Students join panel discussion on reimagined transfer pathways to university
Two students—Wintana Teklit and Jessica Lambert, both of whom participated in structured transfer programs—recently participated in a panel discussion about university transfers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
Teklit came to Case Western Reserve University through the Cleveland Humanities Collaborative (CHC) and Lambert came to Cleveland State University through the Mandel Continuing Scholars program at Cleveland State University.
The panel discussion was titled “Transfer Pathways Reimagined: Humanities, Leadership, and Civic Engagement in the 2-to-4 year Journey.”
They were joined at the meeting by:
- Jamaal Hill, Cleveland Humanities Collaborative associate director at Case Western Reserve;
- Liz Kravanya, Mandel Continuing Scholars Advisor and Program Coordinator at Cleveland State University;
- Emily Quayle, program manager of the Mandel Humanities Scholars program at Cuyahoga Community College; (Tri-C); and
- Peer and Cleveland Humanities Collaborative student Briana Arnold.
Through these community college–to–four-year partnerships—one between Tri-C and CWRU and another between Tri-C and CSU—students experienced pathways centered on humanities learning, leadership development and community engagement. During the panel, they shared how these programs supported their transitions, strengthened their sense of identity and purpose, and prepared them to lead on campus and in their communities. Their stories highlighted the value of cross-institutional collaboration in expanding access, fostering belonging, and aligning education with civic responsibility. The partnerships also allowed Tri-C, CSU, and CWRU to showcase to peer institutions how programs like these can be thoughtfully adapted to meet the evolving needs of students across diverse contexts.
