March 26, 2026
LANSING, Mich. – Nearly 250 faculty and higher education leaders from across Michigan gathered this week at Delta College for two day-long workshops focused on making it easier for students to transfer college credits and stay on track to earn their degrees. Hosted by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), the workshop is part of the state’s larger effort to strengthen collaboration across Michigan’s community colleges and public universities, expand pathways to degree completion, and prepare more learners for in-demand careers in Michigan.
“For too many students, transferring between colleges can feel like navigating a maze,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, MiLEAP director. “Misaligned policies and inconsistent requirements
can cost students time and credits, making it harder for them to continue their education and earn a bachelor’s degree. This work brings institutions together to ensure the time and effort students have already invested counts. By strengthening transfer pathways, we’re helping more students reach graduation, moving Michigan closer to Sixty by 30, and building the skilled workforce our economy depends on.”
The workshops brought together faculty from 55 of the state’s community colleges and universities to collaborate on ways to create a more supportive and effective transfer infrastructure through the development of additional MiTransfer Pathways — statewide agreements that strengthen the transfer ecosystem for students and institutions. These pathways are designed to expand opportunities for students to explore programs before committing, create more transparent and consistent transfer routes that reduce guesswork, streamline processes for faculty and advisors, strengthen collaboration across institutions, and advance more equitable outcomes in transfer, retention, and completion.
This effort is guided by MiLEAP’s Advisory Council on Transfer Success (ACTS), established to help create a student-centered transfer system where progress toward educational and career goals is supported by clear, consistent and efficient processes.
“The transfer alignment work being advanced through ACTS and this week’s convening is foundational to MiLEAP’s focus on improving holistic transfer pathways, and reflect a strong, statewide commitment to student success and building a more aligned higher education ecosystem in Michigan,” said Dr. Katie Giardello, Transfer Success Project Manager at MiLEAP. “Effective transfer pathways don’t happen in isolation. They require coordination across institutions, stakeholder groups and the state. Each of us plays a critical role in shaping, supporting and sustaining this work so students can move forward with clarity and confidence.”
Michigan’s approach to improving transfer success is anchored in five guiding principles developed by ACTS, focused on keeping students at the center, reducing barriers to credit transfer, improving transparency and consistency, using data to guide decisions, and building a sustainable statewide system. Together, these principles are shaping a more coordinated transfer system that better supports students and institutions across Michigan. As this work continues, Michigan is on track to expand from 10 to more than 20 MiTransfer Pathways, creating more opportunities for students to move efficiently between institutions and into high-demand careers. To date, more than 540 faculty and staff across Michigan have engaged in this effort, reflecting strong statewide partnership and commitment to improving transfer outcomes.
For more information about MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education and its work to expand pathways to student success, visit Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.
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About MiLEAP:
Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from birth 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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