested in attending college, what type of information
they received about attending college in high school, and why they decided to enroll at
Morningside College. The pre-Transfer Academy knowledge and experiences at
Morningside College section (questions 10–11) primarily addressed my second research
question. These questions sought to explore respondents’ understanding of transfer
requirements and the transfer process prior to joining the Transfer Academy.
Furthermore, respondents were asked about their experiences with, and access to, various
forms of institutional support prior to their involvement in the Transfer Academy. The
final section of the interview guide, experiences in the Transfer Academy (questions 12–
22), was intended to generate data to answer my first research question. This section
focused on understanding the respondents’ experiences as participants in the Transfer
Academy, specifically how the Transfer Academy impacted their access to various forms
of institutional support that helped them transfer.
The administrator interview guide was comprised of 20 initial questions, and 36
follow-up questions that were used, if needed, to better understand each respondent’s
understanding of, and relationship to, the Transfer Academy. (See Appendix B) The
administrator interviews were intended to provide additional contextual information

84
regarding the circumstances that led to the creation of the Transfer Academy, how the
Transfer Academy fit into Morningside College’s larger Student Success Initiative, and
the intended goals for the program. The administrator interview guide consisted of the
following six sections: background/demographic information and formal job
responsibility at Morningside, understanding of the Transfer Academy and perceptions of
the program’s services, information provided by the Transfer Academy, relationships
with Transfer Academy participants, relationship between Transfer Academy and
Morningside’s Student Success Initiative, general impressions of the Transfer Academy
and its future. The “Information provided by the Transfer Academy” and the
“Relationships with Transfer Academy Participants” sections answered my first research
question.
Data Collection
Four basic data collection methods are commonly used in qualitative inquiry;
they are observations, interviews, documents, and visual analysis (Creswell, 1994). Each
of the aforementioned methods of qualitative data collection has its strengths and
limitations; however, incorporating multiple methods of qualitative data collection into a
given study significantly enhances the validity of the data collected (Creswell, 1994;
Patton, 2002). I utilized two of the four basic types of qualitative data collection—
namely, observations and interviews. I believe that these two data collection strategies
allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Transfer Academy and the
experiences of the program participants. More importantly, utilizing the aforementioned

85
data collection strategies allowed me to fully answer each of the research questions
guiding this study. (See Table 3) In the following section, I provide a more detailed
explanation of how I used observations and interviews to conduct this study.

86
Table 3
Research Questions and Data Collection Strategies
Research Questions Data Collection Activities
1. In what ways does the
Transfer Academy provide the
informational, cultural, and
relational resources that
support transfer?

• Observation of Transfer Academy Activities (i.e.,
workshops, college tours)
Example: By observing a college tour/visit, I was
able to witness the type of transfer-related
information participants were being exposed and
introduced to, as well as their reaction to being on
the campus (i.e., excitement, intimidation,
boredom, etc.)
• Student Interviews
Example: During interviews, participants may
reflect on the relationships they have established
with their Transfer Academy Counselor, and how
that individual has supported and encouraged their
interest in transfer by providing information
regarding transfer requirements, scholarships, and
internships. In addition, they may be able to
identify other sources of support, encouragement,
information, etc.
• Interviews with Transfer Academy Administrators
Example: During interviews, administrators may
share instances in which they have mentored
students and ultimately supported them to transfer.
Administrators will have an opportunity to explain
how they actively and directly provide Transfer
Academy participants with the institutional
support/resources needed to transfer.
2. In what ways does the
Transfer Academy influence
participants’ transfer choice?

• Student Interviews
Example: Through student interviews, I engaged
participants about their thoughts/notions of transfer
before they had joined the Transfer Academy and
asked them how their thoughts/notions of transfer
had changed (if at all) since they began their
involvement in the Transfer Academy. Perhaps as
a result of their Transfer Academy involvement,
they had expanded the list of schools they were
interested in or, they came to see transfer as a more
attainable goal.

87
Interviews
I conducted individual interviews using a hybrid interview approach that
incorporated elements of the standardized open-ended interview and the informal
conversational interview. The standardized open-ended interview was appealing for this
study for the following reasons: (a) Specific instruments were used to conduct the student
and administrator interviews, and the instruments were available for review; (b) Having
an established protocol allowed me to efficiently use the limited time I had with each
interviewee; and (c) Standardized open-ended interviews facilitated easier analysis of the
data (Patton, 2002). The informal conversational interview approach offered the
flexibility to deviate occasionally from the established instrument for the purpose of
probing or pursuing new points of interest that emerged from the interviewee’s responses.
The ability to probe further when needed was important because it allowed me to gain
deeper insight into the respondents’ answers. The combination of the standardized open-
ended interview and the conversational interview is commonly referred to as the
semistructured interview (Merriam 1998; Patton 2002).
At the onset of each interview, I introduced myself and the study. I explained that
I was conducting a research study designed to examine the experiences of Transfer
Academy participants. I further explained that I was interested in understanding how the
individuals and activities associated with the Transfer Academy provided students with
the resources they needed to successfully transfer. Next, I reminded participants that their
involvement in the study was completely voluntary. I gave each participant a general

88
overview of the interview process and informed him/her that the interview would last
approximately one hour. I then provided each subject with an IRB information form that
detailed my study, reminded them that no identifiable information would be shared
throughout the study, invited them to select a pseudonym, and asked if they had any
questions before proceeding further. Finally, I asked the subjects if I had their permission
to record the interview and take notes during the conversation. Once the aforementioned
steps were completed with each subject, I started the interview.
All interviews were conducted in person at Morningside College’s Liberal Arts
Campus. To ensure privacy, the interviews were conducted in a secure office. The
interviews ranged in length from 58 to 97 minutes. All interviews were recorded using a
digital voice recorder, and notes were taken to capture points of interest during the
interview. The interview recordings were sent to an external source for transcription and
preparation for analysis.
Observations
Observation is a critical aspect of qualitative research; through observation, the
researcher recreates the experience and setting for the reader or audience. Observations
allow the researcher to capture “incontestable description” (Stake, 1995), rich details of
environment, events, individuals, interactions, and so forth. These details ultimately
shape the researcher’s understanding of the case and the results. Patton (2002) noted that
observational inquiry requires “disciplined training and rigorous preparation” (p. 260);
the researcher must know what he/she is looking for, how to record and document

89
observations, and last—but certainly not least—how to interpret what was observed (the
data). There are several different types of observations; the distinction is based on the
role that the researcher plays in the setting.
I used the “observer as participant” methodology (Merriam, 1998) to observe four
Transfer Academy activities or events. The observer as participant method allows the
researcher to disclose his status as researcher to those being observed. In addition, this
approach allows for occasional observer participation in the group under investigation;
however, the observer’s role as participant is always secondary to his/her role as observer
(Merriam, 1998). Although I did not plan to actively participate in the activities I
observed, I anticipated instances where I would be encouraged to interact with students
during the events that I was observing. This methodological approach to conducting
observations allowed me to do so without jeopardizing the data being collected. Through
the observer as participant method, the researcher gains access to many people and to a
wide variety of information; however, the researcher must also be aware that his/her
presence may influence the behavior of those being observed (Patton, 2002, p. 270).
I observed two monthly Transfer Academy meetings and two Transfer Academy
college visits/tours. By observing these activities, I gained a better understanding of
students’ experiences as participants of the program—specifically the type of information
transmitted during program events, the level of interaction that occurs between program
participants, the individuals (administrators, counselors, etc.) to whom students are
exposed, and the benefits that participants receive as a result of their involvement in the

90
program. Before conducting any observations, I developed an observation protocol that
was used throughout the study. Observation protocols are useful in focusing the
researcher’s attention on specific aspects of the environment and the activities or
interactions being observed (Creswell, 1994). The observation protocol also provided a
systematic way to approach each observation, which ultimately ensures consistency in the
data being collected.
Detailed field notes were maintained throughout the observation process. During
each observation, I took copious notes (descriptive and reflective), diagrammed the
setting, and noted all parties present. Creswell suggested developing an observation
protocol that is designed to collect descriptive notes and reflective notes (Creswell, 1994,
p. 152). Descriptive notes are taken during the observation and capture information about
what is observed (i.e., details about the setting, activities, interactions, and chronology of
events). Merriam (1998) noted the importance of “capturing the substance of an
interaction rather than producing a ‘flawless verbatim reproduction’” (p. 105). No more
than two hours after each observation, I reflected on my observation experience.
Although my reflective notes were part of the data analysis process, their primary
purpose was to give me an opportunity to make preliminary judgments about what I
observed.
To ensure the proper protection of all study participants, I did not engage in any
data collection for this study until I received approval from the University of Southern
California’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). Informally, I secured permission from

91
Morningside College administrators to conduct this study. Upon notification of my IRB
approval, I provided a copy of my approval letter to Morningside’s administration.
I took reasonable measures to safeguard all data collected during this study. All
field notes and interview recordings were stored on a password-protected laptop
computer that was accessible solely by me. When not in use, the laptop was securely
stored in my office. All data related to this study will be maintained for at least two years
from the date this study is completed.
Data Analysis
Researcher Biases
According to Merriam (1998), the first order of business in data analysis for all
qualitative researchers is acknowledging their own prejudices, viewpoints, or
assumptions about the case under investigation; she refers to this process as epoche.
Qualitative inquiry recognizes and accepts the subjectivity of the researcher; however, the
researcher is expected to make a reasonable effort to prevent his/her own judgments and
viewpoints from excessively clouding the study. When possible, the researcher should
allow his/her audience(s) to draw its own conclusions from the data. As I started the data
analysis process, I engaged in my own process of epoche. This process allowed me to
confront my preconceived judgments about Morningside College and the Transfer
Academy so that I could note how they changed (if at all) during the course of this study.
I personally reject the notion that researchers can be purely objective. I believe that my
biases and viewpoints inevitably impacted the course of this study, the way in which this

92
study was executed, and how the findings were reported. However, as suggested by
Merriam (1998), I made every reasonable effort to prevent my judgments from
influencing the data that was collected through this study.
Like other researchers, I too have biases that warrant acknowledgement and
discussion. As an administrator who manages a student-focused intervention program
designed to facilitate transfer and degree completion (at a four-year college), I bring a
unique perspective to this study. I am well versed about the many barriers (i.e.,
informational, structural, knowledge, cultural, etc.) that impact students’ ability to
successfully navigate the transfer process. More importantly, I have developed numerous
programmatic initiatives to mitigate these barriers and, ultimately, to help students
achieve their transfer goals. As I embarked on this study, I tried not to make unwarranted
judgments or comparisons between the Transfer Academy and the program that I
administer.
Lastly, my identity as an African American male surely impacted the way that I
viewed the problem of inequitable educational outcomes, specifically as they relate to
transfer to four-year colleges. As a result of my personal experiences as a student from a
working-class and underrepresented background in California’s public education system,
I have come to believe that the educational system is affected by societal forces designed
to perpetuate inequality and stratification by socioeconomic status, race, and gender. My
ability to successfully navigate the postsecondary educational system as a first-generation
college student was largely dependent on the assistance and support that I received from

93
several institutional agents I encountered during my tumultuous freshman year at a
selective public four-year research-university in California. Although my experiences in
California’s educational system give me the ability to empathize with the students
participating in this study, my prior experiences in the educational system should not
impact the way this study was executed, the way the data was analyzed, or my findings.
Data Analysis Procedure
Data analysis is the systematic process of reviewing and interpreting data and
produces the findings of a study (Creswell, 1994). No formal consensus exists in the
scholarly community on how data analysis should be conducted; instead, varying
recommendations are offered depending on the purpose of the study and the methodology
used. In qualitative research, the one widely accepted rule governing data analysis is that
it should be conducted simultaneously with data collection and other research activities
(Creswell, 1994; Merriam, 1998; Patton, 2002). Analyzing data as it is collected often
reveals additional questions, persons of interests, and new perspectives from which to
view the case/problem, all of which may lead to modifications in the initial data
collection plan/instrument(s). For this reason, qualitative researchers are strongly
encouraged not to consider data analysis as an exercise that occurs after the data
collection is complete. Instead, interview transcripts, field observations, and documents
should be analyzed as they are collected. During this process, the researcher should
carefully review all forms of data for themes, similarities, differences, and unique
cases/occurrences. The following portion of this section focuses on the data analysis

94
techniques suggested by Patton (2002) and Merriam (1998) specifically for case study
research.
Given that case study research is primarily concerned with generating a holistic
understanding of the case and the context in which it operates, the researcher will be
required to deal with several forms of data (field observations, interview transcripts, and
documents). Properly managing and organizing data is of the utmost importance to case
study researchers. Patton (2002) noted, “The case study approach to qualitative analysis
constitutes a specific way of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data; in that sense it
represents an analysis process . . . the analysis process results in a product: a case study”
(p. 447). To effectively organize the data, Patton (2002) and Merriam (1998) suggested
developing a case record that consists of all the major data that will be used to conduct
the analysis and generate the findings. The case record should be organized by data type,
data collected, and if possible, by theme(s). The case record facilitates the data analysis
process in that it makes it easier to retrieve key pieces of data during later stages of the
research process. As the data collection process unfolded, I developed and maintained a
case record for Morningside College and the Transfer Academy. My case record was
organized by data type; interview transcripts were stored separately from field
observations and documents. The data in each category was further organized into
subcategories by date of collection and theme(s) as they emerged. Each piece of data
collected during the study was cataloged (date, data type, etc.) in a general case study

95
database. I organized the case record in large binders that I maintained throughout the
study.
Once researchers have developed the case record, their attention shifts to content
analysis. Patton (2002) defined content analysis as “any qualitative data reduction and
sense-making effort that takes a volume of qualitative material and attempts to identify
core consistencies and meanings” (p. 453). The content analysis process reveals recurring
patterns and themes of importance in the data. Once researchers identify the emerging
themes in their data, they organize the data according to those themes; this process
facilitates further sense making of the data. My content analysis of the case record and
identification of themes was informed by my research literature (Chapter Two). I used the
themes that emerged in Chapter Two during my discussion of the barriers to transfer (i.e.,
relational, structural, informational, and cultural) to organize the data. The data is
presented in a manner that addresses each of the well-documented barriers to transfer.
Data Verification
Data verification is an important component of the research process, and has been
considered a distinguishing characteristic of scholarly research (Creswell, 1994). In this
process, the researcher is expected to review and verify all forms of data to ensure that he
accurately represents what was observed or what was said during an interview. There are
several methods for verifying data; each depends on the type of data that was collected.
The most common data verification method used in studies based on multiple data
sources is triangulating data sources (Patton, 2002). Triangulating data sources requires

96
the researcher to compare and cross-check varying forms of data for consistency in the
information collected. As part of my data verification process, I compared my field
observations with my interview transcripts to ensure that they were not contradicting each
other (which might be the first sign of a problem). Patton cautioned that in qualitative
research, especially case studies, the data may produce an inconsistent picture of the case.
This result is not always indicative of a problem with the data, but rather suggests that
different types of data have captured different things about the case (Patton, 2002).
Limitations
Given that the purpose of my dissertation was to gain an understanding of how the
professionals and activities associated with the Transfer Academy provided participants
with the support they needed to overcome barriers associated with transfer, this study was
based primarily on data collected from individuals who were actively involved in the
Transfer Academy. The sample that I identified for this study was by no means
representative of the larger population of Transfer Academy participants. Consequently,
this study was not intended to produce generalizable knowledge about all participants of
the Transfer Academy. I intentionally limited my study sample to active program
participants who attended at least three Transfer Academy–sponsored activities, and
Morningside College administrators who were involved with the administration of the
program. Notably, there may have been eligible students who met my selection criteria
but who were nonetheless not included in the study. Given my limited resources (time
and human resources), I was unlikely to be able to interview all eligible students,

97
especially if that number exceeded 10. I also intentionally eliminated the perspective of
students who were in the program but who failed to participate on a regular basis.
Undoubtedly, students who were less active in the program would potentially offer a
different perspective on the program, its benefits (or lack thereof), and its impact on their
transfer preparation and aspirations. In addition, by not including Morningside faculty
and administrators who were not involved with Transfer Academy, this study did not
address how the Transfer Academy was perceived by members of the Morningside
College community (faculty, students, and administrators) who were not directly
involved with the program on a regular basis.
Summary
This chapter presented the research methodology that informed this study and an
explanation for selecting this particular approach. In detail, I described the study site,
Morningside College, and the Transfer Academy. I reviewed the data collection strategies
and sampling methodology, and discussed why they were appropriate given the research
questions that informed this study. Finally, the data analysis strategy and the limitations
of the study were explored. In Chapter Four, I offer portraits of the eight study
participants and present my findings. Chapter Five provides a thorough analysis of the
findings and draws connections to the research questions. Finally, I close by offering
recommendations for policy, practice, and future research.

98
CHAPTER FOUR:
FINDINGS
This chapter presents findings of the study designed to understand the ways in
which the individuals and activities associated with the Transfer Academy provided
program participants with the structural, informational, cultural, and relational resources
they needed to successfully navigate the transfer process. This chapter details the
experiences of the study participants by way of comments, behaviors, or actions observed
during Transfer Academy activities, and through their individual interviews. First I
provide brief backgrounds of the eight participants. The participant portraits provide
additional context about participants’ precommunity college experiences, their
perceptions of their ability to transfer, and their perceptions about how they were helped
by the Transfer Academy. Additionally, the participant portraits illustrate how the themes
play out across the participants’ individual experiences. Next, I report on the findings in
the four thematic areas of cultural, relational, structural, and informational resources. I
conclude with a brief summary of the findings.
Participant Portraits
Rose Arroyo
I’ve always been, like I mean, because while I was in elementary school,
middle school, and high school my mom was going to school and she has
always been in school. So just seeing how my mom studied like where
English was her second language and it was very difficult, and she was
really trying to pursue a bachelors. And I think okay, if she can do it, I
obviously can do it. She has always pushed us in school . . . (p. 4)

99
Rose Arroyo’s mother embodied the importance of higher education; she was a
huge role model and inspiration to Rose throughout her educational experience. Rose’s
parents were born into working class families in Mexico. Both parents were the oldest
children in their family and, consequently, had to stop school early on to contribute
financially to their families. Rose’s father received a 2
nd
-grade education; and her mother
completed the 4
th
-grade. Her parents met in Mexico and immigrated to the United States,
where they got married and started a family. Rose was the youngest of three children. Her
parents divorced while she was in elementary school. Throughout her upbringing, she
recalled her mother emphasizing the importance of education. In fact, Rose had
childhood memories of her mother being enrolled in adult night school learning English.
Her mother always reminded her of the importance of attending school—particularly
while she was young and free of major responsibilities and commitments. When Rose
began 7
th
-grade, her mother enrolled at Morningside College with the intent of
transferring to a four-year university. She ultimately transferred to Golden State
University (GSU) and graduated from GSU with a B.A. in Spanish the same year Rose
graduated from high school (in 2006).
Rose was always a good student, especially in high school. She took honors and
advanced placement courses, and she always saw herself as a future college student. Rose
received regular information from her counselor regarding college admission
requirements. By all accounts, she was on track to go directly to a four-year college. In
her senior year, Rose applied to UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine. She

100
was offered admission to UC San Diego and UC Irvine. After visiting both campuses, she
accepted her offer of admission to UC San Diego. Shortly thereafter, she began
experiencing difficulty with her AP Government teacher. According to Rose, her AP
Government teacher did not like her; he had favorites in the class, and she was not among
them. To her surprise, at the end of the spring semester, he gave her a “D,” technically a
passing grade as far as her graduation requirements were concerned, but not passing for
purposes of her admission to UC San Diego. Despite her best efforts to explain the
situation to UC San Diego’s Admissions Office, and despite her otherwise sterling
academic record, UC San Diego rescinded her offer of admission. Rose received final
notification of UC San Diego’s decision three weeks before the fall semester was to
begin. She was devastated upon receiving the final decision; she described herself as “a
wreck.” Her mother supported her through this difficult time; her mother was the one
who encouraged her to enroll at Morningside College.
Rose’s mother took her to Morningside College and enrolled her in courses for
the fall 2006 term. Rose described her mother as being very well connected at
Morningside College. During her time at Morningside, Rose’s mother established many
meaningful and enduring relationships with faculty, counselors, and administrators.
Rose’s older brother also attended Morningside, and her mother helped guide him
through his experience there (he transferred to Golden State University as well). Rose’s
mother personally introduced Rose to several counselors and administrators and asked
them to “keep an eye out for her.” Her mother introduced her to all the important

101
resources she would need (financial aid office, transfer center, scholarship office, honors
program, EOPS, to name a few). Not surprisingly, Rose excelled academically at
Morningside College. In addition to being a strong student academically, Rose took
advantage of cocurricular involvement opportunities. She was involved in Project
Launch, Leaders Across Campus, Alpha Gamma Sigma, Associated Student Body, and
the Transfer Academy.
Rose joined the Transfer Academy in fall 2008, after completing two years at
Morningside. According to her, she knew she was entering her final year at Morningside
and would be applying to four-year colleges, so she figured she could use the extra
assistance. She identified the UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) conference as her
most memorable Transfer Academy activity. During that conference Rose “fell in love
with UCLA” and learned about UCLA’s TAP Scholarship. She ultimately applied to
UCLA and was accepted into its biology program. Rose also received the highly coveted
UCLA TAP Scholarship, which covered her tuition and mandatory fees for her first year
(the scholarship is renewable). Rose noted that, were it not for her involvement in the
Transfer Academy, she likely would not have attended the UCLA TAP conference or
even learned about the TAP Conference.
Francesca Cruz
I got help from the transfer academy as an emotional support base. When I
didn’t feel that my parents supported me or I had different problems going
on, most of all, it was Roger and other students in the transfer academy
that we would talk and support each other throughout that process and to
push each other to reach those goals. (p. 17)

102
Among other things, the transfer process requires persistence and determination.
Six years after her transfer journey began at Morningside College, Francesca Cruz finally
realized her dream of transferring to a four-year university.
Francesca grew up in a household where education was not emphasized. Neither
of her immigrant parents had the benefit of a college education. Her father was from
Jalisco, Mexico and attended school until the 3
rd
-grade. Her mother, born in Chiapas,
Mexico only completed elementary school. Francesca’s parents separated just before her
mother immigrated to the United States. Francesca’s mother worked tirelessly as a single
mother to support her four children. Working up to three jobs at a time, she was unable to
be an active participant in her children’s education. Consequently, Francesca’s academic
future was entrusted to the teachers and counselors in her school.
Growing up in Long Beach, Francesca attended a local public school, Douglas
High. Despite being an above-average student, Francesca was never introduced to
discussions of college until her junior year. During a routine meeting with her counselor,
Francesca informed her counselor that she was interested in attending college. Her
counselor, Ms. McKenna told her about the courses and exams she needed to complete in
order to meet admission requirements to four-year universities. Despite meeting Ms.
Mckenna regularly and following her instructions, Francesca realized that she had not
completed all the necessary courses to gain admission to most four-year universities.
Consequently, Ms. McKenna suggested that Francesca attend a community college.

103
Francesca enrolled at Morningside College in the fall of 2004 immediately after
graduating from high school. Francesca was particularly interested in exploring
leadership opportunities on campus, so she got involved with Morningside’s Associated
Student Body (ASB). Through her involvement on campus, Francesca developed
meaningful relationships with peers and some administrators at Morningside. She was
encouraged to apply for the President’s Ambassadors program and was selected. She
admitted that, at times, her involvement with the program interfered with her academics,
causing her to repeat a number of courses because she did not pass them initially.
Francesca also had to work to support herself. She sometimes reduced her course load so
that she could more effectively manage her academic, cocurricular involvement, and
work schedule.
According to Francesca, she learned about the Transfer Academy directly from
Roger Sepulveda. Roger invited her to participate in the program on two separate
occasions. Francesca joined the Transfer Academy in fall 2009 and found it helpful in
exposing her to different four-year universities. Perhaps most important to Francesca was
the peer support she received from other Transfer Academy participants. Prior to joining
the Transfer Academy, Francesca often felt alone in her pursuit of transfer. The Transfer
Academy offered her a peer community of like-minded students who shared her interest
in transfer.
Francesca finally realized her dream of attending a university in the fall of 2010
when she successfully transferred to Mount St. Mary’s College. Francesca noted that she

104
never would have transferred were it not for the support and assistance she received from
her peers in the Transfer Academy and the program’s staff (i.e., Roger and Jasmine).
Nancy Garcia
So, it’s kind of nice to have that first experience with other people but it
kind of just opened you up to like another world like so many more
possibilities. Like the first time I ever went to UCLA was through the
transfer academy and that was on a university tour. And I remember
stepping foot on the campus and just thinking about how gorgeous it was
and that, you know, this was a school I could see myself at. (p. 14)

It took getting kicked out of her first community college before Nancy Garcia
realized that school and earning a degree were important to her. After graduating from
high school in spring 2003, Nancy enrolled at Hamilton College with an interest in
fashion design. At that time, Nancy suffered from a lack of direction. She simply enrolled
in courses that she thought were interesting and often never completed them. Five years,
approximately 75 units, and 19 Ws later, Nancy was dismissed from Hamilton College.
Her dismissal from Fullerton was a jarring experience. She spent the next six months
traveling Europe searching for purpose and direction. Upon her return to the states,
Nancy realized that she wanted to earn a college degree. She decided to give school
another chance; this time, she was determined to be successful.
Nancy was the youngest of six children. Her parents were originally from Mexico,
but she and her siblings were born in the United States. Nancy grew up in San Gabriel
Valley, a working class community. Her parents had limited formal education; Nancy’s
father completed 7
th
-grade, and her mother graduated high school. Education was not
emphasized in Nancy’s family; instead, her parents always taught Nancy and her siblings

105
about the importance of working and being independent. Of Nancy and her five siblings,
only three graduated from high school. An older sister went on to Golden State
University and earned a degree; her twin brother also attended Hamilton College but
dropped out after his first year. Despite the lack of support and encouragement to pursue
higher education, Nancy still did well in high school and applied to universities during
her senior year. She was offered admission and a generous financial aid package to
Golden State University; however, she turned down the offer of admission because her
parents were not supportive of her living at school. As far as they were concerned,
moving out of the house was unacceptable unless she was married. In an effort to
compromise with her parents (especially her mother), Nancy agreed to attend a Hamilton
College because it afforded her the opportunity to work and to live at home.
After five years at Hamilton College and six months traveling, Nancy enrolled at
Morningside College in fall 2008. Nancy returned to school with an undeniable focus and
determination to transfer to a four-year university (specifically, Golden State University).
Shortly after completing her Morningside enrollment paperwork, Nancy recalled seeing a
poster on campus advertising the Transfer Academy. She was struck by the poster,
because it talked about preparing students to transfer on time. The poster instructed
students that were interested in participating to visit the Transfer Center to obtain an
application. Nancy went to the Transfer Center to obtain more information about the
program and, during that visit, she met Jasmine Blou, who talked with her about the
program and encouraged her to apply. Nancy completed the Transfer Academy

106
application and, soon thereafter, received notification that she was selected to participate
in the program.
Nancy’s dedication and focus on her academics began to pay off almost
immediately. She earned a 4.0 GPA during her first semester at Morningside College, and
she went on to join Morningside’s Honors Program and the English Club. Nancy
remained an active participant of the Transfer Academy, attending various workshops
and university tours. She credited the Transfer Academy with opening her eyes to other
educational possibilities. Through Transfer Academy college tours, Nancy visited UCLA,
UC Berkeley, Stanford, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Irvine all for the first time. For Nancy,
the most meaningful Transfer Academy activities were the college tours. As she
described it, prior to joining the Transfer Academy, she was focused exclusively on
transferring to Golden State University in part because her older sister went there, and
because she was offered admission to GSU in high school but was unable to attend. Her
focus on transferring to GSU was also the result of not knowing much about the other
four-year universities in the area. During the Transfer Academy’s visit to UCLA, Nancy
began to consider other educational opportunities. She absolutely loved the campus and
the sense of community among the students there.
With the assistance of Roger Sepulveda, Nancy completed the UC transfer
application and applied to four universities: UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and UC
Santa Barbara. Not surprisingly, she was offered admission to everyone. Although
delighted by her new-found educational opportunities, Nancy was overwhelmed by the

107
decision-making process; she was unsure about which school to attend. Nancy relied
heavily on Roger Sepulveda and Ms. Jamie Williams (the honors counselor) for advice
regarding which school to attend. She described them as being very supportive and
helpful in weighing her options. She noted that Roger and Jamie helped her consider the
pros and cons associated with each school. Perhaps most important, she explained that
they were supportive of her regardless of which school she chose. In the end, Nancy
decided to accept her offer of admission to UCLA.
Nancy transferred to UCLA in fall of 2010 and, at the time of this study, was
pursuing a double major in English and women’s studies. During her interview, Nancy
explained that she was very interested in attending graduate school. She wanted to teach
at the community college level and possibly at a four-year University.
J.C. Lopez
I was in college, but I didn’t know much about college. If that makes
sense? I mean there was a lot of stuff I didn’t know just because I didn’t
grow up here. The college system here is very different from the one in
Venezuela. (p. 10)

J.C. Lopez immigrated to the United States of America in 2001, leaving his
parents, sister, and brother in Venezuela. Shortly after arriving in the states, J.C. enrolled
at Morningside College for the sole purpose of learning English through ESL courses. He
took ESL courses for a year and half; at that point, he felt confident in his English
language skills so he discontinued his enrollment. J.C. was undocumented at that time
and did not see a way forward with his educational pursuits until his immigration status
was resolved. Upon leaving Morningside, J.C. secured employment at a local restaurant,

108
where he worked for the next four years. During that time, he got married and
successfully petitioned for a green card.
J.C.’s wife was interested in returning to school, so she enrolled at Morningside
College in spring of 2004. She studied political science and was interested in transferring
to a four-year university. She routinely encouraged J.C. to continue his education but at
that time he was focused on working. After a year of working tirelessly with the hope of
advancement, J.C. realized he was in a “dead-end job.” He decided to take his wife’s
advice and further his education. He returned to Morningside College in fall of 2006 with
the intent of transferring to a four-year university.
J.C. relied heavily on his wife for support and guidance as he made his return to
school. His wife helped him pick courses, assisted him with course assignments, and
introduced him to various resources at Morningside College. At the time that he returned
to school, she was researching various four-year universities. J.C. accompanied her to
various college tours, and was introduced to the transfer process by watching his wife
navigate it. His wife successfully transferred to UCLA, leaving J.C. at Morningside for
the first time by himself. J.C. was particularly concerned about his ability to successfully
navigate the transfer process on his own without his wife’s assistance at Morningside. His
apprehensions about transferring led him to the Transfer Academy. J.C. thought the
Transfer Academy would help him stay on track to transfer, ensuring that he met all
necessary deadlines and had access to the information he needed to successfully transfer.

109
The Transfer Academy was especially helpful to J.C. in helping him select
appropriate courses that fulfilled transfer requirements, and in supporting him in
navigating the transfer application process. J.C.’s transfer application was complicated by
the fact that he previously completed college-level courses in Venezuela. The Transfer
Academy helped him understand the process of getting his international transcripts
evaluated and translated for inclusion in his transfer application. J.C. was an active
participant of the Transfer Academy and, as a result, he developed a close relationship
with Roger Sepulveda. In addition to his wife, J.C. credited Roger Sepulveda with
helping him achieve his transfer goals. J.C. transferred to UCLA in fall 2009, pursuing a
degree in political science; at the time of this study, he was preparing to apply to law
school. His experience in the Transfer Academy was so influential that J.C. sought
opportunities to help other community college students once he transferred to UCLA. He
got involved with UCLA’s Student Transfer Opportunity and Mentoring Program
(STOMP), a student-led initiative that prepared local community college students for the
transfer process. Ultimately, J.C. wanted to practice immigration law in underserved
communities.
John Mellor

When I got to college, I didn’t know what I was doing. I was like a blind
man in the middle of an ocean. I had no idea which classes to take, how to
register, or where to turn . . . (p .13)

Meet John Mellor, a 20-year old Filipino-American, first-generation college
student who enrolled at LBCC in fall 2008. John’s mother earned a college degree in the

110
Philippines, and his father attended college in the Philippines but had not earned a degree.
John was born and raised in the U.S. and attended Baldwin High School in Lakewood,
CA. By his own account, he was a decent student (approximately 3.1 GPA).
Throughout his upbringing, John’s parents stressed the importance of education,
specifically earning a college degree. They often told him that earning a college degree
was the only way to ensure a “good life”; however, given that neither one of his parents
attended college in the states, they knew very little about preparing for and applying to
college. They trusted that John would receive that information from his high school. Like
many other students, John went through the first two years of his high school experience
without ever discussing college with his guidance counselor. A few weeks after starting
his junior year, he met with a counselor to discuss his foreign language class. During that
meeting, John was asked for the first time by a counselor or teacher at his high school
whether he planned to attend college. He would later learn from that same counselor that
his choice to take Chinese One as a foreign language would preclude him from meeting
minimum admission requirements for the CSU and UC systems. John took Chinese One
his junior year to satisfy his high school graduation requirement. Unfortunately, he
needed to complete two years of the same foreign language in order to meet minimum
admission requirements for the CSU and UC; his high school did not offer the second
year of Chinese (Chinese Two), making him ineligible for the CSU and UC systems.
Consequently, at the urging of his AP History teacher, John decided to enroll at
Morningside College.

111
John arrived at Morningside knowing very little about what to expect from his
college experience. He knew he wanted to transfer to a four-year college but knew
nothing about transfer requirements. At the time he arrived at Morningside, John was
interested in transferring to Golden State University primarily because of its close
proximity, his older cousin went there, and—as he said—“everyone and their mother
goes to Golden State University.” John was eager to transfer as soon as possible; that
desire motivated his participation in the Transfer Academy. In addition to his
involvement in the Transfer Academy, John was very involved in the campus newspaper.
In fact, during his second year at Morningside, he admittedly spent all of his free time in
the newsroom. John developed a close relationship with Professor Martin, who taught
journalism and also advised the school newspaper. Professor Martin and the professionals
associated with the Transfer Academy (Roger and Jasmine) were instrumental in
supporting John through the transfer process.
John eventually transferred to Golden State University in the fall of 2010. He
completed between 60–68 units at Morningside College before transferring. He was
studying print journalism at Golden State University with hope of becoming a freelance
writer or columnist for a major newspaper. John credited the Transfer Academy with
helping him successfully navigate the transfer process
Kelly Jensen
I chose not to accept my admission offers to those schools. I decided not
to go because they are expensive. I figured City College offers a pretty
valuable education to those schools, less expensive. And the first two

112
years are general ed usually. I figured I could transfer to the school I really
wanted to go to. (p. 5)

Kelly Jensen’s father was one of her biggest motivators to attend college. Her
father attended college and earned a degree in engineering. Kelly’s mother, however, did
not attend college. Her father provided enough support and encouragement to compensate
for her mother’s lack of college experience. Kelly’s father demanded that she set her
sights high, expecting her to attend an Ivy League school. As a result of her father’s
constant support, Kelly never questioned whether she would attend college.
Kelly attended her neighborhood high school, Lakeview High. She had wonderful
teachers and counselors. Kelly had access to honors and advanced placement courses;
overall her high school had a strong college-going culture. Despite all of the resources
available to her, Kelly struggled in high school and described her experience as
“horrible.” Kelly’s challenges were nonacademic; she was the victim of chronic bullying
which adversely affected her academics. Despite her challenges, Kelly managed to
graduate from high school with a 3.3 cumulative GPA, and she completed the A-G
requirements for admission to the Cal State University and University of California
systems. Kelly applied to four-year universities during her senior year and ultimately
received offers of admission to Cal State Dominguez Hills, Golden State University, Cal
State, LA; she was also conditionally admitted to Cal State, San Diego. Ultimately, she
decided that accepting an offer of admission from any of those schools would be settling
and compromising the goals she set for herself. Kelly’s father encouraged her to consider

113
attending a community college then transferring to a university of her choice.
Consequently, in fall 2009, Kelly decided to enroll at Morningside College.
Kelly arrived at Morningside College focused and determined to excel
academically. She quickly established a strong academic foundation in terms of GPA,
then she began to explore various cocurricular opportunities. Kelly noted that her father
encouraged her to get involved and pursue leadership opportunities. She was particularly
interested in pursuing involvement opportunities in organizations that were academic in
nature or “future oriented,” as she described them. Kelly was involved in the Kassai
Honors Society, Pi Delta Alpha Honor Society, Honors Program, and the Transfer
Academy. She joined the Transfer Academy midway through her first year at
Morningside. She was drawn to the program because it would help her meet other
students who were “serious about transfer.” Particularly, Kelly was appreciative of the
opportunity to meet other students who were equally interested in transferring to selective
private institutions (i.e., USC and Stanford). Kelly was very particular about which
Transfer Academy activities she participated in. Given her affiliation with numerous
campus organizations, she acknowledged only attending workshops that focused on
schools she was considering seriously as possible transfer destinations. She credited the
Northern California Bus Tour with solidifying her interest in attending Stanford
University.
Kelly funded her Morningside College experience exclusively with merit-based
scholarships. Her family made too much money to qualify for any form of need-based

114
financial aid. Relative to other Transfer Academy participants, Kelly was far more
resourceful. She was adept at accessing institutional resources related to transfer. For
example, she frequently visited the Morningside College Scholarship Office in search of
new scholarship opportunities. Additionally, her father was instrumental in helping her
navigate Morningside College and accessing its many resources.
At the time of my interview, Kelly had completed 53 units, with a cumulative
GPA that exceeded 3.8. Her anticipated transfer date was spring 2011.
Elizabeth Pardoni
So, again, my dad was telling me, you know, ‘Go to school, go to school’
and I did actually try and it was in 2005, that I came here. And, again I
dropped my classes. I just couldn’t acclimate to . . . it’s really different
being in the military and then entering civilian life . . . (p. 4)

“College isn’t for everybody. A lot of people are successful without ever going to
college. Besides, school just isn’t my thing.” These are words that Elizabeth Pardoni
often used to try and convince her father that attending college was not that big of a deal.
She had no interest in pursuing higher education. Instead, she was primarily focused on
hanging out with her friends—friends who were not a positive influence on her. After
several minor run-ins with the law, Elizabeth’s mother realized that Elizabeth was in need
of discipline and structure. Her mother enrolled her in a juvenile intervention program for
at-risk youth in Huntington Park. The program was administered by the Huntington Park
Police Department and the United States Marine Corps. Program participants met
afterschool and all day Saturday for mandatory activities. If participants failed to arrive
on time for mandatory program activities, the Huntington Park Police Department was

115
dispatched to their residence to detain the individual and bring them to the required
meeting. Elizabeth participated in the program from the 10
th
-grade through her senior
year. Although she didn’t like the program initially, she grew to appreciate the structure
and discipline it provided. As a result of her involvement in this program, Elizabeth
developed an interest in joining the military, specifically the Marines.
By her own admission, Elizabeth was a horrible student in high school. Elizabeth
never took high school seriously because she had no plan of continuing her education
beyond that point. Additionally, her high school environment was one in which students
were never encouraged or motivated to pursue higher education. Elizabeth’s high school
underperformed regularly on statewide exams. Consequently, the school was taken over
by the state a year after Elizabeth graduated. When Elizabeth graduated from high school,
she wanted to enlist in the Marine Corps, but her father insisted that she continue her
education. In an effort to appease her father, she enrolled at East Lakeview College
(ELC). Her enrollment at ELC was short lived; Elizabeth withdrew from ELC midway
through her first semester. She then enlisted in the Marines—just six months after
graduating from high school.
Elizabeth enjoyed military life and the opportunities it afforded her. She was able
to travel around the world, and she met people from all walks for life. A year after joining
the military, Elizabeth met her soon-to-be husband, who was also in the military; they
married within a year. Elizabeth described her life as perfect during that time, until
tragedy struck. Her husband died suddenly, throwing her life into a tailspin. Elizabeth

116
struggled immensely to manage the grief that resulted from her husband’s sudden death.
Ultimately, she completed her military obligations and returned home to her family.
Elizabeth’s family members played a pivotal role in helping her get back on her
feet. They supported her emotionally and financially. Her father continued to impress
upon her the importance of continuing her education. In fall 2005, Elizabeth enrolled at
Morningside College to resume her education. She returned to school as a full-time
student but found the transition from military to civilian life very difficult. To her father’s
dismay, two months into the fall semester, Elizabeth once again withdrew from all her
courses. She left school and joined the workforce.
Elizabeth worked at a telemarketing company for three years doing web design
and maintenance. She explained that she made minimum wage for the majority of her
time with the company. Many of her colleagues were women whom she described as
being “stuck in these dead-end jobs.” For Elizabeth, this experience provoked her initial
realization that she needed an education in order to secure a meaningful career. Her
boyfriend at the time was three years older than she and was pursuing a degree in
aeronautical engineering from Embry-Riddle University. He routinely encouraged
Elizabeth to return to school, telling her she was too smart for the job she had. In the
summer of 2008, Elizabeth decided to give school another try, she returned to
Morningside College and enrolled in one course, Math 110. Elizabeth did very well in the
course and, at that time, decided to quit her job and return to school full time.

117
This time Elizabeth was ready to return to school. Unlike her previous attempts at
school, she enrolled because she wanted to—not to appease her father or boyfriend. In the
fall of 2008, Elizabeth got involved with the veteran community at Morningside. She
credited Dr. Harris, Dean of Veteran Affairs, with helping her find ways to get involved
at Morningside. Dr. Harris sent all veterans at Morningside College regular emails
informing them of various programs and opportunities. Through one of those emails,
Elizabeth found out about the President’s Ambassadors program. She applied to the
program and was selected as a participant. Elizabeth noted that she met a lot of important
people through the President’s Ambassador program including, but not limited to, the
president of Morningside College, a number of deans, and many influential people in the
Morningside community.
Elizabeth joined the Transfer Academy in the spring of 2010 after her friend
Francesca Cruz encouraged her to apply for it. Elizabeth entered the Transfer Academy
with her sights set on transferring to UCLA. During her initial counseling appointment
with Roger Sepulveda she realized that UCLA did not offer her intended major, business
finance. Mr. Sepulveda helped her develop a list of schools that offered her major. A year
after joining the Transfer Academy, Elizabeth successfully transferred to Loyola
Marymount University; she was majoring in business finance and pursuing a minor in
political science.
Elizabeth was the first in her family to attend college. Her sister, who was four
years older than she, attended a career college after completing high school. Elizabeth’s

118
parents had not attended college. Her mother was initially from Nicaragua and was
educated until the 8
th
-grade; her mother was a caregiver. Elizabeth’s father was from Peru
and did not have the benefit of a formal education beyond middle school; her father was
an auto mechanic and co-owner of an auto repair shop. Despite not having gone to
college, Elizabeth’s parents were extremely supportive of her attending college. Elizabeth
recalled her father always stressing the importance of education and motivating her to
pursue higher education.
Kaley Parker
My mom taught us and she was always encouraging us to do our
homework and go to college, because she wanted to go on to get a
bachelor’s degree in nursing, but she was unable to, that was her biggest
regret, not getting her degree. She would always say “you should really
get a college education.” (p. 4)

Kaley Parker never doubted that she would attend college; she simply needed
assistance navigating the college preparation and application processes. Kaley’s parents
were adamant that their kids all go to college. Her parents always emphasized the
importance of education and actively supported their children’s educational pursuits. For
example, Kaley’s mother homeschooled Kaley and her two brothers (one older one
younger) through middle school before placing them in public school for high school.
Kaley’s parents decided to place them in regular high schools because they assumed the
high schools were better equipped to prepare Kaley and her siblings for college, because
neither of her parents graduated from a four-year university.

119
Like her older brother, Kaley attended Winston High School, their neighborhood
school. Unfortunately, the school lacked a strong college preparatory culture. Winston
High School was grossly overpopulated and under-resourced. Students at Winston were
not encouraged to pursue higher education. When Kaley’s mother realized that Winston
was not adequately preparing Kaley for college, she decided to move Kaley and her older
brother to a different school, Jefferson High School. Kaley quickly realized that the
environment at Jefferson High School was far more conducive to college preparation than
the environment at Winston. At Jefferson, Kaley had access to honors and advanced
placement courses, and counselors who supported college attendance. With her
counselors’ assistance, Kaley applied to Golden State University (GSU) and California
Baptist University as a senior in high school. She was denied admission to GSU but was
accepted to California Baptist University. After discussing her options with her guidance
counselor and her family, she decided to enroll at a community college then transfer to a
four-year university. Kaley believed she would have gained admission to Golden State
University had she never attended Winston High School. She wanted to prove to herself
that she was, in fact, capable of being admitted to GSU; community college offered her a
second chance to gain admission.
Kaley enrolled at Morningside College in fall of 2008, immediately following her
high school graduation. After completing the necessary English and math assessment
exams, Kaley met with a counselor in August of 2008, and received assistance selecting
her courses. During that meeting, she initially discussed her desire to transfer. The

120
counselor gave her a Transfer Academy flyer and encouraged her to apply. Kaley
completed the application and was admitted to the inaugural Transfer Academy cohort.
Kaley remained involved in the Transfer Academy throughout her Morningside College
experience. She credited the Transfer Academy with helping her stay on track for transfer
while preparing to meet the admissions requirements for Morningside College’s
competitive nursing program.
Kaley was formally admitted into Morningside’s nursing program in the spring of
2010. Her plans were to complete the nursing program, pass the state exam to become a
registered nurse, then transfer to a four-year college to earn her bachelor of science
degree in nursing. Unfortunately, after a semester in the nursing program, Kaley realized
that she truly was not interested in pursuing a degree in nursing. Kaley used the fall 2010
semester to complete her remaining transfer requirements and to apply to four-year
universities. In spring 2011, Kaley was admitted to Cal State, Fullerton, Cal State, San
Bernardino, and Golden State University. She accepted admission to Golden State
University and enrolled in fall of 2011; she was pursuing a degree in history.
Cultural Theme
The organizational culture found within schools impacts students’ educational
experiences and influences their decisions to persist. Institutional culture assists students
in understanding various events and activities within their schools. Kuh (2001) asserted
that institutional culture encourages students to perform in ways that lead to academic

121
and social success. I applied Kuh’s definition of organizational culture to this study. Kuh
(2001) defined organizational culture as:
the collective , mutually shaping patterns of institutional history, mission,
physical settings, norms, traditions, values, practices, beliefs, and
assumptions that guide the behavior of individuals and groups in an
institution of higher education and which provide a frame of reference for
interpreting the meanings of events and actions on and off campus. (p. 25)

Kuh’s explanation of organizational culture addresses its impact on student performance
and the student experience. His explanation of organizational culture establishes a causal
connection between organizational culture and student performance.
The cultural theme was expanded to reflect subcategories that emerged during the
data analysis process. Ideas or concepts that reoccurred across study participants were
identified and noted as subcategories. Within the cultural frame, the following
subcategories were identified: cultural: precollege education, cultural: Transfer Academy,
and cultural: Morningside College. What follows is a brief description of each
subcategory, coupled with relevant data that illustrates the impact of culture on student’s
ability to navigate college and the transfer process.
Cultural: Precollege Education
Participants’ college plans were shaped by their k–12 educational experiences,
especially in high school. In some instances, participants credited their high schools for
preparing and encouraging them to attend college; in other cases, participants indicated
their high schools never discussed or encouraged college attendance.

122
John Mellor’s experience was a perfect example of how the k–12 educational
experience can support college attendance. John was fortunate to have always attended
schools that emphasized college attendance. He recalled being encouraged to attend
college by teachers throughout his educational experience. In fact, when asked at which
stage in his educational experience he decided to attend college, John could not recall;
instead he offered the following explanation:
Well, I am not too sure as when you mention, “first interested” [in
college], because you know even in elementary and middle school, you
have teachers telling you, you know “Oh, you know once you finish high
school, you go to college.” I think it’s kind of built in a very young age
that you know you got to do the college thing because if you want to get a
job you know support your family then you got to do the college thing.
As far as John could recall, his teachers and other school personnel always emphasized
the importance of college attendance. John noted that he never questioned whether he
would attend college. As far as he knew, attending college was a natural and logical
progression in the educational experience.
Similarly, Kaley Parker credited Jefferson High School with orienting her to
attending college. After being homeschooled by her mother in middle school, Kaley
enrolled at her neighborhood high school, Winston High. The school was overpopulated,
grossly under-resourced, and suffered from high teacher turnover. Kaley’s mother grew
concerned about the absence of a college preparatory curriculum and, after unsuccessful
attempts at lobbying Winston’s administration to enhance course offerings, she decided
to enroll Kaley at Jefferson High School. Jefferson High School offered a college-prep
curriculum that included a broad array of honors and advanced placement courses.

123
Perhaps most important, Jefferson had a strong overall college-prep culture. At Jefferson
High, Kaley had increased access to high quality teachers and counselors, a strong
college-preparatory curriculum, and peers who shared her interest in postsecondary
education. Kaley noticed the difference in academic culture from her previous high
school to Jefferson almost immediately. In describing the differences between the two
high schools, she stated:
I transferred to Jefferson high school and it was just a completely different
environment for me, and I felt like this, everyone was sort of competing
and like what college are you going to, and it’s a different atmosphere and
I just felt like I wanted to work harder, and I started to think about college
and things like that . . . Jefferson is a much smaller community and you
know the teachers well, you know the counselors well, and so I think
that’s what made the difference. (p. 3)
Kaley’s experience at Jefferson High School clearly influenced her decision to pursue
postsecondary education. At Jefferson High School, Kaley benefited from the
encouragement of her teachers, counselors, and peers. She described her high school
environment as motivating her to work harder, which ultimately led to her becoming a
better student.
Unlike John and Kaley, Elizabeth Pardoni did not have the benefit of having
attended a high school that motivated students to attend college. Elizabeth attended
Whicker Park High School, an urban high school in southeast Los Angeles. By her own
admission, Elizabeth was a poor student in high school. She went on to explain that very
few students at her school were serious about their academics, and that the high school
“barely offered a college preparatory curriculum.” In fact, her high school was identified

124
as an “underperforming school” because students consistently failed to meet minimum
standards on statewide standardized tests. According to Elizabeth, no one at her high
school ever spoke with her about attending college; she explained, “We weren’t really
pushed to go to college, it wasn’t a big thing in our high school, certainly not at the time I
was attending” (p. 3). Despite her father’s encouragement to attend college, Elizabeth
knew as early as the 10
th
-grade that she was not interested. The environment at Whicker
Park High School lacked structure and discipline, the curriculum was not innovative or
rigorous, and—perhaps most importantly—the students were never challenged or
expected to work hard. When asked which factors led to her not attending college
immediately after high school, she noted that she did not feel academically prepared for
college and that few people from her high school went on to college. Elizabeth also noted
that the state took over her high school the year after she graduated (2002) due to
continued underperformance. This status resulted in many of her teachers, counselors,
and principal being reassigned to other schools and an entirely new administration being
brought in to reform her high school.
Cultural: Transfer Academy
Four of the eight study participants acknowledged that the Transfer Academy
provided them a structured experience that made navigating the transfer process more
manageable. Students appreciated that the Transfer Academy enabled them to establish a
regular routine for transfer-related activities. For example, John Mellor noted that he
looked forward to Fridays. He knew that on Fridays there was a Transfer Academy

125
workshop that featured important transfer-related information and free food, or there
would be a Transfer Club meeting. In describing the uniqueness of the Transfer
Academy, Nancy Garcia also noted that Transfer Academy activities almost always
included guest speakers (oftentimes from other universities) and food. They credited the
food with creating a “laid back and welcoming environment.” Additionally, the Transfer
Academy participants perceived themselves as special because they were afforded
opportunities and benefits that most students at Morningside College did not receive.
Participants noted feeling special about being part of the Transfer Academy; they enjoyed
the unique unobstructed access to administrators, the special Transfer Academy bags, the
college visits, and so on. By many accounts, being a part of the Transfer Academy made
participants feel “special.”
The Transfer Academy’s prevailing culture of support and encouragement was
clearly apparent to study participants. Beyond the support and encouragement
participants received from the Transfer Academy coordinator, Roger Sepulveda, they
noted the ongoing assistance participants gave each other. Transfer Academy participant,
Francesca Cruz described the Transfer Academy as a “family.” She offered the following
explanation:
I got help from the transfer academy as an emotional support base. When I
didn’t feel that my parents supported me or I had different problems going
on, most of all, it was Roger and other students in the transfer academy
that we would talk and support each other throughout that process and to
push each other to reach those goals. (p. 17)

126
Elizabeth recalled feeling comforted knowing that other students were sharing in her
journey toward transfer. She appreciated having peers whom she could turn to for
questions regarding the transfer process and the challenges associated with the
admissions process. Elizabeth shared the following:
I would like for people to know that the [Transfer Academy] is a support
base, it is going to support you emotionally, physically and that it is a
pathway to your higher education that once you have that community
together you walk step by step together and you get to know different
campuses and resources, that’s going to really make a change when you
are part of the Transfer Academy. (p. 26)
Even participants who infrequently attended Transfer Academy events shared this sense
of support. Kelly Jensen, for example, noted that despite her inability to regularly attend
Transfer Academy events, she felt supported by the Academy and found her affiliation
with the academy helpful. She explained:
Like although we don’t get together very often, maybe once a semester,
it’s still a nice program to be a part of because there are people who
genuinely want to see you succeed and it’s nice to be a part of something
like that. (p. 18)

In addition to acknowledging the assistance they received from program staff and other
students in the program, study participants characterized the Transfer Academy activities
as motivating them to work harder to achieve their goals. Specifically, participants
explained how beneficial it was for them to hear about the postsecondary educational
experiences of others. Nancy Garcia, Kelly Jensen, and Kaley Parker noted that a unique
feature of the Transfer Academy was the opportunities it afforded participants to meet
and learn from Morningside College students who successfully transferred to four-year

127
colleges or universities. Kaley Parker described the impact of interacting with the
Morningside alumni as follows, “I liked the Transfer Academy workshops because we
actually met students who transferred to these schools and heard some pretty amazing
stories . . . where they were and where they are now, and so I feel like it was really
encouraging” (p. 11). Kaley went on to explain that many of the successful Morningside
alumni whom she met during Transfer Academy activities faced and overcame
significant challenges on their path to transfer. Hearing their stories gave her confidence
that she, too, could overcome her daily challenges and, one day, transfer. Kelly Jensen
made a similar observation during her interview, stating, “They bring back students
who’ve transferred and it just gives you a visual aid as to where you can be and that it is
possible despite all sorts of obstacles” (p. 19). Kelly and Kaley noted feeling inspired
after each interaction with Morningside alumni who successfully transferred to a four-
year college or university. In fact, one of the “memorable Transfer Academy
experiences” commonly referenced by study participants was an interaction with a
Morningside alumnus named Evan Martin.
Nancy Garcia described her interaction with Evan Martin as a “pivotal moment”
in her Transfer Academy experience. She met Evan Martin during the Northern
California Bus Tour while visiting Stanford University. She explained that Roger
arranged for Evan to speak to the group upon their arrival at Stanford; in fact, Evan
welcomed and greeted the group when they arrived. Nancy described Evan as follows:
Evan Martin was a student here at Morningside College and he was
inspiring just listening to him talk about like his situation how he had a

128
son and a wife and he went to Morningside College and graduated as the
valedictorian and he ended up going to Stanford.

When asked specifically what about Evan Martin’s story she found inspirational, Nancy
stated:
He is from Morningside, he lived across the street from like a halfway
house and people dealing drugs like on the corners of the street and that
was like the environment he knew but despite that he knew he had to go to
school, he had to get a good education . . . I’m a sucker for the underdog
story so anytime I hear something about somebody who is at like—at the
very bottom and like getting so much and, you know, working his way up,
I love that and especially because he was a Morningside College alumni
that totally motivated me even more. (p. 23)
Nancy explained that she was particularly drawn to Evan’s story because he overcame
tremendous hardship to pursue higher education and transfer to Stanford. She described
the impact her interaction with Evan had on her as follows:
It definitely made me work a lot harder, you know, it made me realize
that, you know, the problems I have are so small compared to the stuff he
had to deal with. I mean, he had a kid and a wife and just, I mean and its
always good I think to hear experiences from other people who have had it
worse than you because it makes you kind of feel-I don’t want to say
guilty but it makes you a lot more appreciative for the situation you’re in. I
felt like I needed to take advantage of this opportunity. (p. 23)
According to Nancy, she enjoyed and benefitted from meeting other Morningside alumni
who had successfully transferred; however, her interaction with Evan Martin was most
profound in motivating her to achieve her own transfer goals.
Nancy Garcia and Francesca Cruz also noted being motivated to transfer by
Morningside staff associated with the Transfer Academy. Specifically, participants
recalled Transfer Academy activities during which Morningside staff spoke in great

129
detail about their own community college and transfer experiences. Nancy Garcia offered
the following explanation as to why hearing about the staff’s college experiences was
important to her:
One thing that Roger did that was cool was he got some teachers to speak
about their college experience which I really liked. I mean I always like to
see how, you know, people because I mean of course teachers were like in
our position too. So, it’s nice to see like how they got from being a student
to being a university graduate, to being, you know a working professional.
(p. 25)
Nancy noted that this event was the first time she had ever heard Morningside staff or
professors share their college experiences with students. She explained that after hearing
about their college experiences, she felt more comfortable approaching them for
assistance.
Five of the eight study participants described the Transfer Academy as a
community that supported and inspired them to achieve their transfer goals. Although
study participants used different words to convey these feelings of support, motivation,
and encouragement, the overall sentiment was overwhelmingly clear. (See Table 4) For
example, Nancy Garcia was drawn to the Transfer Academy because it connected her to
other students whom she perceived to be “motivated and focused on transfer.” She
explained,
[The other students] were definitely just as motivated as I was and then,
you know, I kind of wanted to surround myself with people who are like at
least from the same level because it’s really hard for me to stay motivated.
So, I don’t want to hang out with somebody who was like, you know,
really lacks focus. (p. 27)

130
The Transfer Academy offered Nancy a community of students who were equally
committed to their education and to achieving their transfer goals, which she felt
motivated her throughout the process.

131
Table 4
Participants’ Expressions of Support
Study Participant Quotations Conveying Sense of Support,
Encouragement, or Motivation
Francesca Cruz When I didn’t feel that my parents supported me, or
I had different problems going on most of all, it was
like Roger and other student in the transfer academy
that we would talk and support each other . . . (p. 17)
Kaley Parker I feel like it was encouraging, because a lot of
people don’t transfer . . . we helped each other stay
positive . . . I felt well prepared, I felt encouraged to
keep working, keep studying . . . (p. 15)
Kelly Jensen The environment, it’s very nurturing, I feel, as far as
being focused and on track to transfer. (p. 18)
Rose Arroyo The cool thing was we call kind of had the same
mentality, everybody there was in to transferring so
that kind of motivates you to stay on top of it all. (p.
11)
Nancy Garcia I met some people there who really wanted to go to
a university and then I think, you know, that was
kind of my first taste of meeting with other people
who like, who really, really, are motivated to
transfer and graduate. (p. 1)

Kaley Parker also credited the Transfer Academy with helping her prepare for the
transfer process and with providing her with ongoing support. In describing the culture of
the Transfer Academy, Kaley explained,
There is so much support, you are constantly getting emails and talking to
counselors and [they] tell you to keep going and say ‘how is your class
going’ and they encouraged me whereas just community college in
general, everyone is on their own and teachers don’t really [have] time to
speak. (p. 16)

Kaley went on to explain that through her involvement in the Transfer Academy, she
realized that “transferring requires some determination on yourself.” She continued:
“You have to be able to ask questions, ask for help, look for information, you have to

132
take some initiative to get good grades . . . so I felt well prepared or I felt encouraged to
keep working, keep studying” (p. 15). Kaley explained that the Transfer Academy
empowered her by teaching her exactly what she needed to do to transfer and by helping
her understand how she could make herself as competitive as possible during the
application process.
Kelly Jensen described the Transfer Academy and the staff associated with the
program as helpful. Kelly noted that the Transfer Academy staff was always available to
answer her questions, even when she did not have an appointment. She also credited the
Transfer Academy with helping her stay focused on her transfer goals. She described the
Transfer Academy as follows, “The environment, it is very nurturing, I feel, as far as
being focused and on track to transfer” (p. 18). Kelly explained that the Transfer
Academy gave her confidence in what she was doing (i.e. course work, cocurricular
activities, etc.) because it made sure that she was always on the right track. Rose Arroyo
echoed similar sentiments when describing how her involvement in the Transfer
Academy translated into a sense of confidence. Rose described her feeling about the
Transfer Academy as follows:
[Y]ou know you are on the right track, you know, if the deadline is
coming up, they are going to tell you . . . like they help you with the
IGETC and stuff like that which is basically your undergraduate lower
level, your lower division courses . . . because they’ve done it, I don’t
know how to say it, like the feeling, they’ve been through college, like I
can talk to my mom, but she won’t really know like how to help me. . . . It
just gives me confidence like that you can do it you know, and if for some
reason you are not confident that you can do it, but they’ll make you be
even more confident by telling you, okay, do this and that, it will give you
a better chance or something. (p. 20)

133
Rose explained that the Transfer Academy staff made her feel better about herself; for
her, the Transfer Academy and its staff were a tremendous source of motivation.
Cultural: Morningside
Interviews with Jasmine Blou and Roger Sepulveda, who served as coordinators
of the Transfer Academy (at various times), illustrated that the program was created to
address Morningside’s weak transfer culture. Both individuals shared that, based on their
experiences as counselors at Morningside College, they knew that many students were
not receiving adequate information about, or preparation for, the transfer process. They
also noted that not until the Improving Transfer Project in 2007 did their administration
and others beyond the counseling department begin to focus on the college’s transfer
function. Jasmine Blou described the prior perceptions of the college’s transfer function
and the impact of the Improving Transfer Project as follows:
Yeah, it wasn’t until the Improving Transfer Project, when students were
surveyed or even faculty were surveyed, they saw that they [students]
were lost in the transfer process that they didn’t feel that they were given
enough guidance. They [administration] felt it was a guessing game for
them [students] what they [students] need to do. So they needed some
more structured guidance with it [transfer]. And the faculty were not
focusing on transfer, there was no visibility of transfer; transfer was
something that was kind of assumed as happening but not very actively.
You know, we had [college] fairs and everything, but it really just didn’t
seem like there was an institutional effort to promote transfer. They
[administration] assumed that students will just come to the transfer
center, find their information and move forward, but they found that that
wasn’t the case. The students were still very lost and in the dark about the
transfer process. And so that’s why, that’s where the part of the Transfer
Academy will be helpful; because it’s not just about taking your courses,
it’s about, you know, it’s about focusing on transfer requirements, major
prep, application process, what happens after transfer and things like that.

134
So students would feel that when they were ready to transfer, the transition
would be much easier. (p. 6)
Roger Sepulveda also shared that Morningside’s transfer function historically had
been more visible at the Waterfront Campus compared to the Parkview Campus. In the
past, the Parkview Campus had very few transfer-related resources, because it offered
most of the college’s certificate and vocational programs. Until recently, the Parkview
Campus had not offered the full complement of general education courses required for
transfer. In recent years, however, Morningside’s administration made a conscious effort
to offer more general education courses at the Parkview Campus while increasing the
academic support services available at that campus. Despite those changes,
Morningside’s Waterfront Campus still had a far stronger transfer culture than the
Parkview Campus. According to Roger, most students particularly interested in transfer
tend to take their courses at the Waterfront Campus.
Roger and Jasmine acknowledged that the Transfer Academy had been successful
for students who had the opportunity to participate. They noted that, for active
participants, the Transfer Academy provided them with a small community that
emphasized the importance and value of transfer. However, Jasmine and Roger also
acknowledged that the Transfer Academy was not having a profound effect on
transforming Morningside College’s overall transfer culture. They believed that the
program was simply too small and not fully integrated across campus to improve
Morningside’s overall transfer culture. Roger offered the following explanation:

135
It’s going to take a lot more than just having the Transfer Academy to
improve our overall transfer culture. I think the academy is a great start
but, honestly, the program is so small compared to the general student
body that it’s just a drop in the bucket. Now if we were able to do this
program for all Morningside students then I’d say we have a good or
strong transfer culture but, it’s just not possible. (p. 24)
Although the Transfer Academy was able to provide a transfer-oriented culture to
program participants, the vast majority of Morningside College students had not
experienced a similar institutional culture, namely one that encouraged and promoted the
importance of transfer.
Relational Theme
Increasingly, studies are showing that promoting transfer involves more than
informing students of transfer requirements, financial aid, and other transfer-related
resources. Instead, these studies are highlighting the critical role that relationships play in
promoting community college transfer (Bensimon 2004, 2007; Bensimon et al., 2007;
Bensimon & Dowd, 2009). Of particular interest in these studies are the relationships
between community college students and institutional personnel (i.e., administrators,
counselors, and faculty), and how these relationships encourage and support students’
transfer aspirations. Equally important is students’ access to and involvement with peer
social networks based on shared academic/professional goals, as these networks serve to
encourage and support students’ transfer goals. Many view these relationships as
indicators of academic engagement, necessary conditions for persistence and academic
success (Astin, 1984; Pascarella & Terrenzini, 1991; Tinto, 1987).

136
In examining the community college experiences of study participants, I clearly
saw that key relationships played a significant role in the students’ motivation and ability
to successfully navigate the transfer process. Consequently, the relational theme emerged
from the data as an area warranting further examination. The relational theme focused
primarily on individual characteristics and interpersonal skills that supported forming
meaningful relationships that provided students with the institutional support and
encouragement needed to achieve their transfer goals. In the interview data, respondents
repeatedly identified the following relationships as the source of much-needed support
and encouragement: relationships with family members (i.e., siblings, significant others,
etc.), relationships with Transfer Academy Staff and other counselors, relationships with
faculty, and last—but certainly not least—relationships with peers.
Relational: Family Members/Significant Other
Among the eight study participants, five had parents who had not attended
college. Family has enormous potential to impact (positively or otherwise) a student’s
ability to attend college. Parents are expected to partner in their child’s education by
providing financial and emotional support and advocacy, and by inculcating their child
with college-going attitudes and behaviors that facilitate academic success. However, a
family’s ability to do so requires familiarity with the college-going process (admission
requirements, financial aid, academic support services, and cocurricular involvement
opportunities), knowledge that is typically derived through personal experience attending
college. Consequently, second- and third-generation college goers have greater access to

137
knowledge that supports and encourages college attendance/success. In addition to
serving as role models for students, family members or significant others with college
experience provide students with ongoing support, encouragement, and advice regarding
the transfer process. Unlike relationships with counselors, faculty, and other institutional
personnel, these relationships are rooted in personal connections, shared personal
experiences, and mutual trust developed over years of interaction. Many of the students
in this study enjoyed such relationships and identified them as important to successfully
navigating the transfer process.
The study participants had varying levels of family support for their pursuit of
postsecondary education and transfer. (See Table 5) In some cases, participants received
very clear messages from their parents regarding the importance of a college education;
in other cases, study participants had not been encouraged—or had even been
discouraged—by their parents to pursue college. In one instance, a study participant who
gained admission to a four-year college was discouraged by her mother from attending

138
Table 5
Parental Support of Education and Parental Education
Study Participant Parental Support to Pursue
Postsecondary Education
and Transfer
Parent(s)
Attended College
Arroyo, Rose Yes Yes (Mother)
Cruz, Francesca No No
Garcia, Nancy No No
Jensen, Kelly Yes Yes (Father)
Lopez, JC No No
Mellor, John Yes Yes (Mother)
Pardoni, Elizabeth Yes No
Parker, Kaley Yes Some Community
College

The majority of study participants grew up in households that recognized the
importance of a college education. They recalled receiving subtle and direct messages
from their parents about the value of earning a college education. This message came
through even in instances where the parent(s) did not have the benefit of a college
education. For example, Elizabeth Pardoni’s parents immigrated to the United States
from Nicaragua and Peru; neither parent had a formal education beyond middle school.
Yet Elizabeth recalled her father’s constant insistence that she attend college and earn a
degree. Describing her father’s role in encouraging her to earn a college degree, Elizabeth
stated, “My dad was pushing me to go to college . . . He wanted me to go to college

139
period. Just to get an education and to better myself and to have a better future” (p. 3).
Similarly, John Mellor’s parents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines.
His mother earned a college degree in the Philippines but knew very little about the
college-going process in America. Despite her lack of knowledge surrounding American
colleges and universities, she still impressed upon John the importance of earning a
college degree. Like Elizabeth’s father, John’s mother knew enough about college to
understand that earning a college degree affords an individual a greater chance of
economic stability, which they equated with a better quality of life. In John’s case, his
mother’s repeated reminders about the importance of college—coupled with her ability to
independently support their family financially—encouraged him to pursue a college
education. John described his mother’s impact on his decision to pursue higher education
as follows:
Well, looking at my mom you know she supports our family, we are a
single income family and you know she supports us greatly. I get three
meals a day, sometimes more, but we have cable TV, we have fast
internet, you know, she paid for my guitar, my drums everything I needed,
but you know she instilled in me that once you have a college degree, then
your doors are basically open and first she also says “Once you get your
degree, once you show me that degree in your hand, you can do
whatever.” (p. 3)
Clearly John’s mother made a lasting impression on his perceptions of college and its
importance in having a “successful life.” In John and Elizabeth’s cases, although their
parents lacked information about the ins and outs of the college-going process, from an
early age, they communicated the value of going to college, increasing the likelihood that
their children they would eventually attend college.

140
A number of study participants grew up in households in which one or both of
their parents attended college. In addition to providing their child general encouragement
to attend college, these parents played an active role in ensuring they were prepared for
the college process. These students benefited from their parents’ first-hand knowledge of
the college-going process. The parents of these students not only understood the basic
requirements for college admission, but they were also actively involved in helping their
children navigate school systems in order to gain access to key resources.
Kelly Jensen benefited tremendously from the knowledge her father gained
through his college experience. Her father attended college and earned a bachelor’s
degree in engineering. For as long as Kelly could recall, her father was always one of the
main people encouraging her to attend college. She recounted:
I always wanted, you know, to be a college girl. I thought that would be
a really nice thing and my dad has always instilled this philosophy of
“as generations go on so should they, they should go further than their
parents did” and it would be a total step-back if I decided not to go to
college while my father did. That’s a big factor for me going to college.
(p. 3)
In addition to encouraging Kelly to attend college, Kelly’s father played an instrumental
role in ensuring that Kelly would be competitive when she applied to colleges for
admission. He routinely informed her of opportunities that would enhance her chances of
gaining admission to her schools of choice. For example, Kelly credited her father with
getting her into the Merit Scholars Program at her high school. This program ensured that
a student took at least two Advanced Placement courses per year. By the time Kelly
graduated from high school, she completed eight advanced placement courses, which

141
elevated her GPA. Her father also encouraged her to be strategic when selecting
cocurricular activities. He insisted that she volunteer at a local hospital at least 10 hours
per week during her junior year in high school, because he knew colleges and universities
sought those experiences in successful applicants. Lastly, Kelly’s father was instrumental
in shaping her opinion with regard to which college she should attend. Kelly states,
In high school, I was just saying, like, “Oh, I want to go to like, UC San
Diego or UC Santa Barbara.” But he [her father] always encouraged me
to set my sights higher. He’d say “Why stop there?’ You know even
though it’s expensive, it’s worth it though. So he definitely encouraged
me to shoot for the Ivy League . . . (p. 3)
Kelly’s father understood not only the benefits of a college education, but also the
differences among institutions based on selectivity and reputation.
Unlike Kelly’s father, her mother did not have the benefit of a college education;
in fact, Kelly’s mother spent her formative years in Mexico and had only completed an
elementary education. Kelly noted that her mother rarely engaged her in conversation
about education, especially about college. The only instances Kelly remembered of her
mother speaking to her about college centered on her mother’s concern about the high
costs associated with pursuing a college education. Kelly attributed her mother’s lack of
encouragement to the fact that she hadn’t attended college. She explained, “She just sees
the price tag . . . and she doesn’t get it. But you know, I guess it’s because she never
attended college. So she is probably not going to understand my passion [for college]” (p.
4). Fortunately for Kelly, her father provided all the support, encouragement, and advice
that she needed.

142
A student’s motivation to pursue higher education may stem from observing a
loved one go through the college process; such was the case of Rose Arroyo. Rose grew
up in a household that was very supportive of education. Despite the fact that her parents
immigrated from Mexico and did not attend college, they were very encouraging of their
children’s educational pursuits. Rose’s mother believed so strongly that a postsecondary
education was a prerequisite for a successful life that she returned to school while Rose
was in middle school. Rose’s mother began her educational journey by taking basic ESL
courses. After learning English, she began taking transferrable courses at Morningside
College and eventually transferred to Golden State University. Rose’s mother attended
Morningside College for years while working part time—and sometimes full time—to
support her family. Rose acknowledged that she was profoundly impacted by her
mother’s pursuit of postsecondary education. In describing how she was influenced by
her mother, Rose explained:
I’ve always been, like I mean, because while I was in elementary
school, middle school, and high school, my mom was going to school
and she has always been in school. So just seeing how my mom studied
like where English was her second language and it was very difficult
and she was so trying to pursue, get a bachelors. And I think okay, if
she can do it I obviously can do it. (p. 3)
That Rose’s mother had role modeled college-going behavior and demonstrated a
remarkable commitment to her education clearly fueled Rose’s pursuit of higher
education.
Conversely, Nancy Garcia grew up in a working-class Mexican American
household in which neither parent attended college. Nancy’s parents worked tirelessly to

143
support her and her older sisters; her parents often worked multiple jobs. Although her
parents (mostly her mother) encouraged education throughout elementary, middle, and
high school, they rarely encouraged their children to pursue postsecondary education. In
fact, according to Nancy, her parents placed greater emphasis on working than on school.
Nancy described her parents’ view of education as follows:
And then neither of my parents, I mean, I think my mom more than my
dad really stressed the importance of education, but it was still—she still
did say that work was really important. So, if you had bills to pay, you
had to make sure those were paid before, you know, working on your
homework. (p. 3)
Despite the lack of encouragement to pursue postsecondary education from her parents,
Nancy still managed to apply to colleges as a senior in high school. In fact, she was
offered admission to Golden State University, received a generous financial aid package,
and was offered on-campus housing. Excited to continue her education at Golden State
University, Nancy accepted her offer of admission and the financial aid award; however,
to her surprise, her parents refused to allow her to enroll at GSU. They objected to the
notion of her living away from home without being married. As a result, Nancy declined
her admission to GSU and instead enrolled at Hamilton College. Nancy’s parents
tolerated her attending Hamilton as long as she lived at home and worked in addition to
pursuing school. Nancy’s experience with her parents underscored the important role that
parents and family members play in encouraging (or, in this case, discouraging) college
attendance.

144
Significant others played a particularly important role in the experiences of two
study participants. In both instances, study participants indicated that were it not for their
significant other, they never would have thought themselves capable of transferring to a
four-year university. This situation applied to Elizabeth Pardoni’s experience. After a
previous stint enrolled at another local community college and completing four years of
military service, Elizabeth got a job so that she could support herself financially. At the
time, her boyfriend of two years was enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
studying aeronautical engineering. According to Elizabeth, he always encouraged her to
return to school and earn a degree. Elizabeth constantly dismissed his remarks, because
she did not believe she was capable of succeeding in college. Her boyfriend’s graduation
from Embry-Riddle was a pivotal moment for her; it was then that she realized she
needed to return to school and better herself and pursue a career rather than a job.
Elizabeth offered the following explanation of her boyfriend’s influence in her returning
to school and pursuing transfer:
My boyfriend, he graduated from college and he is three years older than I
am. He finished school. He attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University. He motivated me to go back to school and earn a four-year
degree. At the time, I just couldn’t understand why he was with me. I
mean, I was someone without an education. He was so passionate about
higher education and I wasn’t. Knowing that he had a passion for aviation
and seeing him pursue that. I just [knew] I needed to better myself. He
always told me I was smart enough to go back to school, and I started to
believe that, so I went back [to school]. (p. 5)
Elizabeth noted that, throughout her Morningside College experience, her boyfriend was
always available to offer her support and assist with school. He helped her with course

145
assignments, accompanied her to visit various four-year colleges she was interested in,
and assisted with her personal statement when it was time for her to apply to four-year
colleges and universities. Elizabeth also noted that seeing her boyfriend go through his
college experience helped her because she had a better idea of what to expect. According
to Elizabeth, her father and her boyfriend were her two biggest supporters and sources of
encouragement from her personal life when it came to her academic pursuits.
Similarly, J.C. Lopez’s wife provided tremendous support and encouragement for
him to return to school. Beyond encouraging him to return to school, his wife taught him
about the transfer process. J.C.’s initial experience at Morningside College was that of a
part-time student, there for the sole purpose of learning English. After learning English,
J.C. left Morningside College and secured employment as a manager at a restaurant. He
worked for two years, supporting his wife as she pursued her education at Morningside
College. During that time, his wife continually implored him to further his education. J.C.
finally agreed to return to Morningside and enroll in a transfer-preparatory curriculum.
When J.C. decided to return to Morningside, his wife took him to meet a counselor and
select his courses. During J.C.’s first semester back at Morningside, his wife began the
process of preparing to transfer, researching and applying to four-year universities. J.C.
accompanied his wife on several college visits, which he described as an “awesome
experience.” For example, he accompanied his wife on visits to UCLA, UC Irvine, and
CSULB; those trips were the first time J.C. had visited any of those campuses. J.C.’s wife
ultimately applied to UCLA (among other schools) and was accepted. Before graduating

146
from Morningside College and enrolling at UCLA, J.C.’s wife personally introduced him
to individuals she believed would help him successfully navigate the transfer process.
J.C. explained his reasons for enrolling at Morningside as follows:
I really didn’t know of any other schools. And I was living very close by
to the campus. Plus my wife was already there and she was pretty well
connected, so I figured I would just go there [to Morningside College]
because it would be easier. (p. 6)
J.C. identified his wife as his primary supporter during his educational experience at
Morningside College. When asked how his wife supported his efforts to transfer, J.C.
stated:
she supported me a lot . . . [she ] would correct my papers or help me with
some difficult assignments that I didn’t understand. She also helped me
enroll in my classes, telling me which professors I should take. We always
studied together and she would talk to me about transfer. (p. 7)
J.C.’s wife was so instrumental in his educational journey that he worried about being
successful at Morningside College once she transferred to UCLA. According to J.C., his
wife was far more disciplined in studying regularly and taking advantage of various
campus resources; as such, he became accustomed to simply getting involved in whatever
she did on campus. For example, he joined the Morningside College Honors Program
because his wife was a participant of that program and because she told him the program
would help him transfer to a four-year college. Her pending departure from Morningside
College and enrollment at UCLA motivated him to join the Transfer Academy,
particularly because he wanted a structured experience that would help him successfully
transfer to a four-year university.

147
In addition to assisting J.C. in establishing a solid foundation at Morningside
College, his wife helped him during the transfer application process. J.C.’s wife made
sure he was aware of upcoming application deadlines, and she helped him develop his
personal statement. J.C. further credited his wife (among others) with helping him
successfully transfer to UCLA.
The experiences of Elizabeth Pardoni and J.C. Lopez illustrated how impactful
relationships with significant others can be in providing the support and encouragement
needed to successfully navigate the transfer process.
Relational: Faculty
Researchers have long noted the benefits of meaningful student-faculty
interaction for a student’s academic engagement and persistence (Astin, 1984; Pascarella
& Terrenzini, 1991; Tinto, 1987). Faculty members have an equally important role to
play in encouraging and supporting students through the transfer process. A number of
program participants were fortunate to have enjoyed relationships with faculty members
whom they believed benefited them during their Morningside College experience. Four
of the eight study participants noted relationships with specific faculty members who
supported them through their transfer process. Although these relationships with faculty
were all important, none of them stemmed from the students’ involvement in the Transfer
Academy. In other words, these relationships are not attributable to the students’
participation in the Transfer Academy.

148
John Mellor explained that one of the best things he did at Morningside College
was to become active with the school’s newspaper. By taking a number of Professor
Martin’s courses and through his involvement in the school newspaper, John developed a
close relationship with Professor Robert Martin. Professor Martin was a journalism
professor who also served as the faculty advisor for the school newspaper. John explained
that he spent an extraordinary amount of time in the newsroom, which was supervised by
Professor Martin. He described Professor Martin as being “special,” because Mr. Martin
took time to establish a personal relationship with him. John said that Professor Martin
was always willing to provide him assistance on matters pertaining to the school
newspaper or otherwise. He explained:
But yeah, you know he [Professor Martin] is always willing to help you with
your news stories or anything for that matter. He runs a very tight ship
because he wants you know, the news to be accurate. But he makes you
work for it, he won’t just give you the information because it’s a learning
process. (p. 31)
John felt comfortable approaching Professor Martin for assistance on a wide range of
issues. When asked what types of things he discussed with Professor Martin, John noted
the following,
We talk about a lot of stuff. He always asks me how my classes are going.
We talk a lot about his time in college and the time he spent working on
newspapers. He would tell me things I need to work on to get better with
my stories. I would tell him about the schools I was interested in
transferring to. (p. 31)
John made it clear that the relationship he shared with Professor Martin was
different from those he had with other instructors. John noted that he was close with some

149
of his other professors, mostly those who taught journalism courses. However, he still
made a distinction between those instructors and Professor Martin. When asked what
differentiated Professor Martin from other professors, John explained:
Well, you know he worked on different newspapers for you know, maybe
over 20 years I think. But it’s the willingness to help you, you know craft
your major, craft you know, your skills in the field. And he is ugh, you
know, he is very approachable about it too and he says, “Anytime you
need to, let’s sit down right now and work on your piece together and I
will show you what you can do.” (p. 31)
When describing Professor Martin, John repeatedly noted how willing Professor
Martin was to offer him assistance. John had full confidence that he could approach
Professor Martin for help with anything. John also explained that Professor Martin
offered to write letters of recommendation for him when it was time for him to seek
admission to four-year universities. Even after transferring from Morningside College,
John still enjoyed a close relationship with Professor Martin; they spoke at least once a
month.
Similarly, Elizabeth Pardoni identified two professors at Morningside College
who were encouraging and supportive of her desire to transfer. Dr. Janice Hopkins, a
professor who taught business law, and Dr. Nancy Drew, a political science professor,
encouraged Elizabeth to transfer based on her performance in their courses. Elizabeth
explained that Dr. Hopkins once approached her after class and told her she was doing
very well in the course. Dr. Hopkins asked Elizabeth if she was planning on transferring
to a four-year university. During that conversation, Dr. Hopkins offered herself as a
resource should Elizabeth need assistance during the transfer process. Elizabeth noted

150
that, from that point on, she and Dr. Hopkins developed a close relationship. In
describing what made it easy for her to establish a meaningful relationship with Dr.
Hopkins, Elizabeth stated, “Dr. Hopkins was so down to earth. I feel like I could go talk
to her about anything about higher ed. . . . I really value her opinion because she’s a
woman. And she is a successful woman” (p. 18). Elizabeth explained that she maintained
a relationship with Dr. Hopkins after completing her course. When she found out which
schools she was admitted to, Elizabeth told Dr. Hopkins almost immediately. When
asked why she shared the news with Dr. Hopkins, Elizabeth explained, “I wanted her to
know that I was accepted; that I did it. She helped me, gave me confidence to apply” (p.
19).
Like Elizabeth, J.C. developed a close relationship with one of his political
science professors, Dr. Ramon. In addition to teaching in the Political Science
Department, Dr. Ramon was a faculty coordinator for the honors program. J.C. described
himself as “lucky” to have met Dr. Ramon and to have taken his introduction to political
science course. After J.C. did well in the class, Dr. Ramon encouraged him to apply to
Morningside’s honors program. J.C. credited Dr. Ramon with giving him the confidence
to apply to the honors program. Once in the honors program, J.C. took an honors political
science course with Dr. Ramon. J.C. explained that he enjoyed Dr. Ramon’s class
because “he made the class fun . . .” In total, J.C. completed two courses with Dr. Ramon
and, through those courses, he developed a close relationship with Dr. Ramon. According
to J.C., he routinely visited Dr. Ramon during office hours to discuss course materials,

151
the honors program, and his transfer plans. J.C. described his interactions with Dr.
Ramon as follows,
I took a couple of [Professor Ramon’s] classes; he is an honor professor
. . . so, I took a class with him and then I joined the [honors] program
and then I took another class with him and then I just kept in touch with
him . . . I stayed in touch with him because he was a very inspiring guy
as far as like, motivational . . . I don’t know, like, I guess he was very
passionate when he teaches. I think that caught my attention, and then
every time I went to him to ask a couple of questions, he was always I
mean, willing to help and answered my questions. (p. 37)
Even after transferring from Morningside College to UCLA, J.C. maintained his
relationship with Dr. Ramon, often returning to Morningside to visit him. Dr. Ramon
wrote J.C.’s letter of recommendation for his transfer applications and had already agreed
to write a letter of recommendation for J.C.’s law school applications. J.C. described Dr.
Ramon as “always encouraging and willing to help” (p. 38). J.C.’s relationship with Dr.
Ramon was a source of ongoing support that helped him effectively navigate the transfer
process.
Elizabeth, John, and J.C. noted that the faculty members they established
relationships with were unique among professors. They all perceived these professors as
unique because they saw them as down-to-earth or approachable, willing to help, and
last—but certainly not least— as professors who expressed or demonstrated personal
interest in their future.
Relational: Peers
Perhaps the greatest source of support for students going through the educational
process is their peers. Students spend more time with each other inside and outside of

152
class than they do with faculty, counselors, or other institutional personnel. Generally
speaking, students are particularly vulnerable to peer influences (for better or worse). The
transfer process is no exception; students have the ability to influence, encourage, and
support each other through the transfer process. Of the eight study participants, six
identified their peers as a source of support and encouragement as they progressed
through the transfer process.
Numerous study participants cited that one motivating factor that led to their
involvement in the Transfer Academy was the opportunity to meet other students who
shared an interest in transfer. The students expressed a hunger to be in a community with
like-minded peers, those focused on their academic future, specifically through transfer.
This sentiment was perhaps best characterized by Elizabeth Pardoni, when she said the
following:
Me and my friends, Nicole and Katia, we stuck together, we knew we
wanted to transfer. We would talk about it [transfer] all the time. A lot of
people come to Morningside College and get caught up in being in all
these programs and social clubs here and they freak out and end up not
doing anything; and I was like “Oh, forget that.” Katia is more like, you
know, I’m going here, doing this; and she does it. She is great! She’s like
“you need to focus on yourself and the reason you came here.” A lot of
people don’t do that and lose sight of that, they end up staying here
forever. We keep each other on track. (p. 8)
Elizabeth and other study participants seemed to recognize the benefits of surrounding
themselves with peers who were equally committed to their academics and who focused
on transfer. For example, Kelly Jensen offered the following insights when asked why
she decided to participate in the Transfer Academy:

153
I know a lot times you are kind of like, you end up being like the people
you hang out with. I wanted to be around people with, like, transfer-
oriented, school-oriented mindsets and I thought, “Transfer Academy.
Perfect.” Where else am I going to find these people? So that was one of
my motivations for being in the program. (p. 15)
Whereas Elizabeth and Kelly seemed to understand the benefits of forming a
community with like-minded students and sought out those relationships in the Transfer
Academy, other study participants were unaware of the importance of such relationships
until they joined the Transfer Academy. For instance, before joining the Transfer
Academy, John Mellor never considered the impact that his peers might have in helping
him achieve his transfer goals; that is, of course, until he attended his first Transfer
Academy meeting, which he described as follows:
When I went to my first [Transfer Academy] meeting, I really didn’t know
what to expect. I remember Julia Martin saying, “if you continue to
participate in this academy, then the people around you will also become
your friends and you know you will get to know them and maybe transfer
with them.” I thought that was pretty cool because, we might be interested
in transferring to the same schools and maybe even end up transferring
together. (p. 16)
For John, the community he became part of by virtue of his involvement in the Transfer
Academy was an unanticipated benefit of the program.
Unlike other study participants, J.C. Lopez made the decision to join the Transfer
Academy with a group of friends. J.C. Lopez had five friends whom he described as
being “very close.” They initially met in one of their classes, but a number of them were
also involved in the International Student Club. Over the course of a semester, they got to
know each other and soon discovered they shared an interest in transferring to a four-year

154
university. J.C. explained that when he learned about the Transfer Academy, he shared
the information with his friends, and they, too, decided to apply. He acknowledged being
a bit apprehensive about joining the Transfer Academy alone; he liked the idea of
knowing people. J.C. explained:
I had a very close group of friends that I met in one of my classes and
some of us were in the International Student Club together. We helped
each other a lot in class, you know, group projects and stuff. Sometimes
we would talk about our plans after Morningside College and that’s
usually when transfer came up. When I found out about the [Transfer]
Academy, I told my friends that we should all apply. I didn’t want to do it
by myself; I thought it’d be easier and more fun if we did it together. (p.
24)
J.C. and his friends participated in the Transfer Academy together. Although they were
unable to attend all Transfer Academy events as a group, he enjoyed sharing the overall
Transfer Academy experience with his friends. According to J.C., he and his friends
successfully transferred to four-year universities, specifically UCLA, Berkeley, UC Santa
Barbara, and Cal State, Long Beach.
Study participants also reported supporting one another by keeping each other on
track and focused on the transfer process. Primarily through informal interactions,
Transfer Academy participants held each other accountable for making progress on their
transfer goals. Perhaps the most frequent way that study participants supported their peers
through the transfer process was by sharing transfer-related information and collaborating
on their transfer applications. Study participant Nancy Garcia provided the following
explanation regarding the role that her friends played in supporting her through the
transfer process:

155
My friends and I, we did talk about transfer a lot and it would kind of pop
up anytime we were reading something or even like a deadline was
coming up. You know, to fill out the UC applications and we need to kind
of like go over the essays and because we were all English majors, we
were able to help each other with the essays, we would read each other’s
stuff. We just kind of wanted to get an idea of what other people were
writing about. So we did talk about transfer but even more like the month
of applying. (p. 8)
Nancy noted that three of her closest friends were involved in not only the Transfer
Academy but also the English Club. She credited her friends, in part, with encouraging
her to apply to more selective schools. In her case, she entered the Transfer Academy
with her sights set on transferring to Golden State University. However, with the
encouragement of a friend, she agreed to attend a tour of UCLA, which she described as
an “eye-opening experience.” She explained:
Three of my friends wanted to go to UCLA, a couple wanted to go to
Berkeley and I think at that time I was interested in Cal State Long Beach
and USC, even though I thought USC was a stretch. I remember my
friend Katherine is the one who really wanted me to come with her to
UCLA . . . Afterwards, I was so glad I went. It was so good. I liked to go
in [on the college tours] with a group of people who maybe also were not
sure about what college to go to and it was nice, you know, to go there
and look at the campus, and you know, sometimes you’re going with
people who are also there for the first time. So, it’s kind of nice to have
that first experience with other people but it kind of just opened you up to
another world like so many more possibilities. Like the first time I ever
went to UCLA was through the transfer academy and that was on a
university tour. And I remember stepping foot on the campus and just
thinking about how gorgeous it was and that, you know, this was a school
I could see myself at. And that’s really when I started to branch away
from just the Cal State mentality . . . (p. 14)
Were it not for her friend Katherine encouraging her to attend the UCLA tour, Nancy
may never have visited that campus. In the end, Nancy applied to UCLA, Berkeley, UC

156
Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, and Golden State University, to name a few. She was admitted
to every school she applied to and ultimately decided to transfer to UCLA.
Through the Transfer Academy, Kelly Jensen was able to find a group of students
that shared her interest in transferring to a private four-year college. Kelly felt that her
experience was somewhat unique in the sense that many other Transfer Academy
participants were primarily interested in transferring to public schools (the CSU or UC
system). Kelly believed that the transfer requirements for those schools were far more
standardized and therefore easier to manage. She felt alone initially because transfer
requirements for private schools were varied, and she had no one else to speak with about
the schools in which she was interested. This isolation changed once she met a group of
Transfer Academy students also interested in transferring to private schools. In describing
the importance of having that group of friends and the support they provided, Kelly
stated,
There are a lot of students who, more than I thought, who were also
interested in going to private schools which I thought wouldn’t be a very,
like, common occurrence, I guess, and they’re all right on track with their
schools’ requirements and what they need to be doing outside of class and
just makes it really easy to not feel alone in the process. Now there’s a lot
of people struggling too if you need it and just knowing that they’re
working just as hard as you are, kind of forms this, like, like you can hang
around these people and know you’re not going to get off track, you’re not
going to deviate from your ultimate goals because they have the same one.
(p. 15)
In this instance, the Transfer Academy helped Kelly find a community of peers with a
shared interest in transferring to a private four-year institution. Kelly highlighted how
critical this group of peers was in her own experience, because they encouraged her to

157
work hard toward achieving her goals. With her friends’ support, Kelly no longer felt
“alone in the process.”
Similarly, the peer support offered by other Transfer Academy participants had
been incredibly important to Francesca Cruz, a student who did not have the benefit of
familial support or encouragement. Francesca noted that one of the reasons she was
drawn to the Transfer Academy was the strong sense of community among its
participants. She explained, “I really like the activities of it [the Transfer Academy], more
like a family oriented environment when we had workshops . . . ” (p. 14). Francesca
forged close relationships with other Transfer Academy participants, and her interactions
with these students extended beyond Transfer Academy activities. Francesca explained
that her Transfer Academy friends were a tremendous source of emotional support for
her; she could turn to them for assistance whenever she encountered academic or
personal challenges. Francesca offered the following explanation of how her Transfer
Academy friends supported her through her transfer journey:
Well, we will see each other, the students we would have a time to talk
and catch up. And just by using positive inspirational words, just a little
push, I believe that could boost you up and keep you running, and
sometimes we will have lunch and just talk about our experiences. We all
had each other’s cell phone number and we will text each other with
words of encouragement. (p. 17)
For Francesca, the sense of community and support derived from her Transfer Academy
peers had been one of the greatest benefits of the program.

158
Structural Theme
Structural barriers to transfer focus on institutional policies and practices,
typically designed to promote standardization and efficiency that inhibit students’ ability
to transfer from community colleges to four-year universities. Structural barriers include,
but are not limited to, the following: complex and cumbersome transfer requirements,
lack of transfer-related resources, limited offerings of courses required for transfer, and
excessive use of adjuncts to teach transfer preparatory courses. Structural barriers can
originate from the state level, district level, or local level (individual community college).
Regardless of their origin, all structural barriers impact students’ ability to efficiently
navigate the transfer process.
The experiences of the study participants highlighted the impact that institutional
policies, procedures, programs, and resources have on a student’s ability to successfully
transfer. References to institutional policies, practices, and resources emerged repeatedly
as study participants described their experiences navigating the transfer process.
Consequently, the structural theme addresses aspects of the institution that are created to
enhance efficiency and help the institution achieve its stated goals. Within the context of
transfer, the structural theme includes articulation agreements, transfer requirements for
various institutions (i.e., IGETC), and dedicated resources (human and fiscal) to support
and encourage transfer.

159
Structural: Time to Transfer
The amount of time it took study participants to successfully navigate the transfer
process varied from one student to another. For example, John Mellor transferred from
Morningside College within two years of his initial enrollment date. He joined the
Transfer Academy almost immediately upon his enrollment at Morningside College and
was part of the inaugural Transfer Academy cohort. Alternatively, it took Francesca Cruz
six years from the date of her initial enrollment at Morningside College to successfully
transfer. Francesca enrolled at Morningside immediately following high school. Despite
earning decent grades in high school, her English and math assessment scores indicated
that she was in need of remediation. Francesca was placed in developmental math and
English courses. She spent her first two years at Morningside College completing
developmental English and math courses that were not transferrable. Additionally, her
inability to meet regularly with a counselor caused her to enroll in courses that fulfill
transfer or her pre-major requirements. After many challenges, academic and otherwise,
Francesca successfully transferred to a four-year university in the fall of 2010. John’s and
Francesca’s experiences highlight the degree to which student’s community college
experiences vary.
Of the eight student participants in this study, seven successfully transferred to
four-year universities, and one is still completing courses at Morningside College toward
her transfer goals. (See Table 6) For the purpose of calculating the average time to
transfer, I considered participants’ Morningside enrollment date as the point they enrolled

160
(for the first time or as a returning student) with the intent to transfer. In other words, the
point when they began taking courses that prepared them for transfer. I considered
participants’ transfer date as the semester in which they completed all necessary transfer
requirements and secured admission to a four-year university. Of the seven study
participants who transferred to a four-year university, the average time to transfer was 3.5
years. Each of these students maintained a full-time course load (at least 12 units) and
continuous enrollment from their enrollment date through transfer. In addition to taking
courses during the traditional fall and spring semesters, many of these students routinely
took courses in the optional winter and summer terms. Were it not for their enrollment in
the optional winter and summer terms, the average time to transfer would have been
higher. Transferring from a community college to a four-year university is routinely
considered a two-year process; however, given the complexity of the transfer process, a
student’s preparation, and the availability of resources intended to support transfer, even
the most well-intentioned students may take longer than two years to transfer.

161
Table 6
Participants’ Time to Transfer and Units Completed
Study Participant Time Spent at
Community College
# of Units Completed
Prior to Transfer
Arroyo, Rose 3 yrs at Morningside 60–70
Cruz, Francesca 6 yrs at Morningside 60
Garcia, Nancy 2 years at Morningside,
5 years at Hamilton
College
65 at Morningside
Jensen, Kelly 2.5 yrs and counting 53 and counting
Lopez, J.C. 3 yrs at Morningside 60–70 units
Mellor, John 2 yrs at Morningside 60–68 units
Pardoni, Elizabeth 3 yrs at Morningside 50 units
Parker, Kaley 3 yrs at Morningside 60+ units

Two of the eight study participants spent part of their community college
experience in certificate or vocational programs. Nancy Garcia enrolled at Hamilton
College with an interest in earning a certificate in fashion design. She completed upwards
of 60 units in fashion design before changing her educational plans and pursuing transfer.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the course work she completed as a fashion design
student was not transferrable; in other words, those courses, did not count toward her
transfer requirements. In essence, she was forced to start all over again when she decided
she wanted to transfer to a four-year university. The incompatibility of Nancy’s fashion
design courses with the transfer process was an example of a structural barrier to transfer.

162
Her change in degree program significantly increased the time it took her to transfer. In
total, Nancy spent seven years at Hamilton College and Morningside College.
Similarly, Kaley Parker started her Morningside College experience with an
interest in transferring to a four-year university, although she did not have a particular
field of study in mind. Kaley joined the Transfer Academy midway through her first
semester at Morningside College. At that point, she was interested in studying nursing.
Before she could apply to the nursing program, she needed to complete a number of
prerequisites. According to Kaley, she completed approximately 60 units of courses
before gaining admission Morningside’s nursing program. Kaley explained that her goal
was to become a Registered Nurse (RN) but also to earn her Bachelor of Science in
Nursing (BSN). At the time of her interview, Kaley was enrolled in her first semester of
courses in the nursing program. She anticipated that it would take her at least three
additional semesters to complete the nursing program and perhaps an additional semester
to complete her remaining transfer requirements. When asked why she would need an
additional semester to complete her transferrable courses, Kaley explained,
The nursing program doesn’t really give you room for any other classes.
All your classes are selected for you and you have to stay on track. The
nursing curriculum is already 12 units a semester and the classes are hard,
lots of science courses and labs. If I took transfer courses that would have
been on top of my nursing courses, and I thought that was just too much.
(p. 7)

Kaley was not certain that all of her previous course work (prior to starting the nursing
program) would transfer. She explained that whether those courses transferred depended
on the BSN programs to which she applied. She noted that each BSN program had unique

163
requirements for admission. Assuming everything went according to Kaley’s plan, it
would take her a total of four years at Morningside College before she could transfer to a
four-year college.
Of the eight study participants, one student, Francesca Cruz, acknowledged that
her time to transfer was adversely affected by the fact that she was not adequately
prepared for the Morningside college curriculum. Francesca Cruz began her Morningside
College experience in fall 2004. At the time of her enrollment, she placed into
developmental math and English. Francesca could not recall exactly which level of math
and English she placed into but, she was certain that it took her two semesters before she
placed into college-level English, and three semesters before placing into college-level
math. The developmental English and math courses Francesca took before enrolling in
college-level courses were required but did not count as transferrable courses. Her
enrollment in these courses, although necessary for her overall academic success,
extended her time to transfer. Francesca eventually transferred in fall 2010. It took her a
total of six years from the time she had enrolled at Morningside College to achieve her
transfer goal.
Structural: Access to Counselors
During the course of my interviews with study participants, students repeatedly
highlighted counseling as a critical resource that assisted them in successfully navigating
the transfer process; however, access to counseling and the quality of said counseling
were recurring themes that emerged across the experiences of study participants. Seven

164
of the eight study participants acknowledged having had difficulty making appointments
to meet with a counselor or having had a negative experience with a counselor. All too
often, study participants recounted the painstaking process of waiting weeks simply to
meet with a counselor, who then showed very little interest their personal or academic
goals. The study participants were unanimous in their belief that the Transfer Academy
enhanced their access to high-quality counseling.
For example, J.C. Lopez described numerous experiences prior to joining the
Transfer Academy and the honors program in which he experienced difficulty scheduling
appointments with a counselor. In his case, it was not a matter of being unaware of how
to schedule an appointment, but rather the time it took between his request and an actual
meeting with a counselor. When asked to describe the process he went through to make a
counseling appointment, J.C. explained:
It depends on what kind of appointment you wanted. They have these
‘express appointments’ that are just like ten minutes long where you just
have one or two quick questions for a counselor, those were more
available. You go to the Counseling Office and tell the lady at the front
desk that you wanted to meet with a counselor for an express appointment
and usually within a day or two you meet with a counselor. But if you
want a regular counseling appointment, you’re going to wait longer than
that. Those appointments take about a week to get. And depending on if it
was the beginning of the semester or end of the semester, it usually takes a
couple of weeks. (p. 22)

J.C. acknowledged that early on in his Morningside College experience, he often avoided
seeing a counselor, instead opting to try and find information by himself. When asked
why he resorted to this approach, he stated, “Because it was a hassle just to go and talk to

165
a counselor, there are so many students trying to see a counselor and there are just a few
counselors” (p. 27).
Similarly, John Mellor described the challenge he faced in trying to meet with a
counselor just prior to his first semester at Morningside College. Shortly after completing
his enrollment paperwork, John visited the counseling office to request a meeting with a
counselor. According to John, he wanted to meet with a counselor to better understand
transfer requirements and the process for selecting his courses. John recalled having
waited “two weeks” for his counseling appointment. He described that initial counseling
appointment as follows:
Well, I signed up with, you know, a counseling session over here and they,
well, aside from showing me the classes that are available, they basically
said, “Here’s, you know, Plan A for associates, Plan B for state colleges
and for everything else you know private or other schools there like a plan
C.” And they said, “Take these classes,” and supposedly you’re good to
go. (p. 12)

John noted that his initial counseling appointment did not unfold the way he expected it
to. After waiting patiently to see a counselor, John was expecting a more in-depth
counseling session, one that fully explained his transfer options and the differences
among them. Instead, he was given a “piece of paper” that attempted to explain the
complex transfer process. The counseling session did little in helping him pick courses
for his first semester at Morningside College. In describing how he picked his courses
that semester, John stated, “I just picked some classes that sounded important and some
that sounded fun, like music theory” (p. 13).

166
Other students expressed frustration with their counseling experiences. Elizabeth
Pardoni shared two separate instances in which she felt that counselors had been
condescending and judgmental in the advice they offered her. She described an
interaction in which she made an appointment with a counselor to develop an educational
plan (ed plan) and discuss transferring to USC. Upon reviewing her transcript, the
counselor told Elizabeth that her chances of gaining admission to USC were slim because
she had several withdrawals (Ws) from her previous enrollment at Morningside College.
Elizabeth noted that the counselor seemed more interested in discouraging her from
applying to USC than in encouraging her to overcome her past academic record. She
described the interaction as follows:
I thought a counselor was supposed to motivate you. Yeah, I think, for the
GIs, for the veterans, you have to get an ed plan and it has to be with a
counselor. And I went and told her I wanted to transfer to a private school
like USC. I don’t know why but, she was very dismissive when I told her
that. She basically told me I wouldn’t get into USC because I had too
many Ws. She said ‘they frown upon that if you have more than two Ws’ .
. . She told me to look at other schools. It was like very discouraging. (p.
12)

After that experience, Elizabeth never returned to general counselors at Morningside
College. Instead, she elected to see only counselors who were affiliated with the
specialized programs she was involved in.
Like Elizabeth, Kaley Parker had what she perceived to be a negative experience
with a counselor early on in her experience at Morningside College. Kaley noted that
during her initial counseling appointment shortly after she enrolled at Morningside, the

167
counselor she met with made judgmental assumptions about her based on her high school
transcripts. Because Kaley’s grades in high school were not stellar, the counselor
suggested that she enroll in developmental English and math courses. Kaley explained
that although she knew she did not belong in those courses, she did not feel comfortable
challenging the counselor’s recommendations. She believed that the counselor questioned
her commitment to academics and consequently placed her in lower-level classes. Kaley
noticed a difference in the way the counselor treated her once she realized Kaley had
actually scored well in the math and English assessments. The counselor then suggested
different courses for Kaley and seemed to show more interest in understanding her
academic experience in high school and her goals at Morningside College. Kaley left that
interaction with the impression that counselors offered varying levels of support/advice to
students based on judgments about whether the student was “serious” about their
academics.
One study participant, Elizabeth Pardoni, expressed displeasure about the length
of counseling appointments. According to Elizabeth, standard counseling appointments
were 30 minutes in length. Elizabeth strongly believed that 30 minutes was an
insufficient amount of time for counselors to have meaningful interactions with students.
She felt that counselors should get to know students and their goals before offering
personalized advice/counsel. She offered the following insights about the length of
Morningside’s counseling appointments:
30 minutes for a counseling appointment is not enough time. It’s not. It’s
like, I don’t know. It’s just not. Like, you get talking, you start talking

168
with the person and personal goals and everything, you know. It’s just not
enough. Like the veterans, they have their own counselor and with the
veteran counselor it’s one hour. (p. 13)

Elizabeth felt that the counseling appointments should be an hour to allow for a more in-
depth counseling experience. According to her, veterans enrolled at Morningside College
had access to a dedicated counselor who offered students one-hour counseling
appointments. Elizabeth acknowledged that there were not enough counselors at
Morningside College to make one-hour counseling appointments available to all students.
Study participants were unanimous in the belief that their involvement in the
Transfer Academy increased their access to quality counseling. Seven of the eight study
participants identified having access to a dedicated counselor as one of the primary
benefits of participating in the Transfer Academy. By virtue of their involvement in the
program, Transfer Academy participants received priority access to counseling.
Participants in need of counseling were able to bypass the normal process of scheduling
an appointment with a counselor, which resulted in significantly shorter wait times for
counseling appointments. Transfer Academy participants received counseling services
from counselors with expert knowledge pertaining to the transfer process, specifically
from the honors counselor, Ms. Jamie Williams, and the transfer coordinator, Mr. Roger
Sepulveda. Study participants noted significant differences between their pre-Transfer
Academy counseling experiences and their counseling experiences once they were part of
the Transfer Academy.

169
For John Mellor, the Transfer Academy made it much easier to see counselors
whenever he needed advice or assistance. John noted that prior to joining the Transfer
Academy, he waited weeks to meet with a counselor; however, once he joined the
Transfer Academy, John’s wait time was reduced to a day or two. Indeed, on a few
occasions, he was able to see the Transfer Academy counselor the same day he requested
the appointment. He explained the difference in access to counselors as follows:
Yeah, sometimes they, you know, like I mentioned earlier when I tried to
get a counseling appointment for my first semester it took a few weeks,
but when you are making an appointment and you just say “Oh I’m part of
the transfer academy, can I see Jasmine Blou or something?” Sometimes
they can even find you, you know most of the times they will switch you
to later that week, but I found that because I am part of this, you know,
exclusive academy that I even got appointments the same day. (p. 25)

Likewise, J.C. Lopez explained that prior to joining the Transfer Academy, he was
required to make appointments prior to seeing a counselor; however, as a member of the
Transfer Academy, he had access to the transfer coordinator, Roger Sepulveda on a drop-
in basis. Mr. Sepulveda encouraged Transfer Academy participants to visit him any time
they had questions—regardless of whether they made an appointment. J.C. noted,
Normally you’re supposed to reach him by appointment, he wasn’t,
you’re not supposed to just walk in. But if you were [in the Academy]
and you needed him, he was available for you . . . there were a number of
times when I wanted to speak with him and I would just stop by and he
always made time for me. (p. 22)

In addition to finding it easier to make appointments with counselors, study participants
reported an increase in the frequency of their contacts with a counselor. Half of the study
participants (four of eight) credited the Transfer Academy with encouraging them to meet

170
regularly with a counselor. The Transfer Academy participant agreement stipulated that
participants meet with a counselor at least once a semester to remain in good standing
with the program. Some participants recognized the benefits of meeting with a counselor
regularly and would have done so without the Transfer Academy requirement. Others,
however, seemed to be motivated to meet with a counselor every semester purely for the
purpose of remaining in good standing with the Transfer Academy.
During my interview with her, Francesca Cruz recalled the constant reminders she
and other Transfer Academy participants received from transfer coordinator Roger
Sepulveda, who encouraged them to seek academic counseling on a regular basis. She
explained, “One of the biggest benefits is they stress a lot about attending counseling
appointments. They are necessary for you to know you are on the right track and to be
ready for the next semester” (p. 17). Francesca took Mr. Sepulveda’s advice and met with
a counselor each semester during her involvement in the Transfer Academy. She noted
that the counseling sessions were useful, because they helped her stay on track in terms of
taking the necessary courses to transfer.
For Rose Arroyo, regular access to a knowledgeable counselor was the biggest
benefit of being involved with the Transfer Academy. She very much appreciated the
opportunity to meet individually with a counselor and ask questions. Rose noted that she
met with a counselor at least once per semester. She described the importance of the
counseling she received during her experience as follows:
The biggest benefit of the program has to be communicating with the
counselor, because they just keep you on your toes like you know, because

171
while workshops are helpful like they are a help, yes they are very helpful,
but I think like talking to the counselor was like the best thing, like you
got your questions answered, they give you pointers or what not, you
know, it’s between you and the counselor one-on-one, and you know, they
look at what you’ve done so far whether you’ve completed what you need,
you know? (p. 18)

Kaley Parker also found the regular counseling appointments helpful as she
developed a plan to complete her transfer requirements and prerequisites for
Morningside’s nursing program. When asked why she met with a counselor on a regular
basis she offered the following explanation, “I think it was required to meet and talk
about your courses and progress at the beginning of each semester” (p. 18). Kaley was
particular about whom she sought counseling from; the majority of her counseling was
conducted by Ms. Jamie Williams, the dedicated Transfer Academy and honors program
counselor. On rare occasions when she was unable to meet with Ms. Williams, she sought
assistance from Mr. Sepulveda. It was very important to Kaley that she got advice from a
counselor who was knowledgeable about transfer and well versed on Morningside’s
nursing program. She explained:
I remember my first meeting with Ms. Williams, I was pretty nervous. But
she was very sweet, she answered all my questions and when I told her I
wanted to do nursing she was like “oh, I can definitely help you do that,
we’re going to get this done.” She was real with me and told me that it
was going to be tough but, as long as I was willing to work hard, I could
do it. So it sort of started a good relationship, because I had a unique
situation; transfer for nursing, which is very difficult. So that meeting was
sort of like a reality check for me about the amount of work I have to put
in to get this done. (p. 18)

On several occasions during her interview, Kaely referenced the unique nature of her
relationship with Ms. Williams. Kaley believed that Ms. Williams took the time to know

172
her as a person and student; she trusted that Ms. Williams always had her best interest at
heart. When asked what they discussed during a typical counseling appointment, Kaley
noted,
She would always ask me how I was doing, how classes were coming
along. We spent most of our time talking about classes. We, went over the
courses that I will take. Again, it’s really unique for nursing, if you are
taking general education courses then you can take maybe 15, 18 units.
But if you are taking a science course then you should only take one and
then maybe [two] general education courses. We were talking about how I
would schedule it out, we just talk about it being so important to make
sure I have enough time to study for those courses and get the grades that
you need, so we decided that I would take one science prerequisite a
semester with my other courses. (p. 18)

Kelly Jensen shared similar sentiments during her interview about the value of
having a dedicated counselor whom she met with regularly. Kelly contrasted her
counseling experiences as a member of the Transfer Academy with the counseling
experiences of her non-Transfer Academy friends who made use of the regular
counseling system. In her remarks, she placed heavy emphasis on the relationship she
shared with Ms. Williams. She stated:
I’ve got it much better than my friends. All of my friends have to bounce
between counselors, whoever they can get. I think that’s a big one, is
you get to build a relationship with this person and they get to know you
and what kind of student you are. Let say you had, maybe kind of a bad
semester, you can talk to them about it and they’ll tell you, “Oh, well,
you did mess up here but it’s okay because we can make it up with this
over here,” you know. And a lot of the counselors you would see in the
office, they’re like “Oh, you really messed up last semester,” you know,
and they won’t understand. It just makes things harder to talk to them
about stuff. And you want to make some changes in your Ed Plan, for a
lot of counselors, for some reason, that seems to be a hard thing, like,
“Oh, it doesn’t work because look, if you want to transfer, you have to
do this” and Ms. Williams is very flexible about that. If she has to, she’ll

173
spend an extra hour with you to figure out your Ed Plan so it works for
you. (p. 24)

Direct access to a dedicated counselor was a privilege that study participants enjoyed by
virtue of their involvement in the Transfer Academy. If they were not in the Transfer
Academy, these students would have been subjected to the normal counseling process.
Structure: Knowledgeable Counselors
Three of the eight study participants expressed frustration with the lack of
knowledge counselors had regarding the transfer process and/or requirements for transfer.
On several occasions during the course of the interviews, students recounted experiences
in which they received incorrect or conflicting information regarding the transfer process
from counselors. In some instances, students reported taking unnecessary courses that did
not move them any closer to achieving their transfer goals.
The most vocal in expressing her displeasure with general counseling was Kelly
Jensen. Kelly reported that prior to having joined the Transfer Academy, she often left
her counseling appointments confused due to conflicting information she received in
previous counseling sessions with other counselors. She explained:
I guess a lot of students come here for certificates, for associates degrees
and I’m pretty sure there is a large population who came here for transfer.
But usually the counselors are more focused on the ones who are trying to
complete their degree or certificate and a lot of them just aren’t very, I
guess, well-versed in the requirements of transfer, I’ve noticed . . . Yeah,
Because a lot of times, you go to one counselor, they’ll tell you this. You
go to another counselor; they’ll tell you, “No, you have to take that, what’s
wrong with that counselor?” and they’ll give you something else. You go
to another counselor; they’ll say, “No, the first one was right,” you know,
and they’re just not all on the same page. And I’m sure it makes transfer
for a lot of students really hard. (p. 14)

174

Francesca Cruz shared similar experiences in which she received conflicting information
from two counselors, which left her feeling very frustrated and confused. She explained:
Honestly I would get confused, because I was like, let me double check
this information, and I will go to two counselors and ask them the exact
same question and they will give me two different answers, and that’s
where I get confused, I don’t know who is right and who is wrong. (p.
23)

Elizabeth Pardoni also expressed frustration with counselors providing her
inaccurate information. In her case, a counselor told her that having more than two
withdrawals on her transcript would disqualify her from admission to USC. The
counselor went on to suggest that Elizabeth would be better served by simply transferring
to a Cal State University. For Elizabeth—a student very interested in transferring to a
private university—this information was very difficult to receive; she left that interaction
feeling discouraged. Upon joining the Transfer Academy, Elizabeth met with Ms.
Williams for her required counseling appointment. During that meeting, Elizabeth
explained to Ms. Williams that she was initially interested in transferring to USC but was
told by a counselor that having more than two withdrawals would disqualify her from
gaining admission. At that time Ms. Williams informed Elizabeth that her previous
withdrawals alone would not eliminate her from consideration for admission. Instead,
Elizabeth could still gain admission as long as she explained the cause of the withdrawals
in her personal statement when applying for admission. Elizabeth explained why that
interaction was so important to her:

175
During that meeting with Ms. Williams I just realized that you can’t just
go to any counselor because they don’t always know what they’re talking
about. I just stick with Ms. Williams, she knows her stuff. I’ve had too
many bad experiences with counselors here. (p. 13)

The study participants were unanimous in their belief that the counselors
associated with the Transfer Academy, Mr. Roger Sepulveda and Ms. Jamie Williams,
were more knowledgeable about the transfer process and requirements in comparison to
general counselors. Unlike with other counselors, the study participants had great
confidence in the information they received from Mr. Sepulveda and Ms. Williams. Six
of the eight study participants expressed a preference in dealing exclusively with Mr.
Sepulveda or Ms. Williams for their counseling needs.
Structural: Education Plan (Ed Plan)
Like many other community colleges, Morningside College encouraged students
to develop a personalized Education Plan (Ed Plan) in consultation with a counselor. The
Ed Plan was not considered a policy, as not every student was required to complete an
education plan; however, the Ed Plan was a common practice intended to increase the
institution’s efficiency in helping a student achieve his/her academic goal. The Ed Plan
ensured that a student declared a degree program or educational goal (i.e., certificate,
degree, transfer, etc.) and that the student was aware of the courses needed to achieve
his/her stated educational goal. Once the Ed Plan was developed, students were
encouraged to use it regularly as a tracking tool to monitor their academic progress; they
were also encouraged to bring it with them whenever they met with an academic
counselor.

176
Of the eight study participants, four noted having had an Ed Plan that they
regularly used to track their progress toward transfer. Three of those four students
developed their Ed Plan before they were involved with the Transfer Academy. For
example, Elizabeth Pardoni developed her first Ed Plan during one of her initial
counseling appointments with the Veteran’s Affairs counselor; Kaley Parker developed
her initial Ed plan during a general counseling appointment; and Francesca Cruz
developed hers through her involvement in the Puente Program. Of the four students who
used the Ed Plan regularly, Nancy Garcia was the only one who did not have an Ed Plan
prior to joining the Transfer Academy. Despite having had an Ed Plan prior to joining the
Transfer Academy, Elizabeth, Kaley and Francesca noted they all updated and revised
their Ed Plans once joining the Transfer Academy.
The study participants who utilized the Ed Plan enjoyed the peace of mind it
offered; it eliminated much of the guesswork around selecting courses and wondering if
they were on the right track. Elizabeth Pardoni shared the following thoughts about her
Ed Plan during her interview:
Oh it’s definitely valuable because, you have to have everything in order.
You have to know which classes you’re taking, how many units and when
you are going to finish. It’s just, I mean you must have an Ed Plan. (p. 17)

Elizabeth noted that once she developed her Ed Plan, she did not have as many questions
for her counselor; instead, she spent the counseling appointments time reviewing the Ed
Plan and ensuring that she was still on track.

177
Similarly, Nancy Garcia found that having an Ed Plan was very beneficial during
her experience at Morningside College; she was able to compare her experience at
Morningside to her previous community college experience, when she did not have an Ed
Plan. Nancy explained,
It was helpful actually because it gives you an idea like how many classes
you should be taking per semester and for me I didn’t really have that at
Fullerton, you know, I was just taking art classes for fun and knowing that
they were college credit but not really knowing that they didn’t really go
for IGETC. So, it was really helpful talking with Ms. Jasmine Blou who
was the one who did my plan and I would meet with her every semester to
update it after my classes were over. And she did have that kind of grid
that said, no spring ’08 and fall of whatever and then she would kind of
like write down the remaining classes I need to take. So, that was really
helpful. And more or less I stuck to the plan . . . And actually it was
through that grid and the Ed Plan that I found out I would need to take
classes during summer if I wanted to graduate in spring. (p. 28)

Nancy was faithfully using the Ed Plan, and consequently it helped her complete all of
the required courses for not only the University of California campuses she was
interested in but also the private schools. Equally important, Nancy’s Ed Plan helped her
realize she needed to take courses in the summer months if she wanted to complete her
transfer requirements in spring for fall enrollment at her transfer institution.
Of the students who developed and utilized an Ed Plan, Francesca Cruz
experienced the greatest difficulty following the plan. Her struggles with the plan were
unique among study participants but perhaps not among the broader Morningside College
student body. Francesca experienced academic difficulty in a number of her classes,
which resulted in her receiving unsatisfactory grades in a few courses. Whenever
Francesca did not pass a course that was part of her Ed Plan, the entire plan had to be

178
revised; the sequencing of her future courses needed adjustment. At times, Francesca
became frustrated by the revisions to the Ed Plan. She explained:
I did develop a transfer plan, but it’s hard. Because I guess when you
develop a transfer plan, you don’t know like later on what is going to
happen to your classes, if you are going to pass or not. Whenever I didn’t
pass one of my classes, I had to like start over again and it wasn’t easy
getting the plan revised. (p. 23)

Despite her occasional frustration with the Ed Plan, Francesca continued to make use of it
until she transferred.
The counselors associated with the Transfer Academy consistently challenged
students to develop and make regular use of an Ed Plan. Whereas most of the students
(three of four) who developed an Ed Plan had one prior to joining the transfer Academy,
they credited the Transfer Academy with helping them understand its value and the
importance of using it regularly.
Structural: Resources at Morningside College
A key aspect of the structural theme explored Morningside College’s ability to
make transfer-related resources readily available to all students. My interviews with the
administrators tasked with coordinating the Transfer Academy were particularly useful in
understanding the extent to which transfer-related resources were available at
Morningside College. Jasmine Blou and Roger Sepulveda noted repeatedly throughout
their interviews that the biggest ongoing threat to the Transfer Academy was limited
resources. Like many other community colleges in the state of California, Morningside

179
College was experiencing extreme financial hardship that directly impacted its ability to
actively promote transfer.
Roger Sepulveda described how the resources (human and financial) earmarked
toward supporting transfer programs and services have declined over the years. From his
perspective, the most notable decline had been in the reduction of staff in the Transfer
Center. He explained:
[The staffing] has varied since I’ve gotten here. I believe when I first
started as a transfer coordinator, I was only in charge of the Liberal Arts
Campus about eight years ago. Back then, I had three full-time staff and
really no student workers, and that has changed through the years, where
now I am down to one full-time staff and we have relied, primarily, on
student workers, as times have gotten tough. Permanent staff have either
been reallocated or let go. Currently though, even having students to
help—student workers to help in the [transfer] center is a major
challenge. (p. 2)

Roger noted that previously the Parkview Campus and the Waterfront Campus each had
its own Transfer Coordinator who was responsible for delivery of transfer services at
their respective campus; however, due to budgetary constraints, one of the transfer
coordinator positions was eliminated, which required one person to serve as transfer
coordinator for both campuses (Roger Sepulveda was that individual). Jasmine explained
that the reduction in full-time staff and paid interns complicated their ability to
effectively promote transfer. She noted:
We are so limited in resources and that’s the thing, that’s the challenges
that we have been experiencing is the limitation of resources. A lot was
done through the help of our interns and because the coordinator was so
busy doing other things, it’s hard for us to even focus on maintaining and
updating information, making sure it gets out and things like that. So
unless we have an intern that’s willing to work with us for free, you know,

180
it’s, we used to have paid internships and so we had at least two or three
interns that would work in the office . . . they were here at least 20 hours a
week and they were able to really actively be involved. Some of them
were club advisors, someone helped with the fairs or tables, tables set ups.
So they were busy and it was very, very helpful to get that extra, you
know, the extra things that we needed for transfer. Right now it’s just
barebones, you know, the fairs, the representatives and that’s about it that,
you know, the coordinator can do right now. (p. 8)

In addition to the limited human resources, the Transfer Center had a relatively small
budget considering the scope and nature of the center’s work. According to Roger, the
Transfer Center’s annual nonsalary budget was approximately $10,000.00. With those
resources, the Transfer Center supported approximately 70 transfer-related programs per
academic year. Roger explained that although $10,000 might seem like a minimal amount
for Morningside College to invest in transfer-related activities, the institution’s transfer
function was entrusted to a number of programs and services throughout the campus that
also required financial support. He noted:
I don’t know how our Transfer Center budget compares to other
community colleges. I do know that Community College Transfer Centers
Coordinators, talk about the same types of difficulties with funding, so I
know I’m not alone in this. The college sees that it’s an important thing
[transfer] to address, but there’s many ways to address transfer. Which
is…one is Transfer Academy, another is the Transfer Center, or hiring
new instructors, for let’s say, math and English courses, which are integral
to transfer. We have Student Success Centers here. So, it [funding] doesn’t
all go towards the Transfer Center, because obviously, transfer is an
institutional commitment and there’s different parts of the institution that
help with transfer, but that’s my budget. (p. 26)

Jasmine shared Roger’s opinion but also expressed slight frustration and concern about
the limited resources allotted to the Transfer Center and its programs. She explained the
situation as follows:

181
Well, it all comes down to funding, you know, I mean the transfer center
doesn’t have its own budget, academy doesn’t have a budget at all. You
know, we don’t have you know support staff. We used to have support
staff, we lost all that and so I mean they say it’s a priority and in this
[funding], I don’t know. I don’t mean it as a slight to the administration in
terms of, yeah, they know transfer is important, but providing the monies
and staffing and the facilities and all that to really make it an institutional
goal and an initiative, it’s I don’t get it, there is a disconnect there I think.
And I don’t know why or what that is in terms of, maybe the
administration has their own ideas of what actually needs to be done. (p.
28)

Jasmine and Roger also noted that even the Transfer Academy, an initiative that was
broadly supported, did not have a dedicated budget to support its activities. Instead, the
Transfer Academy was supported by the existing transfer center budget ($10,000 for both
campuses). At the time that the Transfer Academy was proposed, the committee charged
with developing the program requested the following: an annual budget of approximately
$12,000, a counselor to coordinate the program and teach a Counseling 1 course, and a
.50 FTE counselor to provide the individual counseling. The program was created and
implemented without any of the dedicated resources that were requested exclusively for
the program. The administration was unable to provide the requested items. Instead, the
responsibilities associated with administering the Transfer Academy were added to the
workload of existing personnel. Roger offered the following explanation of how the
Transfer Academy was initially intended to be funded.
In the beginning, there was an idea for the Transfer Academy to have its
own budget, its own staffing—even some talk about its [own] location;
and that sort of went to the wayside as economic times got tougher. The
college knows that it’s a good program to have; we’ve kept it around but
really it’s been blended into the Transfer Center and the Transfer Center’s
budget and the Transfer Center staff, and the Transfer Center’s time. So,

182
when, for example, if I’m making—if I’m having my staff make, or if
there needs to be calls made to Transfer Academy students to invite them
to something, that’s the Transfer staff making those calls. I do—I go to all
the meetings obviously; I’m the coordinator. I have to make time to see
those students on an individual basis…and send out, you know, the
announcements to them. So, it’s been very tough in terms of funding,
which is really the Transfer Center funding. (p. 25)

According to Roger, the fact that the Transfer Academy did not have a dedicated budget
severely hampered his ability to provide transfer programs and services for the general
Morningside College population and Transfer Academy participants. His Transfer
Academy responsibilities pulled him away from his general transfer responsibilities.
Additionally, some of the Transfer Academy’s most popular and useful programs, like
the college tours (including the Northern California tour) were often unfunded.
Consequently, every year, Roger was unsure that he would have the funds needed to
support the Northern California bus tour. He resorted to lobbying various departments
and administrators across campus to piecemeal together the resources needed to support
these events.
Additionally, Roger explained that the availability of resources would be a
deciding factor in determining how (if at all) the program expanded to serve more
students. According to Roger, they initially decided to work with a focused population
(only students who nearly placed into college-level math and English) at the beginning of
the implementation process to increase the initiative’s chances of success. The long-term
plan was always to broaden access to the program so that it served students truly needing
the support and guidance offered by the Transfer Academy; however, given ongoing

183
budgetary constraints, the capacity to expand the program simply did not exist. Roger
explained:
In terms of transfer success, it [the Transfer Academy] keys in with that
directly. With the amount of information resources access that students
will get, it really encourages them to transfer. In terms of also the future, I
see – in terms of transfer success initiatives – is really looking at basic
skill students addressing those students. The Academy really does not
address those students because of the math and the English that they place
in. In my mind, at least, it was always my intention to not have that as a
requirement. We had that requirement at first because we wanted to show
success. It was very important for us . . . in terms of possible funding, to
show transfer success, but a lot of these students that want to be part of the
Academy and that I have had to turn away, have not tested into English
105 or Math 130 and I have had to say, “No.” And I feel very badly about
that cause those are the students that need the most help.
So, the larger extent, in terms of student success, I believe the Transfer
Academy would have to expand to servicing those students, and I have – if
a student has come to me and has not gotten those scores and they say, “I
still want to be in the Academy.” I have bended and let them in, because I
have felt badly about turning them away. I know their very proactive
about transferring. They want those resources so I have made
accommodations as the coordinator, to say “Okay, you’re . . . I’m going to
put you into the Academy.” But, I can’t do that all the time, I turn away a
lot more students than I should have to because we just don’t have the
resources to support everyone that wants to be in the program. (p. 23)
Roger’s comments further illustrated that the Transfer Academy’s impact was not as far
reaching as initially had been hoped. Additional financial and human resources were
needed to offer Transfer Academy benefits to Morningside students who were truly in
need (those in developmental courses with an expressed interest in transfer).

184
Informational Theme
Informational barriers to transfer are often characterized by a lack of formalized
mechanisms for disseminating valuable information about the transfer process, financial
aid, and other academic support resources to students—specifically students with an
expressed interest in transfer. Studies examining the knowledge/information barriers to
transfer tend to highlight the significant differences between students’ perception of what
it takes to successfully transfer and the realities of what it actually takes to complete that
task (Dowd, 2006; Hagedorn et al. 2002; Hagedorn et al. 2004; Pak et al. 2006). These
studies have often revealed that the transfer process is far more complicated than students
expect, and that students lack access to vital transfer-related information. Another
component of the knowledge/information barrier deals specifically with the perceived
cost of transferring to a four-year university, and students’ understanding of resources to
fund their academic pursuits. Community college students often have misperceptions
about the true cost of earning a bachelor’s degree, and they don’t fully understand the
eligibility requirements or process of applying for financial aid (Dowd, 2006).
Consequently, insufficient access to accurate information about transfer requirements,
time to transfer, financial aid, and other transfer-related resources can adversely affect
students’ ability to transfer.
The degree to which information about transfer-related resources is readily
available and communicated to students impacts their ability to successfully navigate the
transfer process. Study participants had varying levels of knowledge about transfer

185
requirements and financial aid, which impacted their initial perceptions about their ability
to transfer. Information was a recurring theme that emerged from the interview data
across study participants, suggesting that it warranted closer examination. Consequently,
knowledge was identified as a salient theme. The knowledge theme pertains to what
students know about the transfer-related resources that are available to them and how
they learn about those resources. Additionally, this theme examines how students’
knowledge about transfer (or lack thereof) impacts their perception of how easy or
difficult it is to transfer.
Informational: Transfer Requirements
By the time they enrolled at Morningside College, the majority of the study
participants understood that attending a community college would allow them the
opportunity to transfer to a four-year university. What they did not understand was the
actual transfer process, and how they would transfer. All of the study participants
acknowledged having little understanding of the requirements needed to transfer to the
institutions in which they were interested. For example, Nancy Garcia explained that at
the time she had enrolled at Morningside College, she was interested in transferring to
Golden State University. When asked what she knew about the requirements for
transferring to Golden State University, she said, “Oh my gosh. Really, all I knew was
that you have to have a minimum GPA and that’s about all I know, yeah . . . I think that I
knew it was a 2.0. [GPA]” (p. 11). Nancy went on to explain that her understanding of
Golden State University’s requirements for transfer was not based on any research she

186
conducted on her own, but rather it was based on her understanding of her sister’s
experience transferring to Golden State University. She noted,
I think even then I didn’t really do any research about Cal State
requirements. I think I was just really going from what I had heard from
my sister because she got into Golden State University I think with—I
think she got in with a high 2.0 and then she went in as an art major. So,
she had to do like some extra requirement where she had to show them a
portfolio and then she had to get accepted that way but really I was just
going off that, nothing else. (p. 12)
Nancy remained unclear about the requirements for Cal State, Long Beach until she
attended her initial counseling appointment, during which she learned about the Transfer
Academy.
Like Nancy, J.C. Lopez knew very little about transfer requirements upon
returning to Morningside College. After initially enrolling at Morningside College for the
sole purpose of learning English, J.C. returned to Morningside College two years later
with the goal of transferring to a four-year college. At the time of his return, J.C. was
interested in transferring to Golden State University because it was closest to his home;
however, he acknowledged knowing very little about what it would take to transfer. The
little knowledge he had about transfer was gained from observing his wife, who was
going through the transfer process. He explained, “I just knew a little bit just because my
wife was going through the process of transferring” (p. 9). In the most poignant comment
J.C. made about his understanding of the college going process and transfer, he noted,” I
was in college, but I didn’t’ know much about college” (p. 10). He attributed his limited
understanding of the college and the transfer process to the fact that he had not grown up

187
in the United States. He was far more familiar with the higher education system in his
native country, Venezuela.
Francesca Cruz felt that most students at Morningside College did not pursue
transfer simply because they did not know about it. She explained that even students who
understood what it meant to transfer had no idea about what was actually required to
transfer. In sharing her opinion on this matter, she offered the following: “So many of us
students here don’t even have a clue when it comes to transfer. We don’t know what
we’re doing, we don’t know anything about the requirements, we’re clueless” (p. 18).
Francesca noted that even with her limited knowledge of transfer requirements, many of
her friends considered her an expert on the matter; consequently they often approach her
for assistance. In Francesca’s situation, her limited understanding of the transfer process
adversely affected her perception of her ability to successfully complete the transfer
process.
Nancy, Francesca, and J.C. acknowledged having a very basic understanding of
transfer during the earlier stages of their Morningside College experience. They knew
that attending a community college would give them the opportunity to transfer to a four-
year university; however, they knew almost nothing about what was required of them to
actually transfer. In Nancy’s and Francesca’s situations, they had not become aware of
specific transfer requirements until they got involved in specialized programs (i.e., Puente
and the Transfer Academy). J.C.’s initial introduction to specific transfer requirements
was by way of his wife, who, at the time, was going through the transfer process. He did

188
not meet with a counselor to develop an educational plan until the end of his second
semester at Morningside College. All three students expressed feelings of doubt and
uncertainty about their ability to successfully navigate the transfer process; primarily,
because they did not understand what was required of them to transfer.
Informational: Financial Aid
Understanding financial aid policies and procedures is a critical component of the
transfer process, as many students require financial assistance to cover tuition and other
fees. The study participants were no different in that many of them relied on financial aid
to pay for their educational expenses. All of the study participants were reliant on some
form of federal- or state-sponsored aid, or private scholarship; however, only seven of the
eight study participants received federal or state student aid (they completed the FAFSA).
At the time of their interviews, the study participants felt confident in their understanding
of financial aid policies and procedures, but they also acknowledged having dealt with
financial aid challenges earlier in their Morningside College experiences. Many of the
financial aid challenges faced by students were the result of misinterpretation of financial
aid policies or misperceptions of financial aid eligibility requirements.
For example, Elizabeth Pardoni temporarily lost her financial aid eligibility
because she did not fully understand federal student loan repayment requirements.
Elizabeth was aware of financial aid, and she knew how to access it, but she did not
understand the federal loan repayment regulations that govern student aid. Prior to her
enrollment at Morningside College, while she was working, Elizabeth decided to take an

189
online course through the University of Phoenix. She did not have the financial resources
to pay for the course by herself, and she didn’t want to use her GI Bill benefits, so she
applied for financial aid. Elizabeth was awarded a federal student loan through Sallie
Mae, which covered the cost of the course. After completing that course, she did not
enroll in any further courses through the University of Phoenix. Elizabeth later moved
into a new apartment and neglected to update her address with her federal loan servicer.
Unbeknownst to her, the loan she received went into repayment. Because she did not
update her address, Elizabeth never received any of the payment notices. Consequently,
she defaulted on the loan, which made her ineligible to receive financial aid until she
repaid the outstanding balance. According to Elizabeth, not until she enrolled at
Morningside College and applied for financial aid did she realize that the loan was in
default. Upon submitting her FAFSA, she received a letter from the Federal Student Aid
Commission informing her that she was ineligible to receive financial aid due to an
unpaid previous loan. Elizabeth explained that she had to borrow money from her father
to repay the loan and cover her academic expenses for the semester. Roughly five months
after repaying the loan, her financial aid eligibility was finally restored. She explained the
situation as follows:
Well, see . . . oh God . . . okay. So, before I came to Morningside College,
I tried to take an online class at the University of Phoenix. The course was
kind of expensive and I didn’t have the money to pay for it, plus I wasn’t
getting my GI Bill at the time. I ended up applying for financial aid and I
got a loan through Sallie Mae. After I finished the class, I just didn’t pay
attention . . . I just forgot about it and I didn’t pay attention and I moved
and, all my mail was going to my last apartment and I defaulted on my
loan. It wasn’t a huge amount but, I defaulted on my loan. So, I couldn’t

190
get financial aid. My dad had to help me pay for school and repay the
loan. It took almost six months before they would let me have financial aid
again. (p. 10)
Elizabeth’s situation resulted in part from her own negligence but also from her limited
understanding of federal student loan repayment policies. She acknowledged that she had
not been fully aware of the financial aid eligibility requirements. Elizabeth did not know
that defaulting on a student loan (intentionally or unintentionally) would jeopardize her
financial aid eligibility. She also did not fully understand that her student loan would go
into repayment six months after she completed the course. Were it not for her father
providing her financial support until her financial aid eligibility was reinstated, she would
not have been able to continue her education, and ultimately would not have transferred.
Similar to Elizabeth, John Mellor experienced financial aid challenges that
complicated his Morningside College experience and nearly jeopardized his ability to
maintain his enrollment and, ultimately, to transfer. John explained that he was
introduced to financial aid through a seminar that was offered at his high school. There,
he learned about the FAFSA and other student aid resources like fastweb.com. When
asked to describe his understanding of financial aid, John offered the following:
Well, what I know is that if you make too much money then you are not
going to get it or if you make, you know less [money] then you’re
probably going to get more and you can also probably [do] workstudy,
like when you work on the campus, yeah. (p. 14)
John had a general understanding of how financial aid was awarded, but did not fully
understand the process of applying for financial aid. John explained that he completed his
FAFSA by himself with little help from his parents; they simply provided him the

191
financial information he requested to complete the form. Unfortunately, he made an error
when completing his FAFSA, which resulted in a significant delay in him receiving his
financial aid award during his first semester at Morningside College. He described the
situation as follows:
Unfortunately, I had made a mistake on my FAFSA form so what
happened was I was approved, but I couldn’t get my financial aid money
right away so I couldn’t pay for classes . . . So I had to borrow the money
from my cousin and mom and you know I paid them back when I got it.
So when I did and then you know everything was fine. I paid them back,
I got my books and the next semester when the financial aid check you
know cleared right away and I could pay for my class and get my books
right away, it made college seem more seamless. (p. 4)
When asked to describe the nature of the mistake he made on his FAFSA, he explained
that he had reported his mother’s income incorrectly, and he misunderstood the section of
the form where he needed to report his enrollment plans (i.e., part time, full time, etc.) for
the academic term. John was fortunate that his mother and cousin were able to help him
pay for his tuition and books until the issues with his financial aid application were
resolved. Were it not for their assistance and support, he would have been forced to
withdraw from classes.
John’s and Elizabeth’s situations were the result of not being fully informed about
the policies that governed financial aid, and about how to complete the FAFSA. Both
situations occurred early on during the students’ Morningside College experience.
Neither John nor Elizabeth sought assistance in resolving these financial aid challenges
from Morningside College’s financial aid office; instead, they resorted to resolving the
problems on their own. Based on the information that John and Elizabeth shared, they did

192
not seem aware of the resources and services available to them through the financial aid
office at Morningside College.
As mentioned earlier, the majority of the study participants claimed to have a
general understanding of how financial aid works; however, based on the experiences
they shared, their understanding of financial aid policies and procedures did not seem
sufficient to help them deal with the unique circumstances or situations that they
encountered. Similarly, Nancy Garcia expressed confidence in her understanding of
financial aid and how it worked. Nancy noted that she had experience with financial aid
at her previous community college; however, just as she expressed confidence in her
knowledge of financial aid, she also expressed uncertainty about her eligibility for
financial aid due to her age. Nancy explained:
So, I had already known about kind of the financial aid process for
community college from my time at Bellmont College. I just wasn’t sure if
I still qualified because of the fact that I gotten kicked out and maybe I
wasn’t sure there was an age limit because I think when I started here at
Long Beach I was already 24. So, I was an independent student. So I
wasn’t sure if financial aid worked a little bit different because I was
older. (p. 10)
Unlike John and Elizabeth, Nancy went to the financial aid office to seek assistance with
her questions. According to her, she initially visited the financial aid office shortly after
registering for courses at Morningside College.
Kelly Jensen’s experience with financial aid was perhaps the most unique of those
of the study participants. Kelly was the only study participant who had not applied for
financial aid at Morningside College. Kelly’s decision not to apply for financial aid was

193
not the result of her being unaware of the financial aid process. Kelly intentionally did
not apply for financial aid upon enrolling at Morningside College. When asked why she
chose not seek financial aid she explained:
I know it seems kind of unwise, but after the first experience with the
FAFSA where I received, like, nothing. I mean, circumstances haven’t
changed within our family. So I didn’t think they would all of sudden give
me financial aid now. (p. 11)

Kelly applied for financial aid as a senior in high school when she considered going
directly to a four-year college or university. At the time, she did not receive any financial
aid because it was determined that her parents made enough to support her financially.
Kelly offered this situation as the reason she had not applied for financial aid when she
enrolled at Morningside College. She knew enough about the financial aid process to
understand that financial aid eligibility and need was reassessed annually based on family
income from the year prior. In her case, she acknowledged that nothing had changed in
her family in terms of their financial situation since her initial financial aid application.
Despite not having received any form of federal- or state-sponsored financial aid,
Kelly was perhaps the most knowledgeable about the financial aid process and various
forms of student aid. Unlike other study participants, Kelly was able to articulate the
difference among various loan types, grants, and private scholarships. Kelly was also
unique in that although she did not receive financial aid, the majority of her educational
expenses were paid for by private merit-based scholarships. When asked how she paid for
her educational expenses she explained:

194
I pay for school with scholarships, that’s really all I’ve got . . . let’s see, I
received the ‘Long Beach Promise’ that offers any student coming from
the Long Beach Unified School District their first semester paid with the
exception of books. And most recently, I earned a $1,000.00 scholarship
which covered two semesters, the whole year, of tuition. That was the
Los Alomitos Scholarship. Then there’s been like scholarships I’ve
earned through writing contests, essay contests that were like $200, $500.
So every little bit has helped me pay for school. (p. 11)
Kelly explained that she learned about these various scholarship opportunities through
formal and informal channels. She frequently visited Morningside College’s scholarship
office to look for new scholarship opportunities. Additionally, she looked for essay
competitions and scholarships in the local community. Last, but certainly not least, Kelly
identified her father as a source of support or assistance in finding various scholarship
opportunities.
Although the vast majority of study participants received need-based financial aid
(seven out of eight), their understanding of financial aid policies and procedures varied.
Study participants seemed to have experienced more challenges with financial aid during
the earlier parts of their Morningside College experience (prior to the Transfer
Academy). None of the study participants noted formal programs or institutional efforts
designed to increase students’ understanding of and access to financial aid. None of the
study participants referenced the Transfer Academy as a source of support in dealing with
financial aid challenges. Instead, they credited the Transfer Academy with helping them
understand what to expect of financial aid once they transferred to a four-year university.

195
Informational: Transfer Academy
Study participants were unanimous in their belief that the Transfer Academy
increased their access to important transfer-related information, and they found their
involvement in the academy beneficial. Study participants had varying opinions about
what Transfer Academy activities they preferred, but the most commonly referenced
activities were the college tours (including the Northern California Bus Tour) and the
Transfer Academy workshops. John Mellor found his involvement in the Transfer
Academy to be very helpful in providing him accurate information about transfer. He
described the information he received through the Transfer Academy as the greatest
benefit of participating in the program. In describing what he appreciated most about the
academy, John said,
Yeah, I always thought, you know, it’s helpful because they have all the
information that you need and if you are willing to ask, they are willing to
give you all that information so every time, you know it’s been a big help.
(p. 20)

John also appreciated receiving transfer-related information directly from those he
considered experts on transfer (i.e., Roger Sepulveda) rather than word of mouth from
peers—like some of his friends that were not in the academy. In fact, when asked to
describe the benefits he received from the Transfer Academy that his non-Academy
friends were not privy to, he said,
I got right information . . . Well, you know, it’s like getting it
[information] from someone who knows the system really well versus
someone who just started college and you know probably doesn’t know
the majority of things that are going on. (p. 25)

196
Throughout his interview, John talked about the importance of receiving accurate
transfer-related information. He placed emphasis on having direct access to individuals
like Roger Sepulveda, Jasmine Blou, and Jamie Williams—people he believed to be very
knowledgeable about transfer.
Like John Mellor, J.C. Lopez credited the Transfer Academy with providing him
very important transfer-related information. He explained that once his wife transferred
from Morningside College to UCLA, he no longer had anyone at Morningside to
approach with his questions about transfer. J.C. Lopez explained that the Transfer
Academy was critical in helping him access accurate information about the transfer
process. He was far more confident in the transfer information he received through the
Transfer Academy, because the individuals associated with the academy were well versed
on transfer requirements and policies. He explained:
Just having that information because they were, they are transfer oriented,
so they focus more on transferring, so if you have any questions about
transferring, they are the one that you can actually talk to and be confident
that they’re going to tell you the right information about it. (p. 22)
J.C. valued feeling confident about the information he received from staff associated with
the Transfer Academy. He explicitly stated that were it not for the Transfer Academy, his
transfer experience would have been much more difficult. J.C. shared instances in which
his friends were given incorrect information, which caused them to always question any
subsequent information they received from their counselor(s). According to J.C.,
participants of the Transfer Academy were privy to special “insider information” (p. 27)
to which other students did not have access.

197
Another study participant, Nancy Garcia, also explained that Transfer Academy
participants were privileged because they received important transfer-related information
and support that other Morningside College students did not receive. Nancy stated,
I definitely felt like people who were involved in transfer academy were at
a much bigger advantage because we always had like deadlines and other
information shoved down our throats, you know, we couldn’t forget that at
all. So, yeah I did have friends who are not in transfer academy and I got a
lot more help than they did. (p. 24)
Study participants indicated that valuable transfer-related information was transmitted to
program participants via regular emails from the Transfer Academy coordinator (Mr.
Roger Sepulveda), Transfer Academy workshops, and college tours. In addition to the
channels mentioned above, Transfer Academy participants were connected via social
media, specifically Facebook. Roger Sepulveda maintained a Transfer Academy
Facebook page, which he used to post transfer-related announcements (i.e., upcoming
application deadlines, university representative visits to Morningside, college fairs, etc.).
Study participants all shared memories about specific Transfer Academy activities that
they found most beneficial.
For example, J.C. Lopez shared his experience as an attendee at the Golden State
University and the UCLA Transfer Academy sessions. When asked what about these two
sessions he found unique, J.C. explained that these were the campuses to which he was
most interested in transferring. Additionally, in both instances, he found the university
representatives to be very knowledgeable, helpful, and approachable. J.C. shared the
following about his experience with the representative from UCLA,

198
I liked the UCLA Transfer Academy workshop the best. The guy was very
precise and I don’t know, I think he made his presentation fun . . . it was
loose not too formal. I mean he was giving us useful information but in a
fun way. (p. 14)
J.C. noted that he obtained the UCLA representative’s contact information after the
workshop. J.C. was able to stay in touch with the UCLA representative, and later met him
again when he attended UCLA’s Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) Conference. J.C.
noted that he stayed in touch with the UCLA staff because he had many questions about
the UC application process. Specifically, he was unsure about how to receive credit for
the previous college coursework he completed in Venezuela. The UCLA representative
he met at the Transfer Academy workshop introduced him to another staff person in the
admissions office who advised him on how to have his Venezuelan transcripts translated
and submitted for evaluation by UCLA’s admission office.
For Francesca Cruz, the workshop on internships proved to be most beneficial.
Transfer Academy workshops were not focused exclusively on information pertaining
directly to transfer. Occasionally, Roger Sepulveda invited nontransfer-specific third
parties to present information that might be of interest to college students. A perfect
example was the INROADS Internship workshop held on February 23, 2010. Roger
Sepulveda invited his former intern (an alumnae of the Golden State University Personnel
Program), Marissa Vaughn, a manager with INROADS to give a workshop about her
organization’s services and resources. INROADS was an organization that maintains
corporate relationships and provides college students from historically underrepresented
backgrounds with pre-professional internships at Fortune 500 companies. Ms. Vaughn

199
gave a presentation to Transfer Academy students on the importance of securing
internships during college in preparation for the workforce. Her presentation offered
students compelling statistics that demonstrated the positive correlation between students
who do internships and their ability to secure employment upon graduation. Ms. Vaughn
reminded students that, as future transfer students, they should begin seeking internship
opportunity shortly after they successfully transfer to a four-year university of their
choice. Francesca found this particular workshop very informative; as she put it, “I
wasn’t even thinking about internships yet but it was good to know that we should start
getting ready to do internships because they can help you get your job” (p. 12). Although
not directly related to transfer preparation, this workshop was helpful because it provided
Francesca with valuable information about career preparation and introduced her to a
useful resource, INROADS.
In addition to sponsoring and hosting regular workshops, the Transfer Academy
organized college tours to various four-year universities. Although the college tours were
not exclusively for Transfer Academy participants, academy participants were often
given first refusal rights to such events. All study participants attended at least one
university tour; seven of the eight attended more than one university tour. All of the
students found the college tours very informative and helpful. In some cases, the college
tour was the student’s first time ever visiting that particular college or university. The
university tours were typically full-day events that included multiple presentations

200
pertaining to transfer requirements, financial aid, student life, and an informal
address/welcome by a current student (typically an alumnus of Morningside College).
Of all the study participants, Nancy Garcia attended the most college tours. In
total, she visited seven universities as a participant of the Transfer Academy. Nancy
offered the following thoughts about the college tours:
I thought they were really informative especially the university tours I
think that’s when I really started to consider going to a UC instead of a
Cal State…that’s when I started to understand the difference between what
the Cal States have to offer versus the UC system. (p. 13)

Notably, prior to joining the Transfer Academy, Nancy had been exclusively interested in
transferring to California State University. When asked about what type of information
she received during a typical college tour, she explained,
So, we would talk about or we would listen to somebody talk about
financial aid. Somebody else talked about like, you know, extra-curricular
activities. So, it wasn’t just like a self-guided walking tour. So, we would
have somebody there telling us about the campus, the history of the
campus, you know, maybe who attended the school previously and kind of
like—the kind of classes that are being offered. So, it wasn’t—it was kind
of like well rounded, yeah, introduction to the school. So, you just don’t
learn one thing, you learn like as much as you can. It is like jam-packed
into that five-hour tour. (p. 14)
For Nancy, having the opportunity to personally visit various campuses was very
impactful on her consideration of other options, particularly those farther away from
home. The Transfer Academy college tours were her first introductions to UC Berkeley,
Stanford, Cal State, San Francisco, and USC; Nancy never visited these campuses prior
to joining the Transfer Academy.

201
Like Nancy Garcia, Francesca Cruz found the Transfer Academy college tours
very helpful and informative. According to Francesca, she participated in five university
tours, specifically, USC, UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley, Cal State San Francisco, and
UC Santa Cruz. She credited the Transfer Academy with introducing her to these schools,
and the tours were the first time she visited all of these universities. Francesca noted that
all though she researched many of the universities prior to visiting them, not until she
actually visited the campuses did she truly gain an appreciation for what they offered and
their uniqueness. She explained:
There’s just something different about being able to be physically present
on the campus. And I never understood what Roger meant by that, he
always emphasized it a lot. He would always say “You won’t know till
you’re there, the type of environment, the way it makes you feel, you’ll
know if that’s your campus or not.” And that gave me a chance to discover
for myself, because the environment the type of faculty and staff that you
talk to, the resources make huge difference in where you attend. (p. 13)
Francesca noted that the people she encountered on the university tours were always very
friendly and approachable. She appreciated that the tours offered her the opportunity to
meet and interact with Morningside alumni who successfully transferred to these various
schools. Francesca explained that the college tours gave her a sense of confidence,
explaining:
Attending these tours, I just, you know, feel more confident. I feel that
okay, I’m getting information and learning more about it, and its just my
time to discover more about these schools. I would tell myself that one day
that would be me . . . at a four year university. (p. 13)
Unlike Nancy and Francesca, Rose Arroyo chose not to attend various university
tours. Instead, she elected to participate in only two Transfer Academy university tours.

202
Rose explained that she was primarily interested in attending UCLA or USC;
consequently, she did not find the other university tours worthwhile. She identified the
Transfer Academy trip to UCLA’s Transfer Alliance Program as her most memorable
Transfer Academy experience. Although Rose visited UCLA numerous times before,
during her high school experience, her previous visits never afforded her the opportunity
to meet staff members from various departments (i.e., admissions, financial aid, Center
for Community College Partnerships, etc.). During the UCLA TAP visit, Rose learned
about the TAP Scholarship for incoming transfer students. Not only did Rose eventually
apply for the TAP scholarship, but also upon gaining admission to UCLA and enrolling,
she was awarded the $15,000 TAP scholarship, which covered her tuition and mandatory
fees during her first year. Rose described the scholarship as follows:
I applied for the TAP Scholarship . . . and I got that scholarship. It gives
me $15,000 a year, yeah oh my God. I think about like, how lucky I am
to have it. Everybody I know for the most part even people who have
financial aid, have loans, I don’t have [any loans], I’m so grateful for that
scholarship . . . If I didn’t go to that financial aid workshop during the
TAP conference, I never would have known about it. (p. 18)
Again, the study participants were unanimous in their belief that the Transfer Academy
increased their access to vital transfer-related information. The majority of the study
participants saw their involvement in the Transfer Academy as a privilege that afforded
them tremendous access to valuable transfer-related information to which other students
were not privy.

203
Conclusion
In this chapter, I demonstrated the number of ways students benefited from the
individuals and activities associated with the Transfer Academy. The students in this
study felt that the Transfer Academy helped them successfully navigate the transfer
process. Specifically, program participants credited the Transfer Academy with providing
them unobstructed access to counselors with expert knowledge about transfer. They also
praised the Transfer Academy for creating a structured programmatic experience, which
made the transfer process more manageable and their transfer goals more tangible.
Additionally study participants noted the uniqueness and importance of the peer
community they found in the academy; they appreciated being surrounded by
academically driven peers who shared an interest in transfer. Study participants were also
unanimous in their belief that, through its activities, the Transfer Academy enhanced their
access to, and knowledge of, various universities, thereby exposing them to new
educational possibilities. Finally, through their involvement in the Transfer Academy, a
significant number of study participants were able to develop meaningful relationships
with institutional personnel, which proved to be rich sources of support during the
transfer process.

204
CHAPTER FIVE:
DISCUSSION
I begin this chapter by revisiting the research questions that informed this study;
then I present a thorough discussion of my findings and answer the research questions.
Next, I offer important implications for policy, practice, and future research. I conclude
the chapter with a brief reflection on the research study and what I learned from
undertaking this process.
Research Questions Revisited
I designed this study to explore ways in which Morningside College, through a
purposeful program called the Transfer Academy, provided participants with the needed
support and resources to overcome the barriers commonly associated with transfer.
Stanton-Salazar’s (1997, 2001, 2004) social capital framework and Bensimon et al.’s
(2007) notion of transfer agents were applied to this study of the Transfer Academy to
understand the ways in which the professionals associated with the Transfer Academy
(i.e., coordinators, counselors, faculty, administrators) and its related activities provided
students with the support/resources needed to achieve their transfer goals. The following
questions guided this study:
1. In what ways does the Transfer Academy provide the informational, cultural,
structural, and relational resources that support transfer?
2. In what ways does the Transfer Academy influence participants’ transfer
choice?

205
In the following section, the findings are discussed and applied to the above-mentioned
research questions. I organize the discussion of my findings in a manner that connects my
findings to the well-documented cultural, relational, structural, and informational barriers
to transfer.
Cultural
The experiences of the study participants highlight the impact (positive or
negative) that the k–12 educational experience can have on a student’s desire to pursue
higher education. Schools are charged with properly preparing students for college,
mainly by ensuring the completion of necessary prerequisites for admission, and by
educating students on the various options for continuing their education (i.e., research
universities, teaching colleges, community colleges, etc.). Unfortunately, many schools
neglect this critical responsibility, and the resulting effects for students in terms of
college attendance are often devastating. The extent to which a high school
systematically prepares students for college and encourages college attendance influences
students’ college aspirations. I refer to this as a school’s “college-going culture”
(Mitchell & Willower, 1992). The study participants’ experiences provide clear examples
of how a strong college-going culture—or the absence of a college-going culture—
impacts a student’s motivation to pursue higher education and their perception of how
well prepared they are to succeed in college.
John, Kelly, and Kaley’s experiences speak to the enormous potential that schools
have to encourage students to pursue higher education. Based on their descriptions, John,

206
Kelly, and Kaley’s perceptions of college and their ability to attend college were
positively influenced by their k–12 experience (especially high school). All three students
attended high schools that constantly bombarded them with messages about the
importance of attending college. More importantly, their schools had ample resources to
prepare students to attend and succeed in college. These students had access to honors
and advanced placement courses and teachers and counselors who regularly engaged
them in conversations about their college plans. Unfortunately, many students are not as
lucky as John, Kelly, and Kaley, and do not have the benefit of attending schools that
adequately prepare them for college—let alone encourage college attendance. Elizabeth
Pardoni’s high school experience is particularly telling in this regard.
In Elizabeth Pardoni’s case, the environment at Whicker Park High School lacked
structure and discipline, the curriculum was not innovative or rigorous, and, perhaps most
importantly, the students were never challenged or encouraged to work hard. When asked
which factors led to her not attending college immediately after high school, she noted
that she hadn’t feel academically prepared for college and that few people from her high
school went on to college. Elizabeth’s comments indicate that her high school
experience—at least in part—influenced her decision not to attend college initially.
Elizabeth’s experience at Whicker Park High School is a perfect example of how schools
with a weak college-going culture fail to adequately prepare students for college or even
to encourage college attendance.

207
The experiences of John, Kelly, Kaley, and Elizabeth underscore the important
role that schools play in helping students develop their identities as college students.
Schools are particularly important in the experiences of students who are perceived to be
at greater risk of facing academic difficulty (i.e., low income, historically
underrepresented, and first-generation college students). These are the students who often
lack the much-needed social and cultural capital in their home settings, which is key to
navigating the educational system and achieving academic success (Lareau, 2001; Lareau
& Horvart, 1999; Stanton-Salazar, 1997, 2001). Consequently, they rely on their schools
and school personnel to provide the information and support needed to access
postsecondary education.
Cultural: Transfer Academy
School-based programs offer students another opportunity outside their homes
and the larger school environment in which they can gain valuable information and learn
behaviors associated with successfully navigating the college environment. In addition to
the formalized activities that comprise specialized school-based programs, they offer
students micro-communities that facilitate the establishment of meaningful relationships
for students (i.e., students-faculty, students-staff, and peer-peer, etc.). These programs
typically have a unique culture that often supports the specialized mission of the program.
The Transfer Academy at Morningside College is an example of such a program.
Study participants noted a clear difference between their general Morningside
College experience and their experience in the Transfer Academy. Although study

208
participants did not explicitly refer to this difference as a “cultural” difference, they did
note that the Transfer Academy had a unique “atmosphere” that was distinct from that of
their general Morningside College experience. For example, J.C., Nancy, Kelly, and
Elizabeth noted that the importance of transferring was not widely promoted to all
Morningside College students. Instead, they found that the topic of transfer was
compartmentalized, discussed only in certain programs or offices on campus (i.e., Puente,
Transfer Center, the GO Project, etc.). The students also noted that their general
Morningside College experience exposed them to students with different enrollment
objectives (certificate, associate’s degree, etc.) and with varying levels of commitment to
their academics. Students affiliation with the Transfer Academy created benefits and
opportunities that were valuable and not routinely available to others.
The students in this study described the uniqueness of the Transfer Academy’s
atmosphere with tremendous clarity. Students noted that, unlike their general
Morningside College experience, the Transfer Academy consistently impressed upon
them the importance of transferring to a four-year university. Kelly, Nancy, Francesca,
Rose, and Kaley noted that the Transfer Academy provided them with a sense of support
and encouragement that helped them achieve their transfer goals. Students explained that
their involvement in the Transfer Academy motivated them to persist in the face of
numerous obstacles (personal, financial, and academic). Specific Transfer Academy
activities they referenced in this regard were the Transfer Academy workshops, college

209
tours, and opportunities to interact with Morningside alumni who successfully navigated
the transfer process.
The fact that students were selected to participate in the Transfer Academy had a
positive impact on their perceptions of the program’s importance and on their
coparticipants commitment to transferring. Study participants recognized their
involvement in the Transfer Academy as a privilege; they were cognizant that they
received benefits by virtue of their involvement—benefits to which other Morningside
College students were not privy. Consequently, the majority of the study participants
were determined to take full advantage of the resources provided by the Transfer
Academy. Despite having a shared interest in transfer, no evidence of competition
appeared among program participants. Students willingly helped and supported one
another throughout the transfer process. Behaviors that exemplify this spirit of mutual
cooperation include, but are not limited to: sharing information about transfer
requirements, reviewing and providing feedback on personal statements, and sharing
financial aid and scholarship deadlines with each other.
Cultural: Morningside College

As mentioned earlier, I purposefully chose Morningside College as the site of my
study in large part, due to their involvement in a number of the Center for Urban
Education’s Equity for All action research studies. Through the campus’ involvement in
these studies, it demonstrated a genuine desire to identify and remedy the barriers that
prevented its students from transferring; and by doing so, Morningside College sought to

210
enhance its transfer culture. The Transfer Academy was created as a programmatic
response to the transfer barriers that were identified through the Equity for All action
research studies. The program was also intended to serve as a catalyst for institutional
transformation; specifically it was intended to enhance Morningside’s transfer culture.
The evidence presented in this study confirm that the Transfer Academy was successful
as a programmatic intervention that provided select students the resources needed to
successfully navigate the transfer process. However, there was no evidence to confirm
that the Transfer Academy improved the overall transfer culture at Morningside College.
In fact, there is evidence to suggest that many of the gains that were achieved through
Morningside’s participation in the Equity for All studies have been lost. In the following
section, I offer a brief explanation as to why I believe the transfer culture at Morningside
College remains unchanged.
From my observation, one of the primary reasons the Transfer Academy did not
lead to a change in Morningside’s transfer culture was the loss of institutional leaders that
were committed to improving the campus’ transfer culture. The action research projects
that were conducted a Morningside involved key institutional leaders from across the
campus. By virtue of their involvement in these action research projects, the institutional
leaders saw first-hand the effects of campus policies and procedures on students’ ability
to successfully navigate the transfer process. More importantly, these institutional leaders
accepted responsibility for the barriers to transfer and agreed to play an active role in
addressing Morningside’s weak transfer culture. Unfortunately over time, some of the

211
individuals that took place in these transformative inquiry exercises left Morningside
College (namely the Vice President for Student Services and the Dean of Counseling),
and new leaders were appointed to those positions. The new leaders that filled these key
positions were not involved in the initial action research projects and therefore were not
as personally invested in supporting the initiatives that resulted from those action
research projects.
For example, the initial Vice President for Student Services, Rolando Flores, was
a champion of Morningside’s transfer function. Improving Morningside’s transfer culture
was a cornerstone of his agenda. Mr. Flores not only supported the creation of the
Transfer Academy but he supported the creation of other programs that also encouraged
transfer, programs like: Sankofa, First Year Experience (FYE), and PUENTE to name a
few. Beyond providing resources for these transfer programs, Mr. Flores actively
supported these initiatives by regularly attending their events or meetings, and making
himself available to meet and interact with the participants of these various programs.
Perhaps most indicative of his commitment to these initiatives was that he fought for their
inclusion in the new Student Services Building that is under construction on
Morningside’s Waterfront Campus, thus ensuring that these programs would be housed
together in a wing of the new centrally-located Student Services building called “Transfer
Village”. Since Mr. Flores’ departure from Morningside, two different individuals have
served as Vice President for Student Services, there is a new Dean of Counseling
Services, and the state is facing the worst budget crisis in its history. As a result, many of

212
the gains described above have been lost. The Transfer Academy currently operates with
no dedicated budget or staff. Effective the 2012-2013 academic year, the Sankofa, FYE,
and PUENTE programs will no longer exist.
Additionally, a number of individuals that were involved in the initial
Morningside College Equity for All action research studies also participated on the
Transfer Academy Advisory Board. The Transfer Advisory Board was cross-functional
team of Morningside College counselors, faculty, and administrators that conceptualized,
developed, and implemented the Transfer Academy program. In the early stages of the
Transfer Academy, the Advisory Board met monthly to discuss the implementation
process; topics of discussion during regular meetings included: strengths and areas of
improvement for the program, new workshop ideas, program updates, participant
recruitment strategies, etc. The Advisory Board meetings were an excellent opportunity
to keep Advisory Board members informed of the program’s progress but also to keep
them engaged in the broader effort to improve Morningside’s transfer culture; this was
especially true for faculty members that served on the Advisory Board. Unfortunately,
due to the limited time that the Transfer Academy Coordinator had to manage the
program, coordinate program activities, and provide general transfer services to the entire
campus, a decision was made to disband the Transfer Academy Advisory Board. An
unintended consequence of this action was that the sole point of connection that key
individuals who were initially involved in the Equity for All projects had with the
Transfer Academy was eliminated. Rather than being seen as an institutional effort, one

213
that was supported by a broad group of stakeholders, the program was relegated to a
departmental effort—supported solely by the Transfer Center and the Transfer
Coordinator. I am unsure to what extent (if any) the individuals that were involved in the
initial Equity for All action research studies are still engaged in the effort to enhance
Morningside’s transfer culture.
The absence of Rolando Flores and Derrick Wells (the initial Dean of Counseling)
may not have been devastating to Morningside’s efforts to enhance its transfer culture if
other institutional agents that shared their passion for promoting transfer replaced them
when they left. Instead, many of the gains that were achieved under Mr. Flores’ and Mr.
Wells’ leadership were lost over time. The campus needed an institutional leader,
someone with hierarchical authority, to mobilize other institutional agents and continue
the important work of addressing Morningside’s barriers to transfer and improving the
campus’ transfer culture. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Instead, the Transfer
Academy was left solely to Roger Sepulveda. Roger did his best to manage the day to
day operations of the program and keep it afloat, while also providing general transfer
services for the rest of the Morningside student population. However, in the end, he
lacked the positional authority and influence needed to make the Transfer Academy and
other transfer initiatives a real priority for the entire campus community. Consequently,
the Transfer Academy was at best, a programmatic success, and a failed attempt at
transforming Morningside College’s overall transfer culture.

214
Relational
When entering this study, my interest was focused primarily on understanding
how the Transfer Academy helped participants establish meaningful relationships with
institutional agents and peers, relationships that supported and encouraged transfer;
however, in examining the experiences of the study participants, I noted that relationships
with family members and significant others were also tremendous sources of emotional
support and encouragement throughout the transfer process. Conversely, I also saw how
these relationships could discourage students from pursuing higher education. Whether
the influence was positive or negative, students spoke passionately about how members
of their family or significant others influenced their decision to pursue higher education.
Consequently, even though this was not the focus of my study, I felt it was important to
explore these relationships and their impact on students’ desire to transfer.
I found that of the eight study participants, five had the support of their parents as
they pursued higher education. Three of those five students had at least one parent who
completed college. Although the majority of supportive parents had previous college
experience, some parents had no prior college experience yet were still incredibly
supportive of their children’s educational pursuits. Elizabeth Pardoni’s experience
illustrates how influential parents can be in encouraging their child to pursue higher
education. Despite not having attended college, Elizabeth’s father often pushed her to
continue her education. He routinely explained to her that earning a solid education was
critical to securing a successful future. Elizabeth knew that her father expected her to

215
continue her education upon graduating from high school. Even though she did not want
to go to school, she enrolled at a community college because she did not want to
disappoint her father. Throughout the ups and downs of her educational experience, her
father was always there—providing her emotional, and even financial, support. In most
cases, the support students received from their parents and family members was
emotional and, in some cases, financial (John and Elizabeth). Two students in particular,
Rose and Kelly, received active support and encouragement from their parents in
navigating the transfer process. Rose and Kelly had parents who were familiar with the
resources available to students at Morningside College, and they helped their children
access those resources when needed.
Just as families have the ability to encourage college aspirations, they have the
potential to serve as obstacles/road blocks to students’ pursuit of higher education. In
some instances, families may lack the knowledge to fully appreciate the benefits of a
college education. Consequently, some families encourage students to seek employment
rather than pursue higher education. Nancy Garcia’s experience is a perfect example of
how family members can potentially discourage a student from pursuing postsecondary
education. In Nancy’s case, she was offered admission and a generous financial aid
package to attend a four-year college Golden State University during her senior year in
high school; however, her family (her mother, in particular) was opposed to her moving
away from home to attend college. Nancy’s parents were uneasy about their daughters
moving out of the home until they were married. Her mother was also concerned that

216
Nancy would spend the majority of her time pursuing school instead of working to
provide for herself. Ultimately, Nancy successfully transferred to UCLA, but she did so
with little support from her parents. Instead, she turned to her older sister, who graduated
from Golden State University, for emotional support. The lack of knowledge about
college within the family and home environment can be mitigated if the student is
exposed to individuals or programs that encourage college attendance. Often times,
schools (teachers, counselors, administrators, etc.) have the greatest potential to prepare,
socialize, and encourage students to attend college.
The relational aspect of transfer focuses on the impact of meaningful relationships
between students and transfer agents—institutional personnel who are in a position to
provide various forms of institutional support that facilitate transfer (Pak et al., 2006). As
noted by Bensimon and Dowd (2009), a common feature in the experiences of students
who have successfully navigated the community college transfer process is relationships
with institutional agents who provided them with various forms of institutional support
and encouragement along the way. Equally important is student access to, and
involvement with, peer social networks based on shared academic/professional goals;
these networks also serve to encourage and support students’ transfer goals. The
experiences of the study participants provided numerous examples of how the Transfer
Academy increased students’ access to individuals who supported their efforts to transfer.
Additionally, the students featured in this study demonstrate the importance of peer
relationships in helping them achieve their transfer goals.

217
I discovered that, through its regular activities, the Transfer Academy provided
participants with opportunities to develop meaningful relationships with institutional
personnel who supported their interest in transfer. The institutional personnel most
commonly referenced by study participants as being instrumental providers of
institutional support were Jasmine Blou, Roger Sepulveda, and Jamie Williams. Notably,
in describing their pre-Transfer Academy Morningside College experiences, students
made no references of interactions with Jasmine, Roger, or Jamie. Perhaps because the
students did not know these individuals before they joined the Transfer Academy, they
had little to no interaction with them prior to joining. The students often reported that
through Transfer Academy–related activities they “got to know” these transfer agents.
For example, Elizabeth Pardoni noted that she met Ms. Jamie Williams through her
required once-a-semester counseling appointment, a Transfer Academy program
requirement for all participants. She recalled that Ms. Williams took the time to get to
know her, asking a lot of questions about her time in the military and her academic goals.
Elizabeth was struck by the interaction, because it was very different from her previous
interactions with other counselors. She went on to explain that, as a result of their
relationship, going forward, she sought counseling assistance exclusively from Ms.
Williams. J.C. Lopez noted that he got to know Roger Sepulveda by attending Transfer
Academy workshops and by visiting him in his office. Mr. Sepulveda engaged J.C. in
conversation whenever he saw him at Transfer Academy workshops or around campus.
J.C. noted that Mr. Sepulveda was incredibly approachable and always willing to make

218
time for him. J.C. valued the assistance and information that Mr. Sepulveda provided
throughout his transfer process. He explained that, upon receiving notification of his
admission to UCLA, Mr. Sepulveda was the first person at Morningside with whom he
shared the information. It is certainly possible that the study participants would have met
these institutional personnel without the Transfer Academy, but it is unlikely that they
would have developed such meaningful relationships with them. The Transfer Academy
was the catalyst that brought the students into direct contact with these key individuals on
a regular basis.
In addition to noting the opportunities participants had to develop meaningful
relationships with institutional personnel, I found that the Transfer Academy fostered
peer relationships that were instrumental in supporting transfer. Overwhelmingly, study
participants noted that a unique feature of the Transfer Academy was that it provided
them with a community of peers who shared an interest in transfer and who were also
committed to their academics. The study participants identified these peer relationships as
a significant source of motivation and support. Students shared accounts of helping one
another with transfer applications, sharing scholarship information, and keeping each
other abreast of upcoming deadlines. Francesca Cruz’s experience was perhaps the best
example of how the Transfer Academy provided participants an added sense of
community. Francesca did not feel that her family supported her interest in higher
education; consequently, she sought that support from friends, faculty, and counselors at
Morningside. Francesca described the Transfer Academy community as “family,” noting

219
that her friends in the Transfer Academy helped her through some of her most difficult
experiences at Morningside. Notably, some study participants entered the Transfer
Academy with their friends (i.e., John, Nancy, and Kaley); others entered the program not
knowing other participants. It was clear that the Transfer Academy peer relationships
were not confined to transfer academy events or activities; participants interacted with
one another outside of formally sanctioned activities.
Half of the study participants (four of eight) enjoyed supportive relationships with
faculty members at Morningside College. Study participants reported faculty members
who encouraged them to consider transferring to a four-year university or to participate in
special programs at Morningside (i.e., the honors program). In all of these instances,
students were introduced to faculty members through the classroom setting; in other
words, they were enrolled in a course that the professor taught. Although these
relationships cannot be attributed to the Transfer Academy, they warrant mention because
they helped the students achieve their transfer goals. The Transfer Academy did not
directly provide opportunities for participants to develop meaningful relationships with
faculty; however, individuals associated with the program (especially Roger Sepulveda)
constantly encouraged participants to develop relationships with their professors.
Specifically, Mr. Sepulveda implored Transfer Academy participants to regularly visit
their instructors during office hours. He reminded them that very few Morningside
students actually attend office hours, and that attending office hours was a great
opportunity for them to become acquainted with their professors. This advice was always

220
given within the context of the transfer application process. Mr. Sepulveda reminded
Transfer Academy participants that they would need letters of recommendation for their
transfer applications, and he suggested students would have an easier time securing
letters of recommendation if the professors knew them. Mr. Sepulveda’s constant
reminders seem to have worked, as each of the four students who noted having a
meaningful relationship with a faculty member also received a letter of recommendation
from that professor during the transfer application process. Although the Transfer
Academy did not explicitly teach participants how to establish relationships with
institutional agents, the program definitely conveyed the importance of those
relationships to participants.
Structural
In examining the study participants’ experiences, I found that the Transfer
Academy offered students additional structure that made it easier for them to manage the
transfer process. The majority of the study participants described feeling lost and
confused about the transfer requirements prior to having joined the Transfer Academy.
They acknowledged simply taking courses that sounded interesting, asking friends which
courses they should take, or trying to follow the transfer path outlined on the “yellow
sheet.” Participants expressed feelings of frustration because they were unclear about
which requirements they already completed and which requirements were still
outstanding. Equally troubling, study participants expressed feelings of isolation. They
felt like they were alone on their transfer journey. These frustrations were evidenced in

221
the length of time it took study participants to successfully transfer to a four-year
university. The average time to transfer for study participants was 3.5 years. Notably,
many of the study participants had not joined the Transfer Academy until later in their
student experiences. Perhaps the students’ average time to transfer would have been
shorter had they been involved with the Transfer Academy for their entire Morningside
College experience. The students’ experiences suggest that the Transfer Academy
simplified the transfer process for them. It also made participants’ transfer goals tangible;
participants were routinely introduced to recent alumni from similar backgrounds who
successfully navigated the transfer process.
The Transfer Academy participants enjoyed and benefitted from having regularly
scheduled Transfer Academy activities. Study participants noted that the regular monthly
Friday afternoon meetings were something they looked forward to. These meetings gave
students an opportunity to obtain answers to any questions they had regarding the transfer
process, a chance to interact with friends in the program, and an opportunity to learn new
information that would help them achieve their transfer goals. Students also noted that
workshops and other activities typically featured food, promotional giveaways, and guest
speakers. Study participants knew exactly what to expect from each workshop despite the
fact that workshop topics varied from month to month. In addition to regular workshops,
the Transfer Academy provided structure in the form of regular personalized academic
advising.

222
The Transfer Academy required participants to have regular (once a semester)
individual meetings with a dedicated counselor, Ms. Jamie Williams. Ms. Williams
served as the dedicated counselor for the honors program and the Transfer Academy. All
of the study participants acknowledged having met once a semester with Ms. Williams,
and they noted that this meeting was a requirement for remaining in good standing with
the Transfer Academy. Prior to joining the Transfer Academy, none of the participants
met regularly with a counselor. The study participants consistently characterized their
interactions with Ms. Williams as helpful, because she monitored their progress towards
completing their transfer requirements. Rose Arroyo credited Ms. Williams with
“keeping her on her toes” (p. 18), ensuring that she stayed on the right track. In addition
to requiring students to meet individually once a semester, the Transfer Academy
afforded its participants priority access to counseling throughout the year. Unlike the
general Morningside student population, the Transfer Academy participants did not have
to wait extended periods of time for a counseling appointment. Consequently, the
Transfer Academy made it much easier for students to access counseling.
In speaking with the students about their experiences, I readily noted that Transfer
Academy participants had access to counselors who were far better informed about
transfer requirements than other counselors at Morningside. The counselors working with
the Transfer Academy (Ms. Jamie Williams, Roger Sepulveda, and Jasmine Blou) had
expert knowledge about transfer requirements and the transfer process. Prior to joining
the Transfer Academy, study participants recounted unpleasant experiences with

223
counselors from whom they received inaccurate or conflicting information. These
negative counseling experiences adversely affected participants’ perceptions of
Morningside’s general counseling services—and the likelihood they would seek those
services in the future. Study participants expressed tremendous confidence in the
information they received from the counselors associated with the Transfer Academy.
Morningside College’s budgetary difficulties directly impacted its ability to
provide transfer-related resources to students, even those within the Transfer Academy.
The Transfer Academy operated without a dedicated budget to support its programs and
activities; its staffing and budget were supported primarily through existing Transfer
Center operations. It became evident that the biggest threat to the future of the Transfer
Academy was the limited availability of resources. In addition to the limited resources,
the Transfer Academy had been affected by high turnover in key leadership positions at
the college, namely the dean of counseling and the vice president for student services.
According to the Jasmine and Roger, since the creation of the Transfer Academy, three
different people served as vice president for student services, and at least two different
people served as the dean of counseling. My interviews with Roger Sepulveda and
Jasmine Blou were instrumental in understanding the broader institutional context within
which the Transfer Center existed and operated.
Informational
The individuals associated with the Transfer Academy regularly provided
participants with transfer-related information. Program participants routinely received

224
information that helped them successfully navigate the transfer process. The information
students received focused on the following: scheduled visits to Morningside by various
university representatives, information about university tours, important application
deadlines, and scholarship information, to name a few. Study participants reported
receiving information from the Transfer Academy via email, Facebook, and at various
Transfer Academy events. The Transfer Academy created an environment in which
information pertaining to transfer was inescapable. Beyond the formal information
dissemination channels described above, students also informally shared transfer-related
information with one another.
Participants described Transfer Academy events as being full of valuable
information. Study participants routinely described the monthly workshops and college
tours as helpful and informative. During workshops, students were introduced to
resources at Morningside like the career center, the honors program, and the scholarship
office. Transfer Academy workshops also featured external resources that were helpful to
participants, like the INROADS internship workshop or opportunities to meet specific
university representatives.
The Transfer Academy as a Source of Institutional Support
When conducting this study I sought to understand the extent to which the
activities and individuals associated with the Transfer Academy provided participants the
institutional support needed to achieve their transfer goals. Specifically, I was curious
about whether the Transfer Academy enhanced participants’ access to institutional agents

225
and the various forms of institutional support they are known to provide. In chapter two, I
described the enormous potential that institutional agents have to help students
effectively navigate the educational system and achieve academic success, particularly
students from low-income and historically underserved backgrounds. Through the course
of this study, I found that the Transfer Academy did enhance participants’ access to
institutional personnel that served as transfer agents—people that helped them navigate
the transfer process. Equally important, I discovered that my study participants received
many of the various forms of institutional support that are commonly provided by
institutional agents (see p. 31).
Active participants in the Transfer Academy were regularly exposed to various
institutional agents that provided them much needed institutional support. My study
participants had the most contact with the following institutional agents: Roger
Sepulveda, Jasmine Blou, and Jamie Williams. Among the most common institutional
agent roles enacted by the above-mentioned individuals were: knowledge agent; bridging
agent; role model; advisor; and provider of emotional/social support. Roger, Jasmine, and
Jamie consistently served as knowledge agents for my study participants by providing the
students procedural knowledge about the transfer process, financial aid, and scholarships.
My study participants (particularly J.C. Lopez and Francesca Cruz) routinely credited
Roger Sepulveda with personally introducing them to individuals and resources at
various four-year universities; for these students Roger served as a bridging agent. In J.C.
Lopez’s case, it was Roger who introduced J.C. to an individual at UCLA that assisted

226
him with the process of having his international academic transcripts evaluated.
Similarly, Roger introduced Francesca Cruz to the college representative from St. Mary’s
College, and he personally welcomed her to campus and introduced her to other campus-
resources. Roger and Jasmine served as role models for the Transfer Academy
participants. Like their students, Roger and Jasmine were first generation college
students, from working class backgrounds, and they began their educational journey at a
community college. Yet they still managed to persist and achieve academic success. My
study participants noted that hearing about Roger’s and Jasmine’s personal stories
inspired them further to achieve their own academic goals (in this case, specifically
transfer); this exemplified Roger and Jamie ability to serve as role models for the
Transfer Academy participants. Jamie and Roger were described by study participants as
being great advisors—individuals from whom they sought counsel on academic matters.
Nancy best illustrated this point when describing how Roger and Jamie helped her weigh
the pros and cons of attending UCLA and Berkeley—two schools that offered her
admission. She noted that Roger and Jamie took the time to help her weigh her options
while being supportive of whatever decision she made. Nancy trusted their advice and
counsel because they had expert knowledge about the academic experiences and
resources offered by each campus; but perhaps most importantly, she was convinced they
had her best interest at heart. Finally many of my study participants credited peers that
were part of the Transfer Academy and most importantly, RogeRoger, Jasmine, and
Jamie as sources of emotional/social support. Study participants noted that RogeRoger,

227
Jamie, and Jasmine always affirmed their ability to successfully transfer to four-year
universities. Francesca Cruz noted that RogeRoger provided her with emotional support
throughout her Morningside experience. RogeRoger helped her overcome personal and
academic challenges. It was quite evident from the experiences of my study participants
that RogeRoger, Jasmine, and Jamie embodied many of the institutional agent roles that
Stanton Salazar (2001, 2010) identified as being critical in the educational experiences of
first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students.
At the time that I began this study, Stanton Salazar’s conceptualization of
institutional agents included seven distinct institutional agent roles (see p. 31). In 2011
Stanton Salazar not only expanded the institutional agent framework but he also
introduced the empowerment agent concept to describe the motivational and ideological
characteristics of institutional personnel that are willing to actively oppose and disrupt the
hierarchical and established social structures (Stanton Salazar, 2011). Stanton Salazar
identified five characteristics that compel individuals to act as empowerment agents, and
he suggested that all five must be present for an individual to act as an empowerment
agent. The five characteristics of empowerment agents are:
(1) the degree to which they are aware of the social structural forces
within society and within their institution that function to problematize the
success of low-status students (2) on their level of critical awareness that
the success of low-status students or youth within the institution is
contingent on their receiving systematic and tailored provisions of
‘institutional support’; (3) on their willingness to not act on the established
rules of social structure that serve the purpose of consolidating resources
within the upper levels of the hierarchy (4) on the contents of their identity

228
and their ideological commitments—particularly, on whether they identify
themselves as one of those agents responsible for advocating on behalf of
the low-status students and for providing them with varied forms of
‘institutional support’; and (5), their motivation and willingness to be
identified by the larger personnel community that they are an advocate and
an agent for low-status students. (p. 1089)
While I found evidence suggesting that RogeRoger, Jasmine, and Jamie served as
institutional agents for participants of the Transfer Academy, I did not find clear and
convincing evidence to suggest they met the five characteristics that Stanton Salazar
attributed to empowerment agents. In all fairness to RogeRoger, Jamie, and Jasmine,
given that Stanton-Salazar’s introduction of the empowerment agent concept occurred
after my interviews. I was unable to ask specific questions of RogeRoger, Jasmine, and
Jamie that may have produced evidence that demonstrated that they possessed the
empowerment agent characteristics.
Transfer Academy’s Influence on Transfer Choice
Three of the eight study participants had the opportunity to attend a four-year
university directly from high school. The majority (five) of the study participants were
not able to not meet minimum admission requirements upon graduation from high school.
I discovered that each of the study participants enrolled at Morningside College with an
expressed interest in transferring to a four-year university. In other words, all of the study
participants were aware that transfer was an option when they enrolled at Morningside
College. What they were unclear about was the actual process of transferring to their
four-year university of interest. All of the study participants enrolled at Morningside

229
College with a particular transfer destination in mind. (See Table 7) Golden State
University was the most commonly selected initial transfer destination by study
participants; six of the eight students expressed an interest in transferring to Golden State
University.
Table 7
Participants’ Transfer Destination of Interest
Study Participant Initial Transfer Destination of
Interest
Ultimate Transfer Destination
Arroyo, Rose Golden State University UCLA
Cruz, Francesca Golden State University/USC Mt. Saint Mary’s
Garcia, Nancy Golden State University UCLA
Jensen, Kelly USC or Stanford N/A
Lopez, JC Golden State University UCLA
Mellor, John Golden State University Cal State, Long Beach
Pardoni, Elizabeth UCLA Loyola Marymount University
Parker, Kaley Golden State University/UCLA Cal State. Long Beach

230
However, during the course of their involvement in the Transfer Academy, five of the
eight study participants changed their preferred transfer destination. Notably, of the five
students who changed their preferred transfer destination, three of them decided to
transfer to more selective four-year universities. Perhaps the Transfer Academy
encouraged these students to set their sights higher, increasing their transfer aspirations.
The study participants credited the Transfer Academy with exposing them to new
transfer possibilities. I discovered this insight was achieved primarily by sharing
information about various four-year universities and by taking program participants to
visit different colleges and universities. The Transfer Academy college tours typically
featured a general admissions presentation, financial aid workshop, general overview of
the campus’ cocurricular involvement opportunities and support services, a campus tour,
and a welcome from a Morningside College alumnus who was enrolled at that university.
The student’s interaction with Morningside alumni during the college visits turned out to
make a strong impression on their perceptions about the probability of transfer. For a
number of study participants, the college visits organized by the Transfer Academy were
the first time they had ever visited a particular campus. Study participants like Nancy,
Rose, Francesca, and J.C. noted that visiting college campuses gave them an opportunity
to “see themselves” as students on those campuses. This experience further fueled their
desire to transfer and reassured them that their transfer goals were within reach. It is
worth nothing that Nancy, Rose, Francesca, and J.C. each transferred to more selective
colleges than they initially thought they would. (See Table 7)

231
Equally important in influencing participants’ transfer choice were the
opportunities they had to meet and hear from Morningside Alumni who successfully
navigated the transfer process. Study participants identified these interactions as being
among their most memorable Transfer Academy experiences. The students were
encouraged by hearing the stories of students who attended their community college,
shared aspects of their backgrounds, and overcame challenges similar to the ones they
faced. Interacting with these successful alumni reassured study participants that
transferring was, in fact, a tangible goal.
In summary, the individuals and programs/activities associated with the Transfer
Academy did, in fact, provide students with various forms of institutional support that are
needed to successfully navigate the transfer process. The Transfer Academy pooled
Morningside’s existing resources and brought them to bear in a focused manner that
benefited the program participants. Furthermore, the Transfer Academy positively
influenced participants’ decision to transfer to the schools to which they ultimately
transferred.
Recommendations
In the following section I offer practical recommendations for improving the transfer
function at community colleges. These recommendations are informed largely by insights
gained from conducting this study. While this study focused specifically on the Transfer
Academy at Morningside College, it is important to note that the following

232
recommendations are applicable to any community college or system of community
colleges that is interested in strengthening its transfer function.
The Transfer Academy is helpful to those students lucky enough to experience it;
however, the program alone, as it is currently constituted, is incapable of enhancing
Morningside College’s overall transfer culture. Simply put, the relatively small size of the
program, its limited accessibility to students, and the lack of support (human and fiscal
resources) it receives from Morningside’s leadership, do not allow it to make a
meaningful impact on Morningside’s overall transfer culture. At most, the Transfer
Academy has 150 students (not all active) on its roster; Morningside College boasts a
total enrollment of 28,447 students—meaning the Transfer Academy is only capable of
serving 0.5% of the campus’s total enrollment. The majority of the program activities are
designed to accommodate 30 to 50 students (i.e., workshops, college tours, etc.), which
means even fewer students (not 150) are participating in the program’s high-impact
activities. Consequently, Morningside must find ways to expand the Transfer Academy’s
reach so that more students are able to reap the benefits of the program. What follows in
this section are my recommendations that outline how Morningside College or any other
community college can ensure that more students are exposed to transfer and receive the
resources they need to successfully navigate the transfer process.
Community colleges like Morningside should annually monitor the efficacy of
their transfer function. To that end, colleges should develop a standing transfer task force
comprised of stakeholders from across the campus. The committee’s membership should

233
include, but not be limited to, the following individuals: the dean of counseling, transfer
coordinator, a staff person from institutional research, and faculty, to name a few. The
committee should use institutional data that is disaggregated by race and ethnicity,
gender, and intended major to ensure that all segments of the student population are being
equitably supported. Possible indicators that would help institutions measure their impact
on promoting transfer include, but are not limited to, the following:
• number of students that enroll at each year with an expressed interest in
transfer
• number of students that enroll in and complete gateway transfer courses like
the “golden four”
• number of students who successfully transfer each year
• number of transfer-related programs activities offered per year (i.e., university
fairs, college tours, UC application workshops, etc.)
• number of students each year who complete a transfer-oriented Ed Plan.
• number of students participating in transfer-specific specialized programs
(i.e., Honors, Puente, Transfer Academy, Sankofa, etc.).
• An annual review of the resources (human and financial) allocated toward
supporting the college’s transfer function.
The Transfer Task Force should have the full support of the college’s senior leadership,
who should be available to recommend policy and procedural changes as needed. The

234
task force should produce an annual report to inform the president and campus
community of its progress in promoting transfer.
In recognition of the considerable influence faculty has to encourage transfer,
community colleges like Morningside should enhance faculty involvement in the transfer
process. Faculty members must understand that the college’s transfer function is a
priority, and consequently, that they are expected to actively support it. To that end,
Morningside’s administration, in collaboration with the faculty senate, should develop
metrics for evaluating faculty members’ contribution toward encouraging transfer.
Metrics for assessing faculty involvement in promoting transfer should include:
• The number of recommendation letters faculty members write in support of
students’ transfer applications.
• The extent to which faculty members incorporate transfer-related activities
into the development of their courses. For example, asking students to write a
university personal statement for a writing assignment.
• The extent to which faculty members invite Transfer Center personnel to give
transfer-related presentations in their classes
• The extent to which faculty discusses the importance of transfer within the
classroom setting. This duty should be added as a component of faculty or
course evaluations

235
These metrics should be included in the faculty promotion and tenure process. In
addition, formal efforts should be made to recognize and celebrate faculty members with
a demonstrated commitment to promoting and supporting transfer.
Given Morningside College’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI),
the college receives federal funds to develop programs and services that enhance the
educational opportunities and achievement of Latino/a students. In 2008, Congress
passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which amended section 503 (b) of the
Higher Education Act, allowing federal funds allotted to HSIs and other minority-serving
institutions to be applied to the development of “articulation agreements and student
support programs designed to facilitate the transfer of students from two-year to four-year
institutions” (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/index.html). Consequently,
Morningside College should dedicate a portion of its Title V resources to supporting
more transfer-related programs and initiatives like the Transfer Academy. Earmarking a
portion of the Title V funds toward efforts that directly support transfer would provide
the Transfer Center much-needed resources to broaden the reach of its transfer-related
activities and to increase the visibility of transfer.
Given the undeniable impact that alumni interactions had on encouraging the
study participants to transfer, community colleges should provide more opportunities for
current students to meet successful alumni. Inviting recent transfer alumni to share their
academic and personal experiences with current students provides current students with
role models who confirm the possibility of transferring to a four-year university.

236
Additionally, such events give current students an opportunity to ask individuals with
similar lived experiences questions about the transfer process, and about what it takes to
successfully navigate the system. Lastly, this initiative creates additional opportunities for
recent alumni to remain engaged with the campus community. Ideally, such semi-
structured interactions between alumni and current students should take place at least
twice a semester.
The study participants’ experiences highlight how important counseling is to
supporting transfer. The Transfer Academy enhanced participants’ access to counselors
with expert knowledge of transfer requirements and the transfer process. In an effort to
provide all students with counseling experiences similar to those of the study participants,
community colleges must increase training opportunities for counselors. Providing
counselors with annual transfer training enhances their understanding of California’s
complex transfer process and the ever-changing transfer requirements. Additionally,
colleges like Morningside should use a portion of their designated flex days (nonteaching
days) to provide faculty members with occasional training on transfer. Training
opportunities should address the importance of establishing positive rapport and personal
relationships with students in an effort to better understand their motivation for being in
school and their goals (educational and professional). Counselors should be trained on
how to serve as transfer agents. The resources needed to conduct such trainings at
Morningside College already exist; this study identified individual counselors (i.e.,
Roger, Jasmine, and Jamie) with a demonstrated ability to effectively encourage transfer.

237
The students in this study benefited tremendously from having a designated
counselor, a particular person they sought assistance from with academic or transfer-
related questions. Perhaps Morningside College should adopt a counseling model that
supports the formation of meaningful relationships between students and their counselor.
Counselors could be assigned a caseload of maybe 200 to 250 students to work with
continuously while the students are enrolled at the college. Such an approach would
increase interactions between a student and specific counselor, perhaps allowing them to
get to know one another and develop meaningful relationships. Under the current
counseling model, students are bounced from one counselor to another, often receiving
conflicting information from one counselor to the next. Admittedly, the suggested
approach would require additional counselors to ensure that counselors have manageable
caseloads. This approach would also make it easier to determine which counselors are
effective in moving students through the transfer process.
The California Community College Chancellor’s Office should invest in system-
wide software that allows students to more effectively manage their own academic
progress. Utilizing technology similar to the sophisticated student portal systems found at
most four-year universities, Morningside College could enhance students’ ability to
actively manage their progress toward completing their intended academic program.
Interactive academic progress software would allow students to receive standardized
information about academic programs at various four-year universities, help students
track their progress toward achieving their transfer goals (transfer requirements

238
completed), and empower students to take more ownership of their transfer journey.
Hocking College (a two-year institution) in Ohio utilizes a similar online student portal
system called WebAdvisor, which allows students to develop and manage an education
plan throughout their student experience.
Study participants noted that the Transfer Academy made the transfer process
manageable by simplifying the process into smaller steps. Colleges like Morningside
should explore innovative strategies for communicating the transfer preparation process
to all students. For example, Morningside should consider developing a “Preparing to
Transfer Roadmap.” Such a roadmap would highlight important transfer preparatory
tasks that students should complete during each semester at Morningside. The roadmap
could include the following activities/tasks: Semester 1—Meet with a counselor and
develop an Ed Plan, visit the transfer center, visit the career center and complete the True
Colors Assessment, join an on-campus student organization; Semester 2—Meet with a
counselor to update your Ed Plan, apply to the honors program, attend at least one event
sponsored by the transfer center, begin researching four-year universities; Semester 3—
Meet with a counselor to update your Ed Plan, attend at least one university tour, attend a
UC and CSU application workshop, find a professor who will write a letter of
recommendation for you, and so on. The Preparing to Transfer Roadmap can be designed
as a pocket-sized brochure and be distributed to new students during orientation.
A number of study participants noted that they were uninformed of the various
resources available to them and, more importantly, they began their Morningside College

239
experience without ever having met with a counselor. Oftentimes, these students selected
their courses without proper advising and with little understanding of transfer course
requirements. To ensure that students begin their college experience with an
understanding of the various academic programs available to them (especially transfer),
community colleges should develop and implement a mandatory on-campus,
comprehensive, new student orientation program. Such programs would make it possible
for students to receive baseline information about academic programs and student support
services. More importantly, the program would help students meet with a counselor to
discuss their academic interests/goals and to develop a Student Education Plan prior to
taking courses.
Building on its one unit Counseling 1 course concept, Morningside College
should offer a Counseling 1 course specifically for students with an expressed interest in
pursuing transfer. The current Counseling 1 course is described as an “Orientation for
College Success.” The course introduces students to Morningside’s academic policies
and procedures, student conduct process, student support services, to name a few. I
suggest that Morningside offer a similar course that focuses on helping students
understand their transfer options (i.e., CSU, UC, private universities, etc.) and the transfer
process. Additionally, all students enrolled in this course should develop an Ed Plan that
outlines the requirements they must complete to successfully transfer to their four-year
university of choice. In addition to providing students with a baseline understanding of
their transfer options and the transfer process, this course potentially creates another

240
opportunity for students to meet and interact with peers who share an interest in transfer.
Currently Counseling 1 is recommended but not required of students. Given the content
of the course, I believe Morningside should make Counseling 1 a requirement for all
students regardless of their academic program. Additionally, faculty that teach the
Counseling 1 course should meet at least once per academic year to review and revise the
course syllabus to ensure the information remains relevant and continues meet students’
needs.
Very few of the students who participated in this study were able to recall
instances when their professors discussed transfer during class. Community colleges
should encourage all faculty—especially those who teach courses that are transfer
requirements (i.e., the Golden Four
4

4
The "Golden Four" courses, which are part of General Education, are required for transfer to CSU
campuses. The Golden Four include the following courses: English composition, critical thinking, speech
communications, and math/analytical thinking.
)—to incorporate transfer and its importance into
their courses. Students spend the majority of their time on campus in classes.
Consequently, colleges like Morningside should use classes as an opportunity to
introduce students to transfer and to encourage transfer. Instructors in these courses can
invite staff from the transfer center to give transfer presentations in their course. They can
also make announcements about upcoming transfer-related activities in their class and
encourage students to participate. Instructors could give extra credit to students who
participate in transfer-related activities (i.e., attending a college visit, meeting with a
university representative, etc.). Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, these faculty

241
should be encouraged to share their own educational experiences with their students in
the classroom setting. The activities described above could potentially increase the
visibility of transfer at any community college and, by doing so, enhance their overall
transfer culture. Recognizing the limited capacity of specialized programs like the
Transfer Academy, faculty must play a more active role in supporting transfer if transfer
rates are to improve.
Morningside College and other community colleges should develop systematic
approaches to assessing their specialized programs like the Transfer Academy. Currently,
Morningside does not have formalized processes for evaluating how programs like
Puente, Transfer Academy, Sanokfa, and others are helping participants successfully
transfer. Additionally, the college does not have the means to track participants of these
programs over time and to compare their academic indicators (i.e., GPA, number of units
attempted, number of units completed, etc.) against those of the general student
population. Systematically assessing programs would help community colleges identify
promising practices for encouraging student success. Additionally, regularly assessing
programs like the Transfer Academy would ensure that institutions are investing their
limited financial resources in programs that are producing desired student outcomes, in
this case, transfer.
Along with assessing their specialized programs, community colleges should
develop the institutional habit of benchmarking against peer and aspirant community
colleges. Benchmarking against other institutions would allow Morningside to identify its

242
areas of strength—and opportunities for improvement relative to other schools.
Specifically, benchmarking against community colleges with strong transfer cultures
would be especially useful in helping Morningside identify ways to improve its own
transfer culture. Schools worth studying include, but are not limited to, Santa Monica
College, El Camino College, and Pasadena Community College. When studying these
institutions, Morningside should focus on the following: student-to-counselor ratio,
resources (human and fiscal) dedicated to promoting transfer, faculty involvement in
transfer-related activities, and visibility of transfer resources including the transfer center,
to name a few. The above-mentioned data points would help Morningside College (or
any other community college) identify where additional investments are needed to
improve its overall transfer culture.
Implications for Future Research
Seven of my eight study participants placed into college-level English and math
upon enrolling at Morningside College. In other words, these students had sufficient
academic preparation to deal with the rigors of college-level courses. The Transfer
Academy specifically works with students who are eligible to take Math 145 and English
110; however, many students enrolling at Morningside College (or any other community
college) place into developmental (below college level) math and English courses
(Bettinger & Long, 2005). These students are at greater risk of experiencing academic
difficulty and leaving school prematurely. Additional research is needed to investigate the
effects (if any) that a programmatic intervention like the Transfer Academy might have

243
on students who begin their community college experience with an interest in transferring
but who may lack the academic preparation needed to succeed in college-level courses. In
other words, do interventions like the Transfer Academy have similar promise for
students who are not as academically prepared as the students in my study? Francesca
Cruz was the only student in my study who placed into developmental English and Math.
Francesca Cruz joined the Transfer Academy at the beginning of her fifth year at
Morningside and subsequently transferred a year after joining the program. How might
she have been helped had she joined a program like the Transfer Academy immediately
upon enrolling at Morningside College? Would it have taken her six years to achieve her
transfer goals? Additional scholarship is needed to understand how students who place
into developmental courses (a growing population at many community colleges) might be
helped by similar programmatic interventions that increase their access to institutional
resources that support transfer.
My study focused specifically on the experiences of students who were actively
involved in the Transfer Academy. My study participants attended at least three Transfer
Academy workshops, they attended their required counseling appointments, and they
developed an Ed Plan. By their own admission and by the criteria I used to select my
student participants, these students were fairly involved in the Transfer Academy and
perceived its activities to be worthwhile. Certainly there were students in the Transfer
Academy who expressed an interest in transferring and met the minimum eligibility
requirements (having completed Math 130 or English 105) but who nonetheless chose not

244
to actively participate in the program. Future research should examine these students’
experiences to better understand why they did not take advantage of the resources
provided by the program. Such a study would be beneficial to understanding how the
Transfer Academy experience could be enhanced to broaden its appeal to more students.
Perhaps the program as currently constituted lacks particular elements that made it
difficult for these students to connect with the program.
Lastly, given the positive impact the program had on the study participants’
ability transfer, there may be interest in replicating this effort at other community
colleges. However, before doing so, additional research is needed to explore the
institutional conditions necessary for a programmatic intervention like the Transfer
Academy to exist—let alone succeed at a community college. This study focused almost
exclusively on the student perspective. I did not explore the ways in which Morningside
College supports the program, nor did I investigate the perceptions that other
stakeholders at Morningside College have of the program. The above-mentioned items
are worthy of examination and must be understood if an initiative like the Transfer
Academy is to exist and to achieve success within a different institutional context.
Conclusion to Chapter Five
Morningside College created the Transfer Academy in 2008, in part, as an
institutional response to the findings of the Equity for All studies. Part of the Equity for
All projects closely examined Morningside College’s transfer support services to
understand why students who were transfer ready did not transfer, and why students who

245
met admission eligibility requirements for the University of California system opted to
transfer to the less selective California State University system. The following findings
emerged from Morningside’s self studies: (a) Morningside College had a weak transfer
culture, (b) there was a shortage of available counselors to serve the needs of
Morningside’s student population, (c) the transfer center and transfer-related services
lacked visibility, (d) Morningside did not have reliable means of disseminating transfer-
related information to students in a timely manner; and last, but not least, (e) faculty
members in general at Morningside College were not active supporters of the college’s
transfer function; they did not discuss transfer in the classroom setting (Bensimon et al.,
2007). The Transfer Academy was intended to enhance select Morningside students’
access to the institutional resources needed to successfully navigate the transfer process,
thereby helping them achieve their transfer goals as quickly as possible.
By examining the experiences of program participants, this study sought to
understand how the individuals and activities associated with the Transfer Academy
provided students the cultural, relational, informational, and structural resources needed
to successfully navigate the transfer process. This study illustrates how a purposeful
programmatic intervention can focus institutional transfer-related resources in a manner
that not only supports students’ interest in transfer but also encourages students to
consider unimagined educational possibilities. The findings in this study clearly
demonstrate that by virtue of their involvement in the Transfer Academy, participants
received cultural, relational, informational, and structural resources that facilitated their

246
successful transfer. Specifically, the program offered active participants the following:
unobstructed access to knowledgeable counselors, regular transfer-related information
from a credible source, a community of peers who shared their interest in transfer and
provided emotional support, regular opportunities to establish meaningful relationships
with institutional personnel, and a structured experience that made their transfer process
manageable and their transfer goals tangible. Overwhelmingly, the study participants
enjoyed their time in the Transfer Academy, and they believed the program and the
individuals associated with it helped them achieve their transfer goals. With the help of
the Transfer Academy, seven of my eight study participants achieved their transfer goals.
Many of the students transferred to four-year universities that they never thought were
possibilities when they joined the program.
The findings from this study confirm that the Transfer Academy is a very positive
and useful programmatic intervention for students fortunate enough to be actively
involved with it. The challenge that remains is how to replicate and broaden the Transfer
Academy experience so more students at Morningside College are helped like the
students in my study, thereby bringing about true improvement in Morningside’s transfer
culture. Is it possible to expand the program so that it supports more students without
compromising the quality of the activities and services offered to participants? This
question remains unanswered at the conclusion of this study, and certainly warrants
further consideration.

247
As a result of conducting this study, I am convinced that there are institutional
personnel at Morningside College who fully embrace the role of transfer agents.
Individuals such as Roger Sepulveda, Jasmine Blou, and Ms. Jamie Williams exemplify
the enormous potential that institutional personnel have to motivate and support students
through the transfer process. I am grateful for the opportunity to have shared in these
students’ Transfer Academy experiences. The successes achieved by the students in this
study are a testament to their resilience and perseverance. Their stories should be a
reminder to all educators that students, so long as they are given the necessary resources
and ongoing encouragement, can rise to meet the highest of expectations.

248
REFERENCES

Astin, A. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education.
Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297-308.

Bensimon, E. M. (2004). The diversity scorecard: A learning approach to institutional
change. Change, 36, 45-52.
Bensimon, E. M. (2007). The underestimated significance of practitioner knowledge in
the scholarship of student success. The Review of Higher Education, 30(4), 441-
469.

Bensimon, E. M., & Dowd, A. C. (2009). Dimensions of the transfer choice gap:
Experiences of Latina and Latino students who navigate transfer pathways.
Havard Eduational Review, 79(4), 632–658.

Bensimon, E. M., Dowd, A. C., Alford, H., & Trapp, F. (2007). MISSING 87: A study of
the “Transfer Gap” and “Choice Gap.” Los Angeles, CA: University of
Southern California, Center for Urban Education.

Bettinger, E. P., & Long, B. T. (2005). Remediation at the community college: Student
participation and outcomes. New Directions of Community Colleges, 2005(129),
17–26.

Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In M. G. a. R. Swedberg (Ed.), The sociology
of economic life (pp. 96–111). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. (2012). About the Chancellor.
Retrieved April 4, 2012, from
http://www.cccco.edu/ChancellorsOffice/Chancellor/tabid/191/Default.aspx

California State Department of Education. (1960). A master plan for higher education in
California, 1960-1975. Sacramento, CA: California State Printing Office.
Retrieved from http://www.ucop.edu/acadinit/mastplan/MasterPlan1960.pdf

Calcagno, J. C., Bailey, T., Jenkins, D., Kienzl, G., & Leinbach, T. (2008). Community
college student success: What institutional characteristics make a difference?
Economics of Education Review, 27, 632–645.

Cohen, A.M., & Brawer, F. B. (2008). The American Community College 5
th
Edition. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers.

249
Coleman, J. S. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital. The American
Journal of Sociology, 94(Supplement: Organizations and Institutions:
Sociological and Economic Approaches to the Analysis of Social Structure), S95–
S120.

Community College Survey of Students Engagement (CCSE). (2008). High expectations
and high support. Austin, TX: University of Texas at Austin, Community College
Leadership Program.

Creswell, J. W. (1994). Research design: Qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Dowd, A. C. (2003). From access to outcome equity: Revitalizing the democratic mission
of the community college. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political
and Social Science, 586, 92.

Dowd, A.C., Bensimon, E.M., Gabbard, G., Cheslock, J., Dee, J., Giles, D., et al. (2006,
June). Transfer access to elite college and universities in the United States:
Threading the needle of the American Dream. (22 pages.) Washington, D.C.: Jack
Kent Cooke Foundation.

Dowd, A. C., Cheslock, J. J., & Melguizo, T. (2008). Transfer access from community
colleges and the distribution of elite higher education. [Empirical Study]. The
Journal of Higher Education, 79(4), 442–472.

Dowd, A.C., Chase, M., Bordoloi Pazich, L., & Bensimon, E. M. (2009, November).
Transfer equity for “minoritized” students: A critical policy analysis of seven
states. Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education
(ASHE) Conference, Vancouver, BC. Manuscript retrieved from
http://cue.usc.edu/tools/ASHE%202009%20Equity%20State%20Transfer%20Poli
cy_submit_nov%202%2009.pdf

Duncan, A. (2009, July 15). American Graduation Initiative: Strengthening Community
Colleges. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from
https://www.ed.gov/blog/2009/07/american-graduation-initiative-strengthening-
community-colleges/

Farmer-Hinton, R. L. (2008). Social capital and college planning: Students of color using
school networks for support and guidance. Education and Urban Society, 41(1),
127–157.

250
Gamble, B. E. (2007). Social capital networks of institutional agents and the
empowerment of African American youth. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

Grubb, W. N. (1991). The decline of community college transfer rates: Evidence from
national longitudinal surveys. [Empirical Study]. The Journal of Higher
Education, 62(2), 194–222.

Hagedorn, L. S., Lester, J., Garcia, H., McLain, M., & May, A. (2004). Transfer center
stories: A mission, a plan, or missed opportunities. Los Angeles: University of
Southern California.

Hagedorn, L. S., Perrakis, A. I., & Maxwell, W. (2002). The negative commandments:
Ten ways community colleges hinder student success. Los Angeles, CA:
University of Southern California.

Hilmer, M. J. (1997). Does community college attendance provide a strategic path to a
higher quality education? Economics of Education Review, 16(1), 59–68.

Hoaglin, D. C. (1982). Data for decisions: Information strategies for policymakers.
Cambridge, MA: Abt Books.

Hoover, E. (2008). Community-college students need better financial advising, survey
finds. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 55(13). Retrieved from
http://chronicle.com/section/Home/5

Horvat, E. M., Weininger, E. B., Lareau, A, (2003). Social ties to social capital: Class
differences in the relations between schools and parent networks. American
Educational Research Journal, 40(2), 319-351.

Kezar, A., & Eckel, P. D. (2002). The effect of institutional culture on change strategies
in higer education. The Journal of Higher Education, 73(4), 435–460.

Kuh, G., D. (2001). Organizational culture and student persistence: Prospects and
puzzles. Journal of College Student Retention, 3(1), 23–39.

Lareau, A., & Horvat, E. M. (1999). Moments of social inclusion and exclusion: Race,
class, and cultural capital in family-school. Sociology of Education, 72(1), 37-53

Lareau, A. (2001). Linking Bourdieu’s concept of capital to the broader field: The case of
family-school relationships. In Biddle, B. J. (Ed.), Social class, poverty, and
education: Policy and practice. New York, NY: RoutledgeFalmer.

251

Lin, N. (1999). Social networks and status attainment. Annual Review of Sociology, 25,
467–487.

Lin, N. (2000). Inequality in social capital. Contemporary Sociology, 29(6), 785–795.

Long, B. T., & Kurlaender, M. (2009). Do community colleges provide a viable pathway
to a baccalaureate degree? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 31(1),
30–53.

Long Beach City College. (2008). Transfer academy: Your fast track to transfer
[Brochure]. Blouin, Jasmine: Author.

Merriam, S. B. (1988). Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, M. A. (1984). Qualitative data analysis. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage Publications.

Mitchell, T. J., & Willower, D. J. (1992). Organizational culture in a good high school.
Journal of Educational Administration, 30(1), 6–17.

Moore, C., & Shulock, N. (2007). Beyond the Open Door: Increasing Student Success in
the California Community Colleges. Sacramento: Institute for Higher Education
Leadership & Policy, California State University- Sacramento.
Moore, C., Shulock, N., & Jensen, C. (2009). Crafting a student-centered transfer
process in California: Lessons from other states. Sacramento, CA: California
State University Sacramento, Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy.

Ornelas, A., & Solorzano, D. G. (2004). Transfer conditions of Latina/o community
college students: A single institution case study. Community College Journal of
Research and Practice, 28, 233–248.

Pak, J., Bensimon, E. M., Malcom, L., Marquez, A., & Park, D. K. (2006). The Life
Histories of Ten Individuals who Crossed the Border Between Community
Colleges and Selective Four-Year Colleges. Los Angeles: University of Southern
California.

252
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P.T. (2005). How college affects students 2
nd
ed. San
Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks,
California: Sage Publications.

Pope, M. L. (2002). Community College Mentoring: Minority Student Perception.
Community College Review(30), 31-46.

Portes, A. (1998). Social Capital: Its Origins and applications in modern sociology.
Annual Review of Sociology, 24, 1-24.

Provasnik, S., and Planty, M. (2008). Community Colleges: Special Supplement to The
Condition of Education 2008 (NCES 2008-033). National Center for Education
Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Washington, DC.

Rendon, L. I. (1994). Validating Culturally Diverse Students: Toward a New Model of
Learning and Student Development. Innovative Higher Education, 19(1), 33-51.

Rendon, L. I., & Valdez, J. R. (1993). Qualitative indicators of Hispanic student transfer.
Community College Review, 20(27), 27–37.

Rodriguez, C. C. (2007). Examining the networks of program leaders in the community
college component of the Puente project within the context of a social captial
framework. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Southern
California, Los Angeles, CA.

Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture. American Psychologist, 45(2), 109–119.

Shulock, N., & Moore, C. (2005). Diminished access to the baccalaureate for low-income
and minority students in California: The impact of budget and capacity constraints
on the transfer function. Educational Policy, 19(2), 418–442.

Stake, R. E. (1995). The art of case study research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications.

Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (1997). A social capital framework for understanding the
socialization of racial minority children and youth. Harvard Education Review,
67(1), 1–40.

253
Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2001). Manufacturing hope and despair. New York: Teachers
College Press.

Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2004). Social capital among working-class minority students. In
M. A. Gibson, P. Gandara, & J. P. Koyama (Eds.), School connections: U.S.
Mexican youth, peers, and social achievement (pp. 18–37). New York: Teachers
College Press.

Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2009, January 23). The role of institutional agents in the
empowerment of working-class minority youth. Paper from the Eighth Annual
Education Community Leadership Conference, Texas State University, San
Marcos, TX.

Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2011). A social capital framework for the study of institutional
agents and their role in the empowerment of low-status youth. Youth and Society,
43(3), 1066-1109.
Stanton-Salazar, R. D., & Dornbusch, S. M. (1995). Social capital and the reproduction
of inequality: Information networks among Mexican-origin high school students.
Sociology of Education, 68(2), 116-135.

Suarez, A. L. (2003). Forward transfer: Strengthening the eduational pipeline for Latino
community college students. Community College Journal of Research and
Practice, 27(2), 95–117.

Thomas, M. J., & Willower, D. J. (1992). Organizational culture in a good high school.
Journal of Educational Administration, 30(1), 6-17.

Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition.
Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Wassmer, R., Moore, C., & Shulock, N. (2004). Effect of racial/ethnic composition on
transfer rates in community colleges: Implications for policy and practice.
Research in Higher Education, 45(6), 651–672.

254
APPENDIX A:
STUDENT INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

Hi STUDENT NAME, thank you for taking the time to speak with me this afternoon
about your experiences in the Transfer Academy. As you may know, the purpose of this
study is to better understand your experiences as a participant in the Transfer Academy
and identify ways to improve it. As I understand it, the Transfer Academy is a program
that helps Long Beach City College students meet the requirements to transfer to a four-
year institution in a reasonable time frame. I am very interested in learning about your
experiences in the program. Specifically, I’d like to know how the individuals associated
with the Transfer Academy (i.e. coordinator(s), counselor, faculty, administrators) and its
related programs and activities, provide you with the information, support,
encouragement, and resources needed to achieve your transfer goals.
I expect that our conversation will last about an hour and half. I’d like to remind you that
you are not obligated to answer my questions. In fact, we can stop the interview at any
time if you decide you don’t want to proceed. Your identity or identifiable information
will not be revealed at any point during this interview or study. In a moment, I will invite
you to choose a pseudonym (a fake name) that will serve as your name for the remainder
of our conversation today and the duration of my research study. I’d like you to take a
moment to read the Study Information Sheet that outlines the purpose of this study in
more detail. Most important, this document also explains your rights as a participant of
this study. (GIVE INTERVIEWEE TIME TO READ THE DOCUMENT). Do you have
any questions about the document?
To ensure that I accurately capture your thoughts and ideas, I’d like to record our
conversation in addition to taking notes while we talk. Do you mind if I record our
conversation this afternoon? (IF PARTICIPANT GRANTS PERMISSION BEGIN
RECORDING NOW).
I’d like to start our conversation by asking you to tell me a little about your family,
educational background, and your experience at Morningside College.
Background

255
1. Please introduce yourself by telling me your name (pseudonym), when did
you start attending Morningside College, number of units completed, intended
major, and hometown. (Background/Demographic)

2. I’m interested in knowing more about your family. Can you tell me about your
parents’ education? (Background/Demographic)

3. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If yes, … (Background/Demographic)

• FOLLOW UP: What can you tell me about their education (i.e. Where
did they go to school, did they complete high school, etc.)?
(Background/Demographic)
• FOLLOW UP: Did any of them go to college? If yes…
(Background/Demographic)
• FOLLOW UP: What, if anything, did they tell you about college?
(Background/Demographic)

4. Tell me about when you first decided that you were interested in going to
college? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: What factors motivated you to consider college?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Who encouraged you to consider college?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLOW UP: When did you realize that you could go to college or that
you qualified to go to colleges? (Opinion/Value)

5. Did you apply to 4-year colleges and universities as a senior in high school, if
so which ones? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: How did you find out about admission requirements?
Who did you talk to about the admissions process? (Experience and
Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Which colleges or universities offered you admission?
(Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: If not, where there any particular reasons that caused
you not to apply? (Experience and Behavior)

256
6. Tell me about how you decided to come to Morningside College? (Experience
and Behavior)

7. Which courses are you taking currently? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Of the courses you are taking right now, which ones
count towards transfer? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Tell me about how you selected your current courses?
Who, if anyone, helped you select those courses? (Experience and
Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Are you a full-time student (enrolled in at least 12 units
per semester)? How many courses/units do you typically take in a
semester? (Experience and Behavior)

8. If I were to shadow you for a typical day at Morningside, what would I see
you doing when you’re not in classes? Who would I see you hanging out
with? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: How would you describe your relationship with XXX?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How did you meet this/these individual(s)?
(Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Is XXX interested in Transfer? Do you talk to XXX
about Transfer? Is XXX a member of the Transfer Academy?
(Experience and Behavior)

9. How do you pay for your college education? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: (If student receives financial aid) What type of
financial aid do you currently receive (i.e. Cal Grant, Pell Grant, BOG
Fee Waiver, Private Scholarships) (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: If you are not a financial aid recipient, did you apply
for financial aid? If no, why not? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Do you work? If so, what kind of work do you do, and
how many hours a week do you work? (Experience and Behavior)

Up to now, we’ve been talking about your educational background and your experiences
as a student here at Morningside. Now I’d like to ask you about your knowledge of, and
access to, information about transfer prior to joining the Transfer Academy.
Pre-Transfer Academy Knowledge & Experiences at Morningside College

257
10. Prior to joining the Transfer Academy, which colleges or universities were
you interested in transferring to? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: What did you know about the transfer requirements for
admission to those schools? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Tell me about how you learned about these transfer
requirements. Who told you about them? Where did you get this
information? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Did you have to seek out this information or did you
just happen to come across it? (Experience and Behavior)

11. Prior to joining the Transfer Academy, what did you know about financial
aid? (Knowledge)

We just talked about your knowledge of and access to transfer-related information before
joining the Transfer Academy. Now I’d like to ask you about your experiences as a
participant of the Transfer Academy, and what you’ve learned since joining the program.
12. How did you learn about the Transfer Academy?
(Knowledge/Experience/Behavior)
Experiences in the Transfer Academy
• What was appealing about the Transfer Academy? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: What/who motivated you to participate in the Transfer
Academy? (Opinion/Value)

13. Since you’ve been in the Transfer Academy, which activities have you
participated in? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Can you describe what those activities were like for
you? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Which activities did you like best, why?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: If you had a chance to do them all over again, which
ones would you do, and why? (Opinion/Value)

14. I want to understand what happens when you go to the Transfer Center. Let’s
pretend I’m there with you. What would I see or hear during our visit? Who
would we talk to? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: What/who prompted these visits? (Opinion/Value)

258
• FOLLOW UP: Think back to your last visit to the Transfer Center,
how did you feel after the visit? What kind of information did you
receive? Was it helpful? (Feeling/Opinion/Value)

15. What have been the benefits (if any) of being in the Transfer Academy?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How have you been helped by the Transfer Academy?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How do you feel about the Transfer Academy?
(Feeling)
• FOLLOW UP: Would you tell your friends that they should join the
Transfer Academy? Why or Why not? (Opinion/Value)

16. If one of your friends came to you asking about specific transfer requirements
for the Cal State and UC systems, what would you tell them? Which resources
would you refer them to for assistance? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: If that same friend told you that they were not
considering transfer because they could not afford to pay for college,
and they asked you about applying for financial aid, what would you
tell them? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Would you encourage them to talk to anyone? If so
who and why? (Knowledge)

17. What has been your most memorable Transfer Academy experience thus far?
Please describe that experience. (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: What did you learn from that experience? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: How did you feel after that experience? (Feeling)

18. Do you have friends that want to transfer but are not involved in the Transfer
Academy? (If yes, proceed to follow-up)
• FOLLOW UP: What do you think you are gaining from the Transfer
Academy that they are not? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Do you receive any benefits from the Transfer
Academy that they don’t? If so, what are they? (Opinion/Value)

259
19. When was the last time you met with a counselor? Who did you meet with?
(Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: What prompted that meeting (was it required, was it
initiated by you, etc.)? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: What did you talk about during the meeting? What
kind of information did you receive? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Do you think that the meeting/conversation was
helpful? If so, why? If not, why not? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How did you feel after the meeting? (Feeling)

20. When was the last time you met with Roger? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: What prompted that meeting (was it required, was it
initiated by you, etc.)? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: What did you talk about during the meeting?
(Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Was the conversation helpful? If so why? If not why
not? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How did you feel after the meeting? (Feeling)
• FOLLOW UP: How would you describe your relationship with Roger?
Please explain. (Opinion/Value)

21. As a participant of the Transfer Academy, you met with Elaine Morton and
developed a Transfer Plan. Are you following that plan? Why or why not?
(Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: What has been valuable about having a Transfer Plan?
(Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Are you meeting with Elaine Regularly? If so, how
often? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Describe your last meeting with Elaine. What did you
discuss? (Experience and Behavior)

22. Have any of your professors talked about transfer in class? If so, what did
he/she say? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Has any professor ever talked to you, in or out of class,
about transfer? Who is the professor? Tell me about that conversation.
(Experience and Behavior)

260
• FOLLOW UP: How did you feel after this conversation? Was the
conversation helpful? (Feeling/Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Please describe your relationship with this professor.
(Opinion/Value)

As we prepare to wrap-up our conversation this afternoon, is there anything else that
you’d like to share with me about your experiences at Morningside College or in the
Transfer Academy that we have not already discussed? Is there anything else that you’d
like people to know about the Transfer Academy? What would you say to another student
who asked for advice about whether they should join the Transfer Academy or not?
STUDENT NAME, thank you very much for your time this afternoon, I enjoyed
speaking with you. I appreciate you participating in my study. I’ll be sure to share my
findings with you once the study is complete. Have a great day.

261
APPENDIX B:
ADMINISTRATOR INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

Hi ADMINISTRATOR NAME, thank you for taking the time to speak with me this
afternoon about your involvement in the Transfer Academy. As you may know, the
purpose of this study is to better understand the experiences of Transfer Academy
participants. As I understand it, the Transfer Academy is a program that helps Long
Beach City College students “fast-track” their path to transfer. I am very interested in
learning about your roll in the program specifically because you are a staff member,
faculty member, or administrator that was/is involved in the development and
implementation of the Transfer Academy. The purpose of this study is to examine the
experiences of the program participants. I want to understand the ways in which the
individuals associated with the Transfer Academy (i.e. coordinator(s), counselor, faculty,
administrators) and its related programs and activities, provide students the information,
encouragements, support, and resources needed to achieve their transfer goals.
I expect that our conversation will last about an hour and half. I’d like to remind you that
you are not obligated to answer my questions. In fact, we can stop the interview at any
time if you decide you no longer wish to continue the conversation. Your identity or
identifiable information will not be revealed at any point during this interview or study.
In a moment, I will invite you to choose a pseudonym (a fake name) that will serve as
your name for the remainder of our conversation today and the duration of my research
study. I’d like you to take a moment to read the Study Information Sheet that outlines the
purpose of this study in more detail. Most important, this document also explains your
rights as a participant of this study. (GIVE INTERVIEWEE TIME TO READ THE
DOCUMENT). Do you have any questions about the document?
To ensure that I accurately capture your thoughts and ideas, I’d like to record our
conversation in addition to taking notes while we talk. Do you mind if I record our
conversation this afternoon? (IF PARTICIPANT GRANTS PERMISSION BEGIN
RECORDING NOW).
I’d like to start our conversation by asking you to tell me a little about your family and
educational background. We’ll also spend some time discussing your position and formal
responsibilities at Morningside College and specifically the Transfer Academy.

262

1. Please introduce yourself by telling me your name (pseudonym), position at
Morningside College, and how long you’ve worked at Morningside College.
(Background/Demographic)
• FOLLOW UP: I’m interested in knowing about your educational
background. Can you tell me where you went to school and what you
studied? (Background/Demographic)
• FOLLOW UP: I’m interested in knowing more about your family. Can
you tell me about your parents’ education?
(Background/Demographic)

2. How would you describe your current position? (Experience and
Behavior/Opinion Value)
• FOLLOW UP: If I were to shadow you for a typical day at
Morningside, what would I see? What would that day consist of?
(Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Who do you report to? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: How long have you served in your current position?
(Experience and Behavior)

Up to now, we’ve been talking about your educational background and your professional
responsibilities here at Morningside. Now I’d like to talk about your role in the Transfer
Academy, your understanding of the Transfer Academy, and your perceptions of the
programs and services offered through the Transfer Academy.
3. How did the Transfer Academy come about? Please describe for me, based on
your understanding, the circumstances that lead to the creation of the Transfer
Academy. (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: Who was involved in the development and
implementation of the Transfer Academy? (Experience and
Behavior/Knowledge)

4. How would you describe the role of the Transfer Academy Advisory Board?
Please explain. (Knowledge)

263
• FOLLOW UP: How often does the Transfer Academy Advisory Board
meet? (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: I’d like you to walk me through a typical Transfer
Academy Advisory Board meeting. Who attends those meetings and
what do you talk about? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: In what ways do the Transfer Academy Advisory
Board members participate in the Transfer Academy (workshops, trips,
etc.)? (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)

5. How would you describe your role in the Transfer Academy? (Opinion-
Value/Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP (For Roger only): I am interested in understanding what
you do as Transfer Academy Coordinator. (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: In what ways do you interact with the Transfer
Academy participants? (Experience and Behavior)

6. Let’s assume I know nothing about the Transfer Academy, how would you
describe the program to me? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: How would you describe the mission of the Transfer
Academy? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: What can you tell me about the students in the Transfer
Academy, or the students that the Transfer Academy was intended to
serve? (Knowledge)

7. In your opinion, what is/are the most important/beneficial aspect(s) of the
Transfer Academy? Why? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How do you think the students feel about the Transfer
Academy? (Opinion/Value)
• FOLLOWUP: What are some core activities that comprise the
Transfer Academy experience? (Opinion/Value/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: What has been your most memorable experience with
the Transfer Academy or Transfer Academy participants? Tell me
about this experience, what made it special? (Opinion-Value)
Now that I have a better understanding of the Transfer Academy and your role in the
Transfer Academy, I’d like to talk specifically about the kinds of information the
Transfer Academy provides participants.

264
8. Please describe the kinds of information students receive by participating in
the Transfer Academy? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Let’s pretend that I accompanied you to a Transfer
Academy workshop. What would I see? What would I hear? Who
would I meet? What kind of information (if any) would I receive?
(Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Please describe potential topics that might be covered
during a typical Transfer Academy meeting/workshop. How are
workshop topics selected? (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: If I was to attend a Transfer Academy sponsored
college tour, what kind of information would I receive, who would I
meet during the visit? (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Please describe the ways in which information is
disseminated to Transfer Academy participants. Feel free to give
examples. (Knowledge)

9. Please describe how the professionals associated with the Transfer Academy
and the Transfer Academy activities, help participants understand the
difference between the University of California system, the California State
University system, and private universities (For Transfer Academy
Coordinator and Transfer Academy Counselor)? (Experience and
Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Please describe how Transfer Academy participants are
taught the different transfer requirements for the Cal States, UCs, and
private universities. (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Are there specific resources that you utilize to help
students understand this information? If so, what are they? Please
describe them. (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)

10. Please describe how the professionals associated with the Transfer Academy
and the Transfer Academy activities, help participants learn about financial
aid and ways to pay for college (For Transfer Academy Coordinator and
Transfer Academy Counselor)? (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Please describe how Transfer Academy participants are
taught about financial aid or the process of applying for financial aid?
(Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Are there specific resources that you utilize to help
students understand various forms of financial aid or the financial aid

265
process? If so, what are they? Please describe them. (Experience and
Behavior/Knowledge)
11. In what ways does the Transfer Academy make it easier for participants to
access transfer related resources? (Knowledge/Opinion-Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Are there specific resources that Transfer Academy
students have access to that non-Transfer Academy participants do
not? If yes, what are they? If not, why not? (Knowledge/Opinion-
Value)
Up to now, we’ve been talking about the different types of information the Transfer
Academy provides participants. Now I’d like to talk about how the Transfer Academy
helps participants establish supportive relationships with various administrators, faculty,
and peers.
12. How would you describe your relationship with Transfer Academy
participants? (Opinion-Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How often do you interact with the Transfer Academy
participants (individually or collectively)? Please describe these
interactions; are they initiated by you or the students? Are they
mandated? (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: I’d like you to think for a moment, about a memorable
interaction that you had with a Transfer Academy participant. What
happened during that interaction? What did you talk about? Why was
it memorable? (Experience and Behavior/Opinion Value)

13. In what ways (if at all) are Transfer Academy students introduced to various
administrators at Morningside College? Please explain. (For Transfer
Academy Coordinator and Transfer Academy Counselor) (Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Are there specific opportunities for Transfer Academy
students to interact with Morningside administrators, counselors, and
faculty? If so, what are those opportunities and how would you
describe them? (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: In what ways are Transfer Academy students
encouraged to get to know Morningside administrators, faculty, and
counselors? (Experience and Behavior/Knowledge)

266
14. How would you describe the relationships that Transfer Academy participants
have with one another? (For Transfer Academy Coordinator and Transfer
Academy Counselor) (Opinion-Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Do you observe Transfer Academy participants
spending time together outside of formal Transfer Academy
events/activities? If so, please explain. (Experience and Behavior)
• FOLLOW UP: How do Transfer Academy participants support and
encourage through the transfer process? (Experience and
Behavior/Knowledge/Opinion-Value)
Now that I have a better understanding of how the Transfer Academy helps participants
establish supportive relationships with various administrators, faculty, and peers, I’d like
to talk about how the Transfer Academy fits into Morningside’s student success
initiative.
15. How does the Transfer Academy fit into Morningside’s larger efforts to
promote student success and transfer? Please explain. (Knowledge/Opinion-
Value)
• FOLLOW UP: How would you describe transfer activities/initiatives
at Morningside College? Do you think they are a priority for
Morningside’s administration? If so, why? If not, why not? (Opinion-
Value/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Do you think that senior administrators and faculty at
Morningside believe that the Transfer Academy is important?
(Opinion-Value)

16. How would you describe the institutional support (fiscal and human
resources) that the Transfer Academy currently receives? Please explain.
(Opinion-Value)
• FOLLOW UP: Do you believe that the Transfer Academy has the
resources needed to achieve its goals? If so why? If not, why not; and
what are the additional resources needed for it to achieve its goals?
(Opinion-Value/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: Relative to other transfer or student success initiatives
how would you describe the resources (budget, staff, physical space,
etc.) that the Transfer Academy receives? (Opinion-Value/Knowledge)
• FOLLOW UP: What do you think is/are the biggest threat(s) to the
Transfer Academy and its ability to achieve its stated goals? (Opinion-
Value/Knowledge)

267
We just talked about the Transfer Academy and how it fits into Morningside’s larger
student success initiative. I’d like to wrap up by discussing your general impressions of
the Transfer Academy and the future of the program.
17. How do you feel about the programs and services offered through the Transfer
Academy (i.e. are they useful? If so why)? (Opinion-Value/Feeling)

18. What difference (if any) has the Transfer Academy made in Morningside’s
ability to promote transfer? Please explain. (Opinion-Value)

19. Has the Transfer Academy helped you and your colleagues think about how to
provide transfer services to all students at Morningside? If so, how? If not,
why not? Please explain. (Opinion-Value/Knowledge)

20. Five years from now, what would you like to be able to say about the Transfer
Academy? Where do you think the program will be five years from now?
(Opinion-Value)

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Access to the baccalaureate by way of the community college transfer function is diminishing. Students who are first generation, low-income, or from historically underrepresented backgrounds are most impacted by constrained access to four-year universities vis-à-vis transfer

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Culture, politics, and policy implementation: how practitioners interpret and implement the transfer policy in a technical college environment

PDF

Institutional agents' impact on tranfser student success through the avenue of social capital

PDF

Changing the landscape of institutional assessment on transfer: the impact of action research methods on community college faculty and counselors

PDF

How community college basic skills coordinators lead organizational learning

PDF

Institutional researchers as agents of organizational learning in hispanic-serving community colleges

PDF

AB 540 community college students in Southern California: making connections and realizing dreams

PDF

Community college transfer student involvement experiences at a selective, private four-year university

PDF

Community college transfer student involvement experiences at a selective, private four-year university

PDF

Re-mediating practitioners' practice for equity in higher education: evaluating the effectiveness of action research

PDF

Evaluating the impact of CUE's action research processes and tools on practitioners' beliefs and practices

PDF

Transfer students from California community colleges: a narrative approach to understanding the social capital and institutional factors that lead to a timely transfer to a public, four-year univ...

PDF

Practitioner reflections and agency in fostering African American and Latino student outcomes in STEM

PDF

Reframing the role of transfer facilitators: using action research methods for new knowledge development

PDF

The influence of organizational learning on inquiry group participants in promoting equity at a community college

PDF

Against all odds: examining the educational experiences of farm working students

PDF

Cultural ecology, stereotype threat, and institutional agents: high school achievements of Black male and female students

PDF

Faculty as institutional agents for low-income Latino students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields at a Hispanic-serving institution

PDF

Making equity & student success work: practice change in higher education

PDF

Academic coaching practices for students with learning disabilities and differences

PDF

Impact of accreditation actions: a case study of two colleges within Western Association of Schools and Colleges' Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

Asset Metadata

Creator Mmeje, Kenechukwu (K.C.) (author)

Core Title The Transfer Academy: providing community college students with the informational, structural, relational, and cultural resources to transfer successfully to a four-year college

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 06/19/2012

Defense Date 04/30/2012

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Community colleges,institutional agents,OAI-PMH Harvest,transfer,transfer agents,transfer programs

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Bensimon, Estela Mara (committee chair), Dowd, Alicia C. (committee member), Tarrant, Kaneesha (committee member)

Creator Email kcmmeje@yahoo.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-47635

Unique identifier UC11290139

Identifier usctheses-c3-47635 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-MmejeKenec-890.pdf

Dmrecord 47635

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Mmeje, Kenechukwu (K.C.)

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA