Wednesday, November 5, 2025
2:00 – 3:30 pm ET

Pre-Advisement & Onboarding Strategies for a Seamless Transition

Institutions often design systems and processes with first-time, full-time students in mind. However, these approaches frequently fall short in meeting the evolving needs of today’s transfer students. The language, procedures, and overall campus culture can create an experience that feels discouraging, frustrating, and confusing for transfer students. For professionals committed to supporting transfer pathways, it can be disheartening to see how institutional systems sometimes work in silos or even at cross-purposes, making it harder—not easier—for transfer students to succeed. 

Join us on November 5, 2025 when our presenter – the Executive Director of Strategic Enrollment Initiatives and Transfer Pathways at the University of North Carolina Wilmington– will discuss the best practices and proven transfer student pre-advisement and onboarding strategies UNCW has implemented that are helping transfer students seamlessly transition to the campus and excel academically. You’ll be able to develop key enrollment and advisement steps, educate your campus about your transfer students’ needs, and help everyone explore how they can play a role in transfer student success. 

Adapt these critical components on your campus to streamline your pre-advisement and onboarding process for transfer students. Help them feel welcomed and valued from the moment they express interest in your institution and through their transition. 

Topics Covered

Gain actionable takeaways that will help you: 

• Conduct a needs assessment and explore the pain points that commonly lead to challenges for transfer students.
• Address these pain points interdepartmentally to align deadlines and communication about key enrollment steps. 
• Address credit transfer confusion and lack of transparency about how credits apply to degree requirements.
• Train faculty and staff on transfer-specific pathways so they can better assist students seeking advisement.
• Explore enrollment and registration barriers and create minor improvements that can have a substantial impact.
• Personalize outreach strategies. 

Presenter

Stefanie Norris, Ed.D, serves as the Director of Strategic Enrollment Initiatives and Transfer Pathways at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
Click here for full bio.