2026 Panelists and Presenters: In order to make the Transfer Summit as accessible as possible to student leaders, staff, and faculty from around the country, the Spring 2026 series will continue with its virtual format. Each 90-minute session will focus on a transfer student topic and include both a moderated panel with national transfer experts and a presentation from transfer student leaders.
- Tuesday, April 7th, 1:00 - 2:30pm CDT: Transfer Trends and Issues
- Wednesday, April 8th, 1:00 - 2:30pm CDT: Transfer Spaces
Webinar One: Transfer Trends and Issues
Drew Koch, Ph.D.
CEO, John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education
Dr. Andrew “Drew” K. Koch is CEO of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education, a role he has held since 2021. He joined the nonprofit in 2010 to lead initiatives that strengthen teaching, learning, student success, and postsecondary completion. The child of German immigrants and a recipient of need-based aid, Drew’s educational journey shapes his commitment to expanding opportunity and improving outcomes for all learners. Along with John Gardner and Michael Rosenberg, Drew is the co-editor of The Transfer Experience: A Handbook for Creating a More Equitable and Successful Postsecondary System.
Before joining the Gardner Institute, he spent nearly two decades at colleges and universities advancing success for traditionally marginalized students. He has led more than 50 grant-funded initiatives supported by major foundations and federal agencies and collaborates nationally on undergraduate education reform. Drew holds degrees from the University of Richmond, the University of South Carolina, and Purdue University and is a former ACE Fellow. He is the author of multiple books on higher education reform, equity, and student success.
Catherine Hartman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership, NC State University
Catherine Hartman is an Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership and Faculty Scholar at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. Her research focuses on community college student persistence and engagement, community college student transfer to four-year schools, and community college leadership. Catherine also serves as an Affiliate Scholar for the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and was named a 2025-2026 Fellow for the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. Catherine's recent publications include co-authoring Examining the Landscape of Transfer Support: Results from the 2021 National Study of Transfer Student Initiatives, published by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.
Student Presentation: Virginia Tech Transfer Student Initiatives
Webinar Two: Transfer Spaces
Beth Merritt Miller, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost for University Advising, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Beth Merritt Miller serves as the Assistant Vice Provost for University Advising at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she leads comprehensive advising and student success initiatives that promote retention, persistence, and timely degree completion. She oversees the Mustang Success Center (first-year advising), Transfer Center, and University Advising Retention team, ensuring coordinated, student-centered support across the university. With decades of leadership experience in academic advising, enrollment management, and career services across public university systems, Beth is deeply committed to expanding opportunitiesfor students navigating complex pathways, especially transfer students.
She believes transfer students bring resilience, leadership, and rich lived experiences that strengthen campuses nationwide. Her work focuses on creating equitable policies, clear academic pathways, and student-centered systems that reduce barriers and empower students to succeed. She is passionate about helping transfer students recognize their strengths and embrace leadership roles within their institutions and communities.
Lashay Vazquez, M.A., SHRM-CP
Work+ Program Manager and Transfer Knights Faculty Advisor, University of Central Florida
As a first-generation transfer student, Lashay brings a personal understanding of the transition to the university experience. Her journey from undergraduate to her current doctoral studies informs her dedication to student advocacy and the university community. Since returning to her alma mater in a professional capacity, she has served as the Academic Program Manager for Work+, where she supports the growth and development of student employees.
Her commitment to the transfer population is further reflected in her six years of service as an advisor to two student organizations focused on the transfer experience (Transfer Knights and Tau Sigma Zeta). Driven by her own background, she focuses on creating a supportive environment for students navigating similar paths. By combining her professional role with a long-standing dedication to mentorship, she works to ensure first-generation, transfer, and first-generation transfer students have the resources and guidance necessary to succeed during and after their time at the university.
Student Presentation: Michigan State University Transfer Student Success Center