Kent State has enhanced its scholarship program for transfer students through the Academic Transfer Award. The Academic Transfer Award, formerly known as Transfer2Kent scholarship, will award qualifying transfer students up to $2,500 per year.

“If you’re somewhere between a 2.5 and a 4.0 (GPA), you’re going to get a scholarship; the scholarship ranges from $1,000 to $2,500,” said Ted McKown, the senior associate director of transfer enrollment at Kent State.

The Academic Transfer Award is not the only scholarship available to transfer students. There are four university-wide scholarships for transfer students, not including specific department scholarships.

The Flash Transfer Northeast Ohio Scholarship is for incoming transfer students who have earned an associate’s degree from one of the local community colleges. The University Award awards students who are ineligible for in-state tuition. There is also a Phi Theta Kappa scholarship for transfer students.

However, the transfer scholarship is not just about scholarship awards. McKown emphasized the importance of building relationships with students during the transfer process. 

“I’m building a relationship with you. Yeah, it’s around the transfer process, but I want you to know there’s a person on the other end of this, and I’m fighting for you,” said McKown.

“Kent State made me feel like I was wanted here,” said Elizabeth Burger, a junior nursing major who is a transfer student. “They got back to me within a few days of reaching out to them. … They really walked me through the whole transfer process.”

Burger and McKown both emphasized how important it is that Kent State makes the transfer process personalized for students. “We’re doing a lot of communicating to students but were also sitting down (with them); I’m essentially building a relationship.”

Burger transferred from Otterbein University to Kent State. She chose Kent State over other four-year universities she looked at because she felt like Kent State made the transfer process personal from the start. 

“They really wanted me to succeed,”  Burger said.

Burger said Kent State officials were walking her through the transfer process from beginning to end. She felt like she always had someone to connect with if she was confused or struggling with the process.

Despite Kent State bringing in roughly 1,450 transfer students every year, McKown prioritizes that every student feels seen and included in the Kent State family.

“We send them a birthday message, we even send them a message about National Squirrel Day,” said McKown. “We try to mix it up because we want them to know Kent State is a fun place; it’s not all serious about cost and major and credits, it’s about the fun stuff too.”

Transferring to Kent State can seem like a hectic process, but the Kent State transfer advisors help with the process every step of the way. Burger said her advisors were constantly in contact with her and helping her through the application, housing, financial and acceptance process.

“On this end, it’s about people caring about people,” McKown said. 

Mimi Freeman is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].