Building clearer, affordable pathways from community college to four-year degrees

Through the聽, University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is聽joining a network of聽25聽public and state institutions聽that are working for聽seven years to strengthen pathways for community college transfer students seeking four-year degrees.听

On April 17, 2026, 黑料社区 convened a workshop bringing together faculty, academic leaders, and student services professionals聽from three schools聽it is partnering with directly:聽,听, and聽.听

The聽objective聽of the meeting was to discuss ways to improve the transfer process through better collaboration by aligning curriculum and procedures across institutions. Contributors are聽engaging聽in a yearlong process to learn about evidence-based practices and聽seek聽to create seamless, transparent, and career-focused methods.

In a聽video welcoming participants, UMGC President Gregory鈥疻.鈥疐owler, PhD,听said,鈥淭ransferring from a community college聽represents聽one of the most affordable, effective routes to a bachelor鈥檚 degree.听Eighty-eight聽percent of community college graduates stay right here in Maryland.鈥澛犅

While Maryland is聽among the most聽educated states in the nation, the initiative aims to increase community college transfer rates, which are currently low鈥55聽percent of聽in-state community college students聽are in聽transfer聽programs, but only 23 percent end up transferring within six years.听According to data from the Maryland Higher Education Commission and Maryland Association of Community Colleges,听an estimated聽4,500聽additional聽community college students per year could聽benefit聽from transferring.听

Launched in 2025, the Maryland Transfer Intensive is designed to provide pathways that are affordable,听timely, and barrier-free.听UMGC鈥檚聽goals聽related to this initiative聽over the next four聽years聽include:聽

  • Increasing the percentage of transferring community college students from partner institutions by 20 percent.
  • Increasing the number of community college transfer students obtaining an聽associates聽degree.听
  • Increasing completion rates of bachelor's degrees within four years from partner institutions from 40 percent to 50 percent.

Overall聽objectives聽of the initiative include fostering greater economic mobility, strengthening Maryland鈥檚 workforce, and enabling stronger communities.听

Transferring from a community college represents one of the most affordable, effective routes to a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Eighty-eight percent of community college graduates stay right here in Maryland.

Gregory W. Fowler, PhD UMGC President