Community College Research Initiatives

February 4, 2022

Announcement of the STEM Transfer Partnership community of practice in WA State

We are excited to announce the 10 partnerships that will be participating in the STEM Transfer Partnership project and community of practice here in Washington state. Each pair of institutions, one from a 2-year and the other from a 4-year, will develop ways to improve outcomes for low-income STEM students! Because of the many varied degree requirements, transfer in a STEM program is a challenging path to bachelor’s degree completion. However, these degrees can lead to family-wage jobs, and Washington state has a significant need for more graduates in these fields. Prior work has shown the importance of strong partnerships between 2- and 4-year institutions in facilitating students’ successful transfer and degree completion. These partnerships endeavor to impact STEM transfer students throughout Washington state and partnerships represent regions across the state, both rural and urban, small and large institutions, and in a variety of STEM majors and programs. 

The following partnerships will be participating in the STP project:

  • Highline College and University of Washington-Tacoma
  • Big Bend Community College and Eastern Washington University 
  • Big Bend Community College and Central Washington University
  • Columbia Basin College and Washington State University-Tri-Cities
  • Green River College and University of Washington-Seattle
  • Cascadia College and University of Washington-Bothell
  • Everett Community College and University of Washington-Bothell
  • Pierce College and University of Washington-Tacoma
  • Clark College and Washington State University-Vancouver
  • Centralia College and The Evergreen State College

Degree pathways or programs represented in this community of practice include engineering, chemistry, geological sciences, biology, clean energy, and environmental science.

In creating this community of practice around transfer, we hope to learn from each other, share knowledge and expertise within and across partnerships, and demonstrate how cross-college collaboration can positively impact low-income STEM transfer students’ outcomes. This community and their collective work will also share knowledge about effective practices and contribute to a state-wide culture of collaboration.