The Phenomenon of Transfer Stigma: Perspectives of Vertical Transfers at Four-Year Institutions

• In Event: Bridging the Gap: Transfer Students, Advising Styles, and Academic Support Structures

Abstract

Community colleges have been serving as a stepping stone for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Research showed that transfer stigma poses a significant barrier to their success. By adopting a phenomenology approach, this study aims to generate a textual and structural description of transfer stigma based on the experiences of nine vertical transfer students at a public, research-intensive, four-year university located in Louisiana. The preliminary findings revealed a contextual understanding of the internalized and enacted transfer stigma. Full findings, including the structural description and the essence of the transfer stigma phenomenon, will provide implications for higher education leaders and practitioners.

Authors

• Yu April Chen, Louisiana State University

• Jingwen Liu, Louisiana State University

• Huy Duc Nguyen, Louisiana State University