The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and El Paso Community College (EPCC) took a significant step forward in their ongoing efforts to ease the transition of transfer students by hosting the UTEP Transfer Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. The event took place in the AST Auditorium at the EPCC Valle Verde Campus located at 919 Hunter Drive.
Organized by UTEP’s Office of Admissions and Recruitment and EPCC’s Career and Transfer Services office, the fair introduced participants to the UTEP transfer process. Admissions counselors were available to help EPCC students apply to the University. Applicants who met admissions requirements were admitted to UTEP on the spot. Representatives from several student support services departments such as the UTEP Office of Financial Aid were also available to answer questions.
In 2021, 54% of students who obtained an undergraduate degree from UTEP had earned transfer credit from EPCC.
Since then, UTEP has launched several new initiatives to improve the transfer, admissions and financial aid processes for students transferring from EPCC to UTEP.
“Our vision is to be a national model for university-and-community college transfer collaboration,” said Virginia M. Fraire, Ph.D., vice provost for student success and strategic initiatives at UTEP. “Our goal is to promote a sense of belonging by providing transfer students with academic advising support, seamless academic pathways, and financial support that will aid students in their transition and success toward graduation.”
The faculty at UTEP and EPCC are continuously working to create academic pathways to better align course offerings that will improve the applicability of transfer credits. Additionally, UTEP established a transfer grant to support EPCC transfer students and designated transfer academic advisors to help EPCC students navigate the UTEP transfer process.
“EPCC and UTEP have a long history of working together to intentionally serve students so they have a clear pathway to baccalaureate and other advanced degrees,” said Keri Moe, Ed.D., associate vice president of external relations, communication and development at EPCC. “We know that UTEP welcomes transfer students from EPCC and is committed to their continued success.”
The Transfer Fair is one more example of the collaboration between UTEP and EPCC to eliminate barriers for students to earn a bachelor’s degree. On Oct. 18, 2022, UTEP hosted the Transfer Student Success Symposium, which brought together UTEP and EPCC administrators, faculty, advisors and counselors to discuss ways to improve transfer academic pathways, admissions processes, and advising services for students transitioning from EPCC to UTEP.
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