New Bi-Co Program Introduces Community College Students to a Liberal Arts Education

Community College of Philadelphia and Northampton Community College are the program's main partners, but it is open to any student enrolled in a community college.
Details
The weeklong immersion program, open to any current community college student, will welcome students to Haverford and Bryn Mawr campuses in June.
Through a new partnership called Exploring Transfer Together (ETT), the Bi-College Consortium will introduce current community college students to life at a liberal arts college. The weeklong immersive program, which aims to bolster transfer students’ success, will draw students to Haverford and Bryn Mawr’s campuses beginning in early June.
“Most students who attend community colleges think about going to a school that's in their neighborhood or a public university,” says Bryn Mawr’s Chief Enrollment Officer Cheryl Lynn-Horsey, who co-administers ETT with Haverford’s Assistant Vice President for Student Diversity, Equity, and Access Raquel Esteves-Joyce. “We want them to understand the breadth of what you can achieve at a liberal arts college and to know that for some students it can be more affordable than a public option.”
The 15 selected participants will explore three key engagement areas throughout the weeklong program: academics, community, and transfer success. They will be enrolled in a 15-hour course, “Global Environmental Challenges: Strategic Communication, Collaboration, and Solutions,” co-taught by Associate Professor of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Joshua Moses and Northampton Community College Assistant Dean Alyson Krawchuk.
“As we welcome students to the Bi-Co this June, we hope all of them will gain a deeper sense of the academic and community-building opportunities that await at transformative liberal arts colleges like Bryn Mawr and Haverford,” says Haverford’s Director of Admission Kat Abels. “We look forward to being a part of their educational journey.”
During their time on campus, students will live together in one of Bryn Mawr’s residence halls and engage in community-building activities throughout the week. The administrators hope the experience will create a strong network for participants and also reinforce the enriching aspects of residential life in the Bi-Co.
ETT’s primary partners are Community College of Philadelphia and Northampton Community College, though any student currently enrolled in a community college can apply. Selected students will receive a scholarship covering tuition, room, meals, and materials. An additional $500 stipend will offset any potential missed income during their participation. Those interested in applying can join an information session on Jan. 28 at 1 or 7 p.m.
“This work, led by a dedicated team of Bi-Co staff, will lead to community college students successfully applying to four-year liberal arts institutions where they will thrive,” says Esteves-Joyce. “We also imagine another aspect of its impact and legacy will include institutions continuing to widen pathways to their programs and strengthening their supportive infrastructure for transfer students. These investments in community college students will yield dividends.”
The new program mirrors Vassar College’s longrunning Exploring Transfer Program, an initiative that studies have shown to be particularly effective. While less than 20 percent of community college students attain a four-year degree, more than 70 percent of those enrolled in Vassar’s program have gone on to do so. In addition to providing the program’s framework, additional support from Vassar includes a $5,000 seed grant, part of larger funding the college received from the ECMC Foundation, to partner with other schools in exploring the model's potential. Haverford and Bryn Mawr are the first two schools to partner with Vassar.
“I'm really excited that Bryn Mawr and Haverford are moving forward on the Bi-Co ETT Pilot,” says Wendy Maragh Taylor, associate dean of the college at Vassar. “Cheryl and Raquel are incredible partners who have been championing this work. I appreciate their commitment to the students and the community; that's what this work is about — giving community college students in our respective communities the opportunity to have a vision of themselves that they might not have known was possible. I'm glad Vassar can support our colleagues in these efforts.”
Visit Bi-Co Exploring Transfer Together for more information on the program, including application deadlines and how to apply.