Trine recognized again for transfer student support

JACKSON, Miss. — Trine University has once again been named to an annual list of top four-year colleges and universities creating pathways that help community college transfer students earn bachelor’s degrees.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK), an honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges, recognized 275 colleges and universities on its 2026 Transfer Honor Roll, citing the pathways they have created to support transfer students from admission through graduation.

“We continue to evaluate our programs, policies and resources, with the goal of making the process as seamless and cost-effective as possible for students who wish to complete their degree at Trine,” said Kim Bennett, vice president for enrollment management at Trine.

In addition to a $2,500 scholarship toward tuition at its Angola campus specifically for PTK Scholars, Trine University offers robust academic scholarships for transfer students ranging from $14,000 to $24,000. Scholarships are renewable provided the student maintains full-time status and continues to make satisfactory progress toward an undergraduate degree.

Amanda German serves the university as assistant director of transfer pathways and evaluations, ensuring seamless transfer of credits for students.

Students who transfer to Trine also get the benefits every student receives from a Trine education, including career-focused curriculum and personal attention from expert faculty, resulting in more than 99% career placement for Trine graduates.

Comprehensive

One of the nation’s most comprehensive recognition of transfer excellence, the Transfer Honor Roll is determined by assessments across five dimensions shown to influence transfer success: outcomes, credit mobility and degree applicability, financial support, recruitment and admissions practices and campus engagement and support.

Institutions that complete the PTK Connect institutional profile receive a Transfer Friendliness Rating. The Transfer Honor Roll recognizes the top-performing institutions based on this comprehensive evaluation.

“This recognition is about much more than transfer agreements,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. “Successful transfer happens when institutions intentionally design policies, practices and campus cultures that help students thrive after they arrive. These colleges have demonstrated that transfer student success is not accidental. It is a strategic priority.”

The 2026 Honor Roll institutions demonstrated exceptional performance across multiple measures of transfer success. Among this year’s recognized institutions:

• Average percent of transfer in undergraduate population - 56%
• Average bachelor's degree completion rate among transfers - 77%
• Average percentage of transferred credits applied toward a degree - 88%
• Average percent of transfer students receiving merit-based financial aid - 76%

The Transfer Honor Roll has grown into a national benchmark for transfer excellence. This year, 1,117 colleges and universities completed PTK’s institutional profile, providing students with transparent information about transfer opportunities while allowing institutions to benchmark their transfer practices against peers nationwide.

“Recognition matters because it shines a light on what works,” said Heather Yush, senior director of college relations for Phi Theta Kappa. “When colleges are recognized for transfer excellence, they create powerful examples that inspire other institutions to strengthen their own transfer pathways. Ultimately, that means more students earn the bachelor’s degrees they set out to achieve.”

About Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognizes the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helps them grow as scholars and leaders. Recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges as the official honor society for two-year colleges, PTK also serves as the nation’s largest honor society in higher education, with more than 4.5 million members and nearly 1,200 chapters in 11 countries, including approximately 220,000 active members in colleges today. Through scholarships, leadership development, and transfer and career pathways, PTK helps students turn their potential into opportunity. Learn more at ptk.org.