In this episode of the Innovating Together Podcast, host Bridget Burns sits down with Dr. Toyia Younger of Iowa State University to shine a spotlight on one of the most overlooked drivers of social mobility in higher education: transfer student success. Dr. Younger, a national thought leader and passionate advocate for transfer students, shares her personal journey; from her early days as Director of Student Activities at a community college to becoming a national voice for reform through her work with the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS).
This episode revisits her riveting Ed Talk from the UIA National Summit, a session that sparked vital conversations about why higher ed must prioritize transfer pathways if we truly care about equity and mobility. Dr. Younger recounts the lessons she learned working alongside students who shattered outdated stereotypes about community colleges, and she calls out institutions for the glaring disparities in resources and support between first-time freshmen and transfer students. With humor, candor, and clarity, she challenges leaders to stop paying lip service and start implementing real, systemic change.
You’ll learn:
We can’t talk about social mobility without addressing transfer success.
Institutional inequities in support and resources for transfer students are unacceptable.
Authentic commitment means scaling programs, funding, and services proportionately.
The power of collaboration and transparency—we must share what works.
Transfer work is not optional for any institution serious about student success.
This episode is a rallying cry: whether you're a policymaker, administrator, or practitioner, it’s time to take action. Listen now and commit to transforming how your institution supports transfer students because together, we go farther.
“Don’t tell me you’re committed to transfer students if you have two people doing transfer at an institution with 30,000 students.”
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This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click Mainstay.
