Lansing, Mich. – The Michigan Association of State Universities (MASU) today announced the receipt of a $255,000 college success grant from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). The grant will enable the state’s 15 public universities to more efficiently exchange course and grade data involving students who transfer from a community college to a university. This data will allow students to receive an associate degree from the community college once credit requirements are met, a process known as “reverse transfer.”
The MiLEAP grant will support the state’s public universities in deploying an automated solution developed by the National Student Clearinghouse for exchanging unlimited course and grade data among colleges and universities and across state lines. This effort builds on work over the past year between the state’s community and tribal colleges to implement the reverse transfer tool. This activity will be accelerated by the college success grant provided by MiLEAP.
The grant will produce more Michigan residents with an associate degree—a valuable credential in the labor market—while simultaneously completing a bachelor’s degree. Research indicates that students who are awarded an associate degree are more likely to stay in college and finish a four-year degree program.
“This grant builds upon the progress MiLEAP has fostered to achieve a more seamless student transfer experience throughout Michigan,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “When fully implemented among the state’s community colleges and public universities, reverse transfer will create a more comprehensive statewide framework that will lead to more individuals being rightly recognized for their postsecondary educational achievement and greater progress toward Michigan’s goal of having 60 percent of residents possess a credential of value.”
“Making transfer more seamless, transparent, and effective for students is a priority of all 15 public universities in Michigan. Students will be able to transfer when they are ready, knowing that their work on the way to a bachelor’s degree will be rewarded with an associate degree, providing them with an important credential for the talent marketplace,” said Daniel Hurley, chief executive officer of MASU. “This grant will facilitate an even higher level of collaboration among our state’s public universities and community colleges. Students, employers, and taxpayers will all benefit from this initiative.”
“Michigan’s community and tribal colleges have energized recent efforts to implement reverse transfer capabilities at these institutions,” said Brandy Johnson, president of the Michigan Community College Association. “Working with our university partners, we are building out an automated system that will recognize a milestone achievement for thousands of Michiganders, qualifying them for better paying jobs as they pursue a bachelor’s degree as part of their educational and occupational journeys.”
