{"id":13055,"date":"2025-11-05T09:30:43","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T15:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13055"},"modified":"2025-11-05T09:30:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T15:30:43","slug":"transfer-student-success-a-priority-at-uw-whitewater","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/transfer-student-success-a-priority-at-uw-whitewater\/","title":{"rendered":"Transfer student success a priority at UW-Whitewater"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

Transfer students who attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater are treated to the full Warhawk experience \u2014 and they\u2019re succeeding as a result.<\/p>\n

The university joins thousands of institutions around the country to celebrate National Transfer Student Week, an annual event dedicated to celebrating the contributions of transfer students and the people who support them, from Oct. 20-24.<\/p>\n

According to preliminary data for the fall 2025 semester, a total of 651 new Warhawks are transfer students, including 556 on the Whitewater campus and 95 on the\u00a0Rock County<\/a>\u00a0campus. This year\u2019s total represents an increase of almost 10% from this time last year.<\/p>\n

Transfers enroll at UW-Whitewater after attending a variety of institutions \u2014 other\u00a0Universities of Wisconsin<\/a>, a community college or technical college, or a private college. Many students \u2014 more than 20% on the Whitewater campus in 2024 \u2014 come from out-of-state institutions.<\/p>\n

According to the most recent Universities of Wisconsin data, UW-Whitewater is among the leaders in both retention and graduation rate of transfers.<\/p>\n

UW-Whitewater consistently retains more than 80% of its transfer students each year. In 2023, nearly 85% of students who started at the university in the fall were still enrolled as Warhawks one year later.<\/p>\n

In 2023-24, UW-Whitewater ranked second among the Universities of Wisconsin \u2014 trailing only UW-Madison \u2014 in four-year graduation rate of transfers at 71.7%. Out-of-state transfers from Illinois have a 71.3% likelihood of graduating in four years, according to institutional data.<\/p>\n

Dave Hahn, assistant director of\u00a0admissions<\/a>\u00a0and transfer coordinator, realizes that every student has a unique pathway to UW-Whitewater. That understanding is shared by the entire campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur campus has been a longtime leader in transferability,\u201d Hahn said. \u201cOur staff \u2014 and our campus as a whole \u2014 think about transfers all the way through. Transfer students aren\u2019t transfer students once they\u2019re here \u2014 they\u2019re just UW-Whitewater students.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen our faculty and staff are building curriculums and making updates and changes, all those processes go through with transfer students in mind so a student can transfer in and not be behind or have to start over.\u201d<\/p>\n

When students inquire about transferring to UW-Whitewater, Hahn said their most common questions are regarding how their credits will transfer, how much tuition will cost, and how long it will take to graduate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way our whole campus is set up, we maximize each of those areas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Once students apply, Hahn and his team do an official credit evaluation of all previously completed coursework and calculate the transfer GPA. Students who are offered admission are sent an admission packet with next steps toward enrollment. Within four days of admission, students can access their degree audit through their student portal in\u00a0Stellic<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 UW-Whitewater\u2019s new academic planning tool \u2014 to view how their transfer credits are applying toward their degree plan.<\/p>\n

Community, technical colleges \u00bb UW-Whitewater<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Students with Associate of Arts (A.A.) degrees coming from community colleges have an ideal path to a bachelor\u2019s degree. There are some variables, but most courses transfer into UW-Whitewater degree programs and satisfy general education requirements, Hahn noted.<\/p>\n

An option for students who attend technical colleges in Wisconsin is UW-Whitewater at Rock County\u2019s\u00a0Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS)<\/a>\u00a0degree. The classes they take at their technical college fit more neatly into the BAAS program than a traditional bachelor\u2019s program.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Photo
BAAS Graduate Laurie Harvey crosses the stage to be congratulated by UW-Whitewater Chancellor Corey A. King. The first graduates of the UW-Whitewater at Rock County Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) program participated in the 2023 spring commencement at Kachel Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon, May 13, 2023. (UW-Whitewater photo\/Craig Schreiner)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The BAAS degree, which can be completed fully online, is an ideal path for working professionals to significantly ease their path to a bachelor\u2019s degree, Hahn said.<\/p>\n

The URock pathway<\/h3>\n

Alfie McKearn, a\u00a0biology science education<\/a>\u00a0major from Beloit, Wisconsin, followed the same path as his older brother, Joe, a teacher in the Janesville area. Knowing he wanted to teach, he started his college career on the Rock County campus, where he enjoyed the affordability and small community feel.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of my friends went to big cities, and I never liked that,\u201d McKearn said. \u201cThere were good and bad parts, but it was comfortable and familiar. All my professors were really kind, and they took time to talk with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transferring to the Whitewater campus, which allowed McKearn to keep working in Beloit, was a simple choice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a click of a button on the website,\u201d he said. \u201cI wanted to transfer to Whitewater, and that was it. It couldn\u2019t have been easier.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKearn landed a job as a\u00a0resident assistant<\/a>, a position he\u2019s held for two years working in\u00a0Wellers Hall<\/a>. He\u2019s also been a part of music groups on the Whitewater campus, including the\u00a0Chamber Singers<\/a>\u00a0and Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and he participated in a\u00a0travel study to Yellowstone National Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scholarships<\/a>\u00a0have also allowed McKearn, who is slated to graduate in May 2027, to keep the cost of his education manageable. He is a recipient of multiple scholarships during his time at UW-Whitewater.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took such a weight off,\u201d he said. \u201cI put a lot of work into my grades in high school, and it\u2019s nice to be recognized for that and get a little bit of help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transitioning from a four-year institution<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Photo
Sidney Murphy, at left, facing camera, with fellow members of UW-Whitewater\u2019s Association of Supply Chain Management chapter. Murphy transferred to the university and is on pace to graduate this May. (Submitted photo)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sidney Murphy knew within the first few weeks of her time as a freshman at another four-year state school that she needed a better fit to suit her ideal college experience.<\/p>\n

Fast forward four years, and Murphy is set to graduate with a BBA in\u00a0supply chain management<\/a>\u00a0this May.<\/p>\n

Murphy was connected through a family friend to a UW-Whitewater\u00a0academic advisor<\/a>, who recommended classes and potential majors to explore. She used Transferology to learn how her credits would transfer to the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would encourage (anyone transferring) to reach out to an advisor,\u201d she said. \u201cThey are very helpful, they will walk you through the process step by step, and they can help you set up a tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murphy enrolled at UW-Whitewater for the spring 2023 semester and immediately bonded with the faculty and staff on campus, enjoying the small class sizes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely like all the professors here,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cThey\u2019re all very helpful and friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n

She joined the university\u2019s\u00a0Association of Supply Chain Management (ASCM) chapter<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0club water polo team<\/a>, and is an active member in both organizations. She now serves as treasurer for the water polo team.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Students
Sidney Murphy, front row, third from right, with fellow members of the UW-Whitewater club water polo team. She serves as treasurer for the club. (Submitted photo)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The short distance from her hometown of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, was a deciding factor for Murphy choosing UW-Whitewater \u2014 something Hahn cited as a common reason for students to transfer to the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commute was another big factor in my decision to transfer,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cIt helped me stay focused on my goal of graduating debt free.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murphy is\u00a0hired before graduation<\/a>\u00a0to the 2-year rotational program at IEWC, a cable and wire distributor in New Berlin, Wisconsin. She worked an internship with the company over the summer in materials management and procurement and will start her new position in July 2026.<\/p>\n

\n

Written by Chris Lindeke | Photos by Craig Schreiner and submitted<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uww.edu\/news\/archive\/2025-10-transfer-student<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Transfer students who attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater are treated to the full Warhawk experience \u2014 and they\u2019re succeeding as a result. The university joins thousands of institutions around the country to celebrate National Transfer Student Week, an annual event dedicated to celebrating the contributions of transfer students and the people who support them, from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13057,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[84],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-13055","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-whitewater"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13055"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13055"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}