Radford University

Radford University builds Virginia's largest public transfer network, redefining access to four-year degrees

With the addition of its 10th community college partner, Radford's Tartan Transfer initiative creates an unprecedented regional highway from associate to bachelor's degree completion

Radford, VA (09/30/2026) — For generations of Virginia students, transferring from a community college to a four-year university has felt like navigating a maze of lost credits, mismatched curricula and bureaucratic friction.

Radford University has changed that narrative for good.

Celebrating a landmark milestone at the second annual Tartan Transfer Summit, Radford University announced completion of its intended 10-institution network across the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). With the recent addition of Central Virginia Community College, Tartan Transfer is now officially the largest two-year-to-four-year public transfer alliance in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of the most comprehensive regional higher education partnerships in the nation.

Covering a footprint within a 90-minute drive of Radford's campuses in Radford and Roanoke and its instructional location in Abingdon, the initiative ensures that earning a high-value bachelor's degree is seamless, affordable and geographically accessible for thousands of Virginians.

"Virginia's future depends on the people who live and work here having real pathways to better careers," said Radford University President Bret Danilowicz. "Tartan Transfer is our commitment to those people - that a bachelor's degree is within reach, the path is clear, and this region will be stronger for it. By uniting 10 community colleges around one shared mission, Radford is helping set a new standard for expanding access, retaining regional talent and empowering Virginia's workforce."

Through Tartan Transfer, eligible students declare their intent to transfer up to two years in advance, gaining immediate dual-advising, tailored degree mapping and early access to Radford resources while completing their associate degree. The partnership already features impactful innovations and is piloting others, including a co-funded advisor stationed directly at New River Community College and targeted workforce alignments with several of the community colleges in high-demand healthcare and applied biotechnology sectors.

Keynote speaker Felicia Ganther, senior vice chancellor for Academics and Workforce Services for VCCS, urged higher education leaders across the state to adopt this student-first mindset.

"Our responsibility is to make the transfer process invisible to students," Ganther told summit attendees. "Building a bridge for our students is not enough - we need to make sure they cross it. The transfer process should be a shared responsibility between institutions, where we transform what used to be two disconnected hurdles into one continuous educational journey for our students."

For students on the ground, that intentional bridge has redefined what is possible.

Anita Sexton, a senior social work major from Wytheville who began her studies at Wytheville Community College as an adult learner and first-generation student, described the difference early connection made:

"Community college felt comfortable to me, but I was very nervous about the transition to a four-year program. You worry about whether your credits will count and whether you'll belong in a whole new environment. From the moment I declared Tartan Transfer, Radford and Wytheville advisors were talking to each other, and I realized I had a lot of support. I felt welcome from the very beginning."

Kyleigh Mills, a senior studying human resources management and Spanish who transferred from Mountain Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge, echoed the impact:

"I completed an associate degree in business and saw that I could continue at Radford for a bachelor's degree. Making the jump to a university can feel overwhelming, but Tartan Transfer made it so much easier. My transition to Radford was very smooth, and so many doors have opened for me."

As Radford University looks ahead, the Tartan Transfer network will continue to host its annual collaborative summits, while expanding its transfer-friendly general education pathways and joint workforce development pipelines.

To learn more about how Tartan Transfer is transforming higher education access across Virginia, visit radford.edu/admissions/transfer/tartan-transfer.html.