TCC, NSU-BA, OSU-Tulsa Selected for the National Equity Transfer Initiative Program

Tulsa Community College has been selected to participate in the national Equity Transfer Initiative with partners Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow and Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. In its first year, the national initiative selected 16 partnerships from across the country to focus on increasing transfer rates for African American, Hispanic, adult, and first-generation learners.  
National research shows African American and Hispanic students fall below their white and Asian peers in the categories of earning an associate degree, transferring to a four-year and completing a bachelor’s degree. Adults without a college degree who enter higher education at age 25 or older also complete a bachelor’s degree at lower rates than students entering between the age of 18 and 24. Preliminary data indicates the pandemic is widening these existing equity gaps. 
“We are committed to seeing every student achieve academic success. Through TCC’s two-year Equity Scorecard work with the Center for Urban Education at University of Southern California, we have been working on equitable outcomes for our students,” said Dr. Leigh Goodson, TCC president and CEO. “Now this equity work will expand to the transfer process as we work with our university partners to increase the number of bachelor’s degrees.” 
The Equity Transfer Initiative is a two-year project and will award up to $27,500 to partnerships between community and four-year colleges. TCC will focus on equity in six transfer pathways – three to NSU-Broken Arrow and three to OSU-Tulsa. More than 70% of students who transfer within three years of graduating from TCC transfer to OSU or NSU to continue their education. 
The pathways selected are high-demand or high-pay occupations in our region that require a bachelor’s degree and align with Oklahoma’s Critical Occupations and regional workforce priorities. With NSU, the focus will be Biology, Business Administration/Supply Chain Management, and Elementary Education. 
“NSU has a longstanding history and partnership with TCC that supports education in the Tulsa area,” said Dr. Steve Turner, NSU president. “In order to meet Oklahoma’s workforce demands, we must ensure that education is accessible. We are excited to work with TCC to further develop pathways that enhance transfer students’ success and bachelor’s degree completion at NSU.” 
The TCC to OSU transfer pathways will focus on Business Administration/Accounting, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. 
“As an urban-serving metropolitan research university, OSU-Tulsa has prioritized building pathways to high-quality bachelor’s degrees that demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion,” said Dr. Pamela Fry, OSU-Tulsa president. “The Equality Transfer Initiative builds on OSU-Tulsa’s strong partnership with TCC and will increase economic prosperity and improve lives in our community.”