Denver, CO (February 26, 2025) – The Community College of Denver (CCD) and Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) hosted the Transfer Summit on February 25, 2025, bringing together college leadership, faculty, staff and national experts to improve transfer pathways for students. This summit was held in direct response to the institutions’ selection for Cohort 4 of the Transfer Student Success Intensive, a prestigious national initiative led by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen CEP) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). 

This year-long professional development program supports colleges in designing sustainable, research-backed strategies that help students successfully transfer from community colleges to four-year universities, leading to higher bachelor’s degree attainment rates. Through participation in this initiative, CCD and MSU Denver are deepening their collaborative efforts to remove barriers, align academic programs and create streamlined pathways that promote student success. 

“Being selected for the Transfer Intensive underscores our commitment to transforming the student experience,” said Marielena DeSanctis, Ph.D., President of the Community College of Denver. “This summit brought together experts and institutional leaders to discuss how we can better serve transfer students, ensuring they reach their academic and career goals without unnecessary hurdles, regardless of where they start their educational journey.” 

The summit featured keynote presentations from national experts, including: 

• Josh Wyner of the Aspen Institute, who shared insights on national transfer trends and research-backed best practices. 
• Dr. Jason Dodge of the Partnership for Education Advancement, who explored innovative transfer student support models that have been successfully implemented at institutions nationwide. 

Attendees participated in interactive sessions focused on: 

• Policy alignment and institutional collaboration to ensure students experience no loss of credit when transferring. 
• Career and workforce development strategies to connect students with high-demand jobs. 
• Data-sharing agreements to track student success and improve transfer efficiency. 
• Cross-institutional enrollment opportunities to allow students to take courses at both CCD and MSU Denver. 

The partnership between CCD and MSU Denver builds upon the institutions’ long-standing relationship and the unique mission of the Auraria Campus. By aligning programs and support services, the schools aim to increase economic mobility for students and improve degree completion rates. 

“Higher education should be a bridge, not a barrier,” said Shaun Schafer, Ph.D., MSU Denver associate vice president for Curriculum, Academic Effectiveness and Policy Development. “This initiative allows us to rethink how we support transfer students, ensuring they have clear, structured pathways to success.” 

Through the Transfer Intensive, CCD and MSU Denver join a distinguished group of partnerships from across the country working to implement innovative transfer reform strategies. Since 2021, this initiative has impacted over 16,000 students across 23 states, helping colleges design equitable, student-centered transfer pathways. 

“The Transfer Intensive is a hands-on program that gives institutions research and proven practices to help them reimagine and improve their transfer pathways,” said Tania LaViolet, Director of Research and Innovation at the Aspen CEP. “Through this initiative, we are helping institutions address systemic barriers and develop actionable plans that, if implemented, will improve transfer rates.” 

The summit concluded with President DeSanctis and MSU Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D. signing a joint statement reaffirming their institutions’ commitment to strengthening transfer pathways. Over the next year, CCD and MSU Denver will continue working with Aspen CEP and AASCU to refine and implement strategies that support transfer students and create a more accessible, student-focused transfer system. 

About Community College of Denver  

Community College of Denver (CCD) is a fully accredited leading Colorado community college. CCD was voted Colorado's Best Community College in the Denver Metro Area by The Colorado Sun readers. CCD is recognized for graduating students with less debt and its guaranteed transfer agreements with all Colorado state colleges and universities. The college also leads with innovative on-campus and online certificate and degree programs aligned to high-wage career opportunities. CCD provides a tuition-free high school diploma program to help students start on their path of choice. To learn more about CCD and its programs, resources, industry partnerships and foundation giving, visit ccd.edu. 

About Metropolitan State University of Denver     

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a comprehensive, modified open-access university offering a relevant, rigorous and innovative education in the heart of downtown Denver. The University serves 17,000 students of all ages and backgrounds in 90+ majors and 10 graduate programs. And nearly 80% of our 112,000+ alumni stay in Colorado, advancing communities and economies. Founded in 1965, MSU Denver offers high-value, career-focused programs with unparalleled access to experiential learning and applied internships. We connect our students – 95% from Colorado, 59.7% first-generation and 56% students of color – directly to world-class faculty and high-quality job opportunities.