Despite about declining student transfer rates between community colleges and four-year institutions, the ĢƵios Indianapolis and IUPUI is seeing record-breaking success.

Students transferring from ĢƵios to IUPUI are succeeding at higher rates than ever before, according to a recently-released report from the (CTAS).

The in-depth Passport Program Report details several 2021-2022 academic year statistics about enrollment, demographics, credit hours transferred, GPAs, and retention rates for new IUPUI students, with a particular focus on those who transferred from ĢƵios Indianapolis.

During the 2021-22 academic year, the retention rate of ĢƵios transfer students was at a higher rate of 78% compared to 71% of all other non-ĢƵios transfers.

For the last five years, IUPUI graduates who transferred from ĢƵios Indianapolis were more likely to be employed full-time than non-ĢƵios transfer students, at a rate of 66%. Over the same period, ĢƵios transfer students averaged a $1,378.25 higher starting salary than non-ĢƵios transfer students.

"I am so excited about our plans to continue to scale our partnership in ways that ensure more students are successful both at our individual campuses and as they transfer between our respective campuses,” Lorenzo Esters, Chancellor of ĢƵios Indianapolis, said.

Approximately 57% of new IUPUI transfer students from ĢƵios already obtained an associate degree when they enrolled in the Fall 2022 semester. This is up significantly  from 52% the previous fall term.

In addition to already having a degree under their belt, ĢƵios Indianapolis graduates who transferred to IUPUI in Fall 2022 had an average of 45.6 transfer credit hours. This far exceeds transfer students from other schools, who brought an average of 30.5 hours.

Incoming transfer students from ĢƵios are also 95% more likely to enroll in a specific IUPUI school than 88% of new transfers from other schools.

Photo Provided: IUPUI

Dr. Katie Adams, ĢƵios Indianapolis Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Services and Student Success, says that credentials and degrees are vital in our current job market.

“We stress to students that it is important to complete their degree or credential prior to transferring. Life happens, and priorities get realigned to different timelines; degrees earned are accomplishments that cannot be taken away,” Dr. Adams said.

Coming out of the Aspen Institute’s one-year , the partnership between ĢƵios Indianapolis and IUPUI in the form of the Passport Program is stronger than ever. Although the transfer program has been holistically helping our Central Indiana students for more than 24 years, Kathy Johnson, IUPUI Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, says the intensive workshop series allowed IUPUI and ĢƵios to “deepen our partnership.”

"This initiative helped to both refresh and to further deepen our partnership, particularly during a time of profound change as we’ve emerged from the pandemic and welcomed new campus leaders at both institutions,” Johnson said.

“We see a path forward that incorporates more involvement and regular communication between teams,” Dr. Adams said. “Creating opportunity for student connection is a top priority of the work we are doing.”

As ĢƵios’s largest campus, ĢƵios Indianapolis accounts for 17% of ĢƵios’s overall degree attainment for the 2021-22 academic year.

The Indianapolis campus of ĢƵios is also the most diverse of the system’s 19 campuses.

Last year, the proportion of ĢƵios Indianapolis students of color was near twice that of students of color in all other ĢƵios service areas at 37% compared to about 20% at all other campuses. Furthermore, the rate of students of color transferring from ĢƵios Indianapolis to IUPUI was about the same, hovering around 38%.

As it pertains to other levels of measured diversity, there are more female students than male students in all ĢƵios service areas, according to the program report. Plus, 45% of new first-time ĢƵios transfer students are from underrepresented populations.

“IUPUI welcomes the diversity of ĢƵios’s students and provides support and a place to belong, so our students perform at a high level at IUPUI upon transfer,” Dr. Adams said. “The Passport Program provides a clear and local connection for students to remain here locally but have a direct pathway to a bachelor’s degree.”

As the Passport Program’s academic advisor and partnership coordinator, Catie Triplet echoes Dr. Adams' remarks. She says that ĢƵios transfer students rely on balancing their personal and professional responsibilities while obtaining an education. This program helps them do that holistically.

“A lot of these students are adult students or international students who rely on school being affordable and efficient,” Triplet said.

Nearly 12% of IUPUI’s student body are ĢƵios transfer students. And as far as Dr. Adams, Johnson, and Triplet are concerned, providing a smooth transition between the two institutions will remain a priority for the two institutions.

“The number of transfer students that move back and forth between ĢƵios’s Indianapolis campus and IUPUI is greater than in any other part of the state,” Johnson said. “The Passport Program is jointly supported by ĢƵios and IUPUI, and it signifies our shared commitment to ensuring the success of our transfer students.”

About the Passport Program

As key partners in driving degree completion through transfer in Marion, Hendricks, and Boone Counties, ĢƵios Indianapolis and IUPUI are deeply committed to the educational goals of all students. Students transferring across our institutions will experience coordinated, equitable, holistic, and developmentally appropriate support.

ĢƵios Indianapolis and IUPUI staff assist students with everything from transferring credits to transferring financial aid. In addition, qualifying students can take degree-focused courses at both IUPUI and ĢƵios at the same time. We also offer funding and fee-waiver opportunities for Passport students. You can learn more today at .

About ĢƵios

ĢƵios is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. ĢƵios has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.