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Six Gifts for Transfer Professionals

  • NISTS Team
  • 2 days ago
  • 9 min read

Written by

Janet L. Marling, Ph.D.

NISTS


Janet Marling and NISTS 2024 Transfer Champion Award winners celebrating with plaques and awards, smiling in front of a NISTS banner. Bright clothing and excitement in the room.


Dear Transfer Champion,


You’ve been on my mind…a lot…for a long time.


I see how hard you work. Some days you experience the satisfaction of knowing your effort matters, and other days you spend the trip home saying it out loud for reassurance.


I see you bravely operating as an office of one and being the default referral destination because others are too unbothered (or overwhelmed) to see that they could become as knowledgeable as you.


I see you speaking up in meetings to ask how transfer students will be incorporated into the latest student success interventions. Oh, they’re not? Hummm, you’ll see about that.


I see your eyes light up when your favorite student (you know you have one, or many) comes back to see you to share a life update or thank you because they are now poised to get an internship they thought only went to individuals who are fulltime students.


I see you going the extra mile for mobile learners because you once walked a lonely road in their shoes.


I see your pride after wrapping your first (or fifth) conference presentation, knowing you’re already better for pushing yourself to do it.


Transfer champions like you have fueled NISTS for decades and are the reason we fought so hard to find a path forward for the organization. You have been my inspiration and motivation.


As one would expect, I’ve been rather reflective as I close out my time with NISTS. Several recent projects have allowed me to tiptoe through the expanse of the last 23 years, examining the evolution of our field and our organization. In this exercise, it's been important for me to note how far we’ve come, particularly when the “transfer is broken” narrative prominently persists. 


I know it’s challenging to read aggregate stats reporting dismal transfer outcomes. But you keep showing up, because you’ve seen success firsthand. You know what’s possible when students have equitable and accessible opportunities. You know it’s not their fault, but rather the by-product of a system trying to overcome its origins. You know what it takes for institutions to support mobile learners, because you’re the expert. And you want your institution to succeed; because when it’s viable, students reap the rewards.


Being a transfer champion is a choice. You consciously decide to embody the title every.single.day. It isn’t particularly glamorous, but it’s impactful. Your commitment, even on the days you can only give 50%, matters.


Working in higher education is complicated, to be reductive, and you have the freedom to opt out and pursue other avenues. However, if you choose to remain a part of the ecosystem, and be transfer and mobility centric, it is important to know that you get to decide what kind of transfer champion you want to be. Regardless of your job description, you can consciously determine how you will execute your role and contribute to the whole.


The most important question you can ask to guide how you will engage as a transfer champion is, What is mine to do?


Of course, there is always a laundry list of things that need to be accomplished. But that’s not what I’m referencing. You have a unique role to play at your institution or organization that only you can fulfill; and you don’t have to do it all. By asking What is mine to do?, you zero in on the distinct ways you can bring forward your expertise, experience, and wisdom.


But how am I supposed to know what is mine to do? Great question!


Below are six gifts. Not the kind you physically unwrap, but they do require peeling back a few layers. I suspect you’ll find them familiar. Not just conceptually, but internally. Something you already possess, and perhaps not accessed in a while. These are the same gifts that have allowed me to navigate a myriad of situations while leading NISTS.


The Gift of Curiosity


Being genuinely curious, or at least intentionally curious, will serve you well. It keeps your work fresh, your mind open, and your approach innovative. Don’t hesitate to give yourself permission to ask questions, to wonder What if?, and to explore new possibilities.


But also use curiosity as a tool to listen deeply and observe broadly. Scarce resources (i.e., human, fiscal, time) undermine curiosity and lead to competition. By remaining curious you may find allies in assumed enemies and collaboration opportunities you never dreamed possible.


Curiosity has benefitted me most when attempting to understand something with which I have no lived experience; like being a transfer student. Throughout my career in transfer, I’ve relied on my curiosity and the generosity of students, researchers, and practitioners to build my knowledge and empathy for our diverse mobile learners.


The Gift of Holding Multiple Truths


Your world is filled with juxtapositions, including how you feel about your work. It’s important to know you can be passionate about students and committed to improving their experience while also being frustrated by a lack of resources or angry that you are being asked to do more and more without appreciation or compensation.


These might appear to be conflicting or mutually exclusive feelings, when in reality, it’s very productive to explore the range of emotions generated by your role. This creates awareness of the nuances associated with being a part of a larger ecosystem and allows for empathetic evaluation of a variety of situations.


This is my superpower. There are always multiple sides to a story, and no one is ever 100% right. As easy as it would be to cast a villain and a hero in the transfer story, it simply isn’t productive, or particularly accurate. I am able to get more people around the table to problem-solve when I acknowledge the multiple realities represented in a room and avoid downplaying individuals’ unique feelings and perspectives.  


The Gift of Collaboration


Collaboration is a very special gift, too often disregarded. Perhaps because it requires intentionality, and sometimes it feels easier to simply do it yourself. However, when you collaborate, you are inviting in shared responsibility, new perspectives, and a reduced mental load. Truly integrating others into your work allows you to become more inclusive in how you think about what you are attempting to accomplish and its impact on others.


I’m guilty of doing too many things on my own and not asking for help. It drives my family crazy, while leaving me frustrated that I’m the only one loading and unloading the dishwasher. A problem of my own creation. Fortunately, I am keenly aware that there’s no room in transfer and credit mobility for silos or siloed thinking. NISTS was built upon relationships and collaboration, and that is the hill I will die on.


The Gift of Boundaries


Boundaries can be tricky, especially for transfer champions who are wired to help.

Setting appropriate boundaries for how you work, when you work, and with whom you work isn’t selfish. It’s a mechanism to ensure that you and those around you can truly accomplish what is being asked of you. Too often we are assigned responsibilities without any examination of the capacity required to execute them.


Creating boundaries requires an honest conversation about capacity and, and likely some negotiation to determine what is yours to do and what falls to others. It means playing into your strengths and relying on the totality of the ecosystem, not just individual effort.


In the early years of NISTS, we had a very broad mission focused on improving transfer student success. We felt pressure to fill a large void, which led to years of being helpful, but less impactful. Creating a specific focus on equipping transfer professionals with the tools needed to challenge inequitable systems and transform the transfer student experience allowed our small team to be much more effective. Saying no to things outside of our scope and capacity was difficult, but critical to meaningfully contributing to the larger transfer landscape.


The Gift of Vision


Vision isn’t just looking into the future, or creating a strategic plan. It’s also about being able to see how the work you are doing impacts the whole. And knowing what parts of that work fall within your sphere of influence and where you may need to defer to others while continuing to champion the whole.


When you create good systems, policies, processes, and programming for mobile learners, you’re elevating opportunities for students across the institution. Being able to see the big picture means creating a vision that not only positions your students well but also sets up the institution to be successful.


I’m a bit competitive. And I like to win. Silly contests between myself most often. Like besting my time on the first 1/3 mile of my walk that takes me up a 222 ft. incline (it’s a killer!). But what I like even more, is uncovering opportunities for all parties to win. Not like giving out participation trophies, but rather digging in to discover what motivates others and what is important to them in a set of outcomes. This visioning and placing others in positions to win has served me well at NISTS and is something I will take with me into my next chapter. 


The Gift of Legacy


Legacy feels cumulative, like something built over a long period and held up ceremoniously at the end of an era. But in reality, legacy is built daily. It’s unfolding right now in the programs you run, the research you pursue, the policies you write, the processes you develop, and the students you influence.


As I consider my NISTS legacy, a few pride points come to mind. I am boldly stating them, even if it feels uncomfortable.


I am proud that I:

  • created a team-focused internal culture at NISTS where all contributions were valued, even when we sacrificed efficiency.

  • shepherded practitioners through the post-master’s certificate program as they tapped into their inner scholars and blossomed into data-informed problem solvers with a solid command of the transfer literature and a clearly articulated Why.

  • nurtured a diverse, cross-functional NISTS community and elevated their voices and expertise.


Please don’t wait 23 years to contemplate your legacy. Own that your institutions, organization, and students benefit from your experience, expertise, creativity, knowledge, and how you uniquely see the world. All of these pieces add up to your legacy.


What is Yours to Do in Whatever Comes Next


As an Enneagram 7, I am spectacular at reframing things, especially when discomfort is involved. But I am going to shoot you straight - I don’t know when the reprieve will arrive. What I am certain of is that you must be responsible for knowing when you’ve hit your threshold and need to catch your breath, or perhaps extract yourself more long-term. Pausing or changing direction must be seen as part of playing the long game, not surrendering.


It’s incredibly easy to become myopic when feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or fueled by passion. Like sunrays being funneled through a magnifying glass, the energy is intense…and also prone to starting fires. Should you find yourself in this state, I encourage you to zoom out a little and take stock of your ecosystem. This is a great way to find your allies, and those who would benefit from your advocacy. Zooming out also helps you note who may be attempting to solve similar challenges and who can just simply be there for you.


It has been my absolute honor to be a part of the NISTS community and this movement. I feel certain the field of transfer and the future of learning mobility are in good hands.


Remember, you get to choose how you want to show up as a transfer champion. And as you determine what’s yours to do: Stay curious. Seek to hold multiple truths. Rely on collaboration. Know your boundaries. Create the vision. And continue to shape your legacy.



Rooting for you always,


Janet L. Marling, Ph.D.

Mother of Transfer 🙂



Reflection Questions


The Gift of Curiosity

  1. How might being more curious benefit me and those around me?

  2. How can I intentionally lead with curiosity in meetings or conversations with students, colleagues, and leadership?

  3. What will I do with the information I gather by being curious?

  4. How will it impact my decision-making and role as a transfer champion?


The Gift of Holding Multiple Truths

  1. What are the multiple truths that are in play for me?

  2. How do I honestly feel about them?

  3. In what ways does having this information help me better serve mobile learners?

  4. How does it help me contribute to my larger ecosystem?


The Gift of Collaboration

  1. On a scale from 1-5 how committed am I to the idea of collaboration?

  2. How could collaboration advance my work?

  3. What keeps me from collaborating more?

  4. Who isn’t, but needs to be on my list of collaborators and why?


The Gift of Boundaries

  1. What expertise do I bring to the table? What are my efficiencies?

  2. What is my realistic capacity to contribute?

  3. How can I communicate any misaligned expectations?

  4. How does my vision for being a transfer champion align with my actions? Am I over contributing? Under-contributing? Contributing but in the wrong direction?


The Gift of Vision

  1. How do I envision working with students? My team? My institution?

  2. How can I best align my vision with others or help bring theirs into alignment with mine so as to best benefit the whole.

  3. What have I done to communicate my vision to others?

  4. How can I use visioning to ensure that I am not attempting to do something that is not mine to do?


The Gift of Legacy

  1. What is the future I envision for myself, my students, my ecosystem?

  2. What can I be doing now to set in motion things that lead to those outcomes?

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