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October 22, 2025
MiLEAP partners with nationally recognized consultant Sova to expand opportunities for Michigan students to complete degrees and enter high-demand fields
Members of the Advisory Council on Transfer Success (ACTS) engage in breakout discussions during a meeting on Sept. 12, collaborating on strategies to strengthen Michigan's transfer pathways.
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) today announced an expansion of the MiTransfer Pathways initiative, adding new workforce-aligned transfer pathways to help more Michigan students complete associate- and bachelor’s degrees.
“The ability to transfer should be a bridge for students, not a barrier,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “During National Transfer Student Week, we celebrate the students navigating this journey and reaffirm MiLEAP’s commitment to making the transfer experience easier, clearer, and more supportive. With this expansion and the guidance from our state’s higher education experts, we are ensuring every student has the tools and opportunities to complete their degrees and achieve career success.”
As part of this work, MiLEAP has retained Sova, a nationally recognized higher education consulting firm, to support and work closely with Michigan’s colleges and universities in adding new transfer pathways across high-demand programs that expand opportunities for students to transfer. This announcement coincides with National Transfer Student Week (October 20—24) and highlights MiLEAP’s ongoing commitment to improving student success and strengthening Michigan’s talent pipeline.
According to the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Tracking Transfer: State-by-State Outcomes dashboard, 36% of Michigan community college students transfer to four-year institutions, and 47% of those students go on to earn bachelor’s degrees. MiLEAP and its Advisory Council on Transfer Success (ACTS) are working to improve these trends by expanding opportunities for students to transfer efficiently and complete degrees in high-demand fields.
With support from state funding and collaboration across Michigan’s higher education landscape, MiLEAP is coordinating the Transfer Success Project, which helps institutions reduce transfer complexities and align programs statewide.
Central to this effort is building on and expanding the existing MiTransfer Pathways initiative, which already includes statewide transfer agreements in ten program areas popular among transfer students. MiLEAP and ACTS are now adding ten additional high-demand programs, creating more opportunities for program exploration, consistent and transparent transfer program maps, and stronger collaboration across Michigan’s higher education community. These new pathways are designed with student and workforce demand in mind, enabling more efficient transfers and providing clear progression toward life-changing careers.
"MiTransfer Pathways are an invaluable resource for advancing student success across the state," said Dr. Doris J. Fields, associate provost and associate vice president of academic and student affairs programming at Eastern Michigan University and a member of MiLEAP's ACTS. "By creating clear, coordinated pathways, MiPathways helps students transfer more efficiently, earn degrees faster, and access expanded career opportunities. This initiative not only strengthens connections between community colleges and universities but ensures every student has the opportunity to thrive."
“At Washtenaw Community College, we see firsthand how MiTransfer Pathways are removing barriers and opening doors for students across Michigan,” said Dr. Brandon Tucker, executive vice president for instruction at Washtenaw Community College and a member of MiLEAP’s ACTS. “By streamlining the transfer process and helping students retain more of the credits they've earned, we're not just accelerating degree completion, we're also empowering learners from all backgrounds to take control of their educational journey. Expanding with new, workforce-aligned pathways will help shape a future where transfer is a bridge, not a hurdle."
These efforts reflect MiLEAP’s collaborative, multi-institutional approach, focused on student-centered outcomes, evidence-based decision-making, and cross-sector collaboration to make the transfer experience more coordinated and navigable.
“By expanding the MiTransfer Pathways to include additional high-demand programs, we are making it easier for students to navigate the transfer process and focus on achieving their academic and career goals,” said Dr. Katie Giardello, transfer success project manager at MiLEAP. “Clear, coordinated pathways also reduce duplication for institutions and strengthen Michigan’s talent pipeline, helping build a higher education system that works better for students, institutions, and the state.”
National Transfer Student Week is a moment to celebrate Michigan’s transfer students and the educators, advisors, and institutions supporting them. MiLEAP remains committed to helping every student navigate their educational journey and achieve their academic and career goals.
Learn more about MiLEAP’s Transfer Success Project and MiTransfer Pathways initiative at Transfer Success Project.
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About MiLEAP:
Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from preschool to postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.
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