Georgia Southern receives national recognition for transfer student initiatives

February 26, 2018

Georgia Southern University was named a top four-year university on the Phi Theta Kappa’s 2018 Transfer Honor Roll for creating pathways to support transfer students.

Recognized on a list of only 112 colleges and universities in the nation, this marks the third consecutive year Georgia Southern has been placed on the Transfer Honor Roll.

“Student success remains at the forefront of our efforts as a University community,” said Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management Amy Ballagh, Ed.D. “This designation is a reflection of our commitment to students and the value of each student’s experience at our institution.”

Selections were based on transfer programs that address scholarship and financial aid, admissions outreach, student support services and student engagement opportunities.

“Transfer students offer a different perspective and add to the diversity of the University culture,” said Coordinator of Online Programs and Transfer Recruitment Brittanie Blunt. “We offer services specifically for transfer students since their needs often differ from the needs of first-year students.”

Georgia Southern addresses the evolving needs of transfer students by forming opportunities for those students to have direct access to resources as they transition to the University, whether face-to-face or through distance learning.

Among the outreach and admissions programs for prospective transfer students are the Friday Transfer Information Sessions and Transfer Visit Days. The in-depth visit days include academic sessions, student services sessions, campus tours, transfer student panels and application fee waivers for participants. Online information sessions are also available to accommodate students who are unable to attend visits on campus.

In addition, pre-advisement is a transfer-specific service aimed to eliminate any challenges for students as they transition to the University by providing an opportunity for them to speak with an advisor about courses, degree plans and transferring prior to attending orientation.

Georgia Southern’s Transfer Strong residential community and transfer honor societies Tau Sigma National Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa Alumni chapter provide engagement opportunities for students on campus.

“We strive to continue working on increasing services to transfer students and hope to continue being recognized by Phi Theta Kappa as we strengthen our partnership with the organization,” said Blunt.

Phi Theta Kappa recognizes the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helps them to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in nine nations.

For the full list of recipients, visit the Transfer Honor Roll.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 142 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Savannah, Statesboro, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.