The following is a column written by Vickie S. Cook, PhD, vice chancellor for enrollment and retention management at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Transfer students are an important part of the University of Illinois Springfield, making up 60 percent of our undergraduate population. UIS is making it easier for community college transfer students to complete their bachelor's degree and become a member of a learning community at UIS through a variety of new initiatives, including participating in a national research project that reviews the transfer process to reduce barriers and provide stronger support for transfer students.
UIS has committed to support transfer students to assist with reducing the gap between when transfer applicants are admitted and their initial advising appointments, develop clear articulation pathways for top feeder community colleges and establish advising hours on community college campuses. This allows students to have direct access to UIS staff throughout their transfer planning journey. Additionally, transfer students often report that their financial aid packages from UIS are very generous toward helping them complete their degree goals.
UIS has a strong history in providing a supportive environment for transfer students who seek to complete their bachelor’s degree. We were founded in 1969 as an upper-division university that allowed community college graduates to complete their bachelor’s degrees in Springfield. Over the past 53 years, our commitment to transfer students has not changed.
Today, 86 percent of community college transfer credits on average are accepted toward degree competition at UIS. Two-thirds of the current UIS student population are transfer students who are eligible for merit-based and institutional scholarships. Transfer students study online, as well as on campus. UIS welcomes transfer students from all 48 community colleges in Illinois and beyond.
Transfer students often bring valuable life experiences with them that they are able to apply to their studies at UIS. Many of the transfer students we serve are non-traditional students who have taken a break in their education for many reasons and have now decided to complete their bachelor’s degree. The average age of an undergraduate student at UIS is 26 years old. These students bring with them hands-on experience and life lessons that are valued by our faculty and other students.
We are committed to continuing this important work to support transfer students by ensuring they can easily transition to UIS. We continue to work with our community college partners to improve program transferability and provide a seamless and rewarding educational experience for our transfer students.
We are particularly proud of the work that is occurring between UIS and Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield and Illinois Central College (ICC) in East Peoria. We have added new transfer agreements that support clear pathways for students to complete their bachelor’s degree and allow students to utilize reverse transfer credits to complete their associate degrees.
Students transferring from Lincoln Land Community College are welcome to meet with recruiters at LLCC or to stop by the Admissions Office at UIS, located in the University Hall Building, to discuss their transition to UIS. I would encourage students in the Peoria area to visit the UIS Peoria Office, located on the ICC East Peoria campus. Staff are happy to assist students in making the transition between ICC and UIS a seamless process.
All Illinois community college students are guaranteed admission to UIS through the U of I System’s Transfer Guarantee if they meet certain requirements, which include having enrolled only at an Illinois community college after graduating from an Illinois high school and maintaining a grade point average of 3.0 in all transferable coursework.
We are so very proud of our transfer students at UIS. They are an important group of students who come to UIS in person and online, become part of the UIS learning community and graduate. If you or a student you know wants to learn more about completing their bachelor’s degree at UIS, please reach out to one of our admissions counselors at 217-206-4847 or admissions@uis.edu. We’d be happy to speak with you about how UIS can help you meet your educational goals.