WMU will be honored at Phi Theta Kappa's national convention.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University has been recognized as one of the 40 top colleges and universities in the nation for helping community college students complete a successful transfer and continue their path toward a bachelor's degree.
WMU was the only school in Michigan selected for the National Transfer Honor Roll by Phi Theta Kappa, the world's oldest and largest honor society for community college students. The organization based its selection on engagement, collaboration, impact and achievements related to the transfer of community college students as well as partnerships, support, admissions outreach, scholarships/financial aid, student engagement opportunities and institutional priorities.
WMU will be honored along with such schools as DePaul, Ohio State and Marquette universities and the universities of Kansas and North Texas, when Phi Theta Kappa holds its 2016 national convention in National Harbor, Maryland, April 7-9.
"Increasingly, students of all ages and achievement levels are choosing the community college, not only as their first step, but also their first choice, in the pursuit of a quality, affordable bachelor's degree," says Christin Grissom, the honor society's director of scholarship operations. "With this designation, we hope to connect community college students with institutions who value their unique transfer experience and prioritize their success."
Transfer student services at WMU
WMU attracts more than 2,700 new transfer students annually. Its outreach to transfer students includes reverse transfer agreements with all 28 of Michigan's community colleges and one in Illinois. The University also has forged a number of dual enrollment and articulation agreements offering students in specific community colleges or in specific programs seamless transition to enrollment at WMU.
Each year, the University holds on-site transfer admissions events at community colleges around the state and offers special transfer orientation opportunities on campus. Two designated residence hall living-leaning communities are tailored to meet the needs of transfer students and a peer-to-peer mentoring program is available to students.
In addition, WMU offers more than $600,000 in scholarships annually exclusively intended for community college transfer students. The University celebrates the achievements of transfer students by hosting chapters of both Phi Theta Kappa and Tau Sigma, a national honor society for transfer students.
Phi Theta Kappa has a membership of more than 3 million members with 1,300 chapters in nine nations. Student members have a 92 percent graduation rate at the associate degree level and carry an average GPA of 3.8.
For more information about the national honor roll and to see a complete list of colleges and universities being honored by Phi Theta Kappa, visit bit.ly/1RWdFTw.