A Pathway to Success: How Student &
Academic Services can meet the
Needs of Transfer Students
Isabell C.May, Ph.D.
Robyn Dinicola-Wagle
Julia Rader
Office of Student & Academic Service
Universities at Shady Grove, Rockville, MD
University System of Maryland
Universities at Shady Grove
In 2000, the University System of
Maryland (USM) establishes the
Universities at Shady Grove as a multiinstitutional partnership to offer upperlevel daytime undergraduate programs
 Articulation agreements with
Montgomery College open the pathway
to 14 undergraduate daytime degree
program.

Universities at Shady Grove
Today, more than 70 undergraduate and
graduate program are offered from nine
of the eleven degree-granting institutions
within USM.
 Total number of degrees awarded over
the 10 year partnership is more than
3,000.

Universities at Shady Grove
Full service campus serving students from
all partner institutions
 Exclusive focus on establishing a
supportive culture for transfer success
 Highly diverse campus

Other/Nonreported, 9%
Hispanic, 12%
International, 6%
Asian, 16%
African
American, 22%
White, 35%
Ethnicity, Daytime and Evening
undergraduate students, Fall 2009
On-Stop Shop Model

Three service centers within Student &
Academic Services
◦ Center for Academic Success
◦ Career & Internship Service Center
◦ Office of Student Service

Planned fourth service center
◦ Mental Health Counseling Center
Meeting the Needs of Transfer
Students





Close collaborative partnerships with
partner institutions (4-year schools)
Comprehensive service menu with
customized services across all three service
centers
Clear articulation agreements and MOUs
with 2-year colleges in the surrounding area
Financial support for transfer students
(counseling on Financial Aid & Scholarships)
Partnerships with local businesses
Programming Initiatives

Mitigating transfer shock/rigor of upperdivision coursework

Summer Preparation Program

Leadership opportunities

Pathway beyond graduation
Mitigating Transfer Shock/Rigor of
Upper-Division Coursework

Collaboration by all three service centers
for an orientation geared towards
transfer students needs
◦ Introduction to available resources designed
to mitigate “transfer shock”
◦ Emphasis on skills needed to be successful to
meet the rigorous academic curricula in
upper-division schoolwork
◦ Necessity for professional development and
extra-curricular experience to be marketable
in the competitive job market
Summer Preparation Program

Focus on Writing in the Disciplines

Mathematical Reasoning Skills

Academic Professionalism
Focus on Leadership



Development of internship tracks with local
business in relevant fields (e.g. biotechnology,
healthcare, and information technology)
Development of leadership certificate for
students at USG
Academic/Internship credit for students who
work with other peers in academic areas
◦ Guided Study Sessions (GSS)
◦ Writing Fellows
◦ Research
Pathway Beyond Graduation

Developing an Alumni Network

Preparation for graduate/professional
schools
◦ GRE/PCAT/MCAT Preparation
◦ Personal Statements/Gradaute Admissions
Essay
Center for Academic Success (CAS)

Geared towards the needs of transferring
students
Peer support (content focus, modeled after
Supplemental Instruction; writing focus, modeled after
writing fellows programs)
 Professional consultants




Writing
Academic Coaching
Workshops that focus on enhanced learning
techniques


In-class
Out-of-class
Classes used for Data Analysis
(Spring 2010)

NURS 405
◦ School of Nursing, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)
◦ Online class, juniors
◦ 6-8 page analytical paper on technology in nursing, using peer-reviewed
and internet sources

WRTG 394
◦ Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College
Park (UMCP)
◦ Face-to-face class, juniors
◦ 8-10 page business report with extensive research

Forensics
◦ Multi-institutional (Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore
County; Criminology & Criminal Justice, UMCP; Nursing and Pharmacy
(PharmD), UMB)
◦ Face-to-face class; some juniors, mostly seniors, graduate students
◦ 8-10 page research paper; 2 draft due before final paper; intervention
focused; peer-reviewed research
Mean Grades per class
100
1 or more visits, 91
90
1 or more visits, 92
1 or more visits, 93
No visits , 89
No visits , 87
No visits , 75
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
NURS 405
WRTG 394
Forensics
Mean grade for all 3 classes
combined
92
92
91
90
89
88
87
87
86
85
84
1 or more visits
No visits
Retention/GPA Study by USG
Partner Institution

Comparison of students who came to
CAS for one academic year (fall 08-spring
09) with a random group from the nonUSG student population
Even though the average GPA was higher
for the non-USG students, the retention
rate for the USG students was higher
than that for the non-USG students.
Grade Comparison, Accounting
Class, Fall 2010 Semester

Correlation of visits per academic year
(fall 2010-spring 2011) with academic
performance (all students)
80
79.5
80
79
78.5
78
77.5
77
77
76.5
76
75.5
9 or more visits per academic year
8 or less visits per academic year
Grade Comparison, Accounting
Class, Fall 2010 Semester

Correlation of visits per academic year
(fall 2010-spring 2011) with academic
performance
◦ Only transfer students from local 2-year
colleges
81
80
81
79
78
77
76
76
75
74
73
9 or more visits per academic
year
8 or less visits per academic
year
Next Steps for Research

Longitudinal Study
◦ GPA
◦ Graduation/Retention Rates
◦ Admission to Graduate School/Job placement
within field of study