Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) President and CEO, Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, has been named one of three 2021 Transfer Champion Catalyst Award Winners by the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS).
The Catalyst Award recognizes professionals who are game-changers in the transfer field and have worked over time to make a significant impact at the institutional, regional, and/or state level. Tincher-Ladner will be honored during the NISTS virtual conference February 23-25.
“Throughout her career, Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner has been a staunch advocate for community college transfer students,” said Janet Marling, NISTS Executive Director. “PTK provides a critical link between community colleges and four-year institutions, with community college transfer students at the center of their work. We are thrilled to honor Dr. Tincher-Ladner with this well-deserved award and look forward to learning from her at the NISTS 2021 virtual conference.”
Tincher-Ladner has worked for nearly 30 years to increase student success outcomes for transfer students. She has been a community college math, chemistry, and physics instructor; computer programmer; database administrator; institutional researcher; and university faculty member. She serves on national boards for the College Promise Campaign, the Center for Community College Student Engagement, the American Association of Community Colleges’ Commission on Student Success, and the advisory board of the Woodward Hines Education Foundation.
Tincher-Ladner was named PTK’s Chief Research and Effectiveness Officer in 2012 and has conducted innovative student success research including the calculated savings to students who attend community college before transferring to receive a four-year degree. She was named President and CEO in 2016, where she continues to serve and advocate for community college transfer students.
Tincher-Ladner describes student success as a “team sport,” where two- and four-year colleges work together to support students to and through the transition.
“Community college students are just as likely to be successful at a four-year college as the students who began there as freshman,” she said. “Finding ways to support these students to and through the transition from two- to four-year universities is some of the most rewarding work of my life.”
In 2018, she convened the National Summit for Excellence in Community College Transfer Success to focus on improving equity and performance outcomes for transfer students. The result was PTK Connect, a web platform that lets students learn more about what colleges and universities are doing to be “transfer friendly;” research and compare colleges and scholarship packages; and connect with college recruiters.
Tincher-Ladner also led the development of the national Transfer Honor Roll, which identifies the top four-year colleges and universities creating dynamic pathways to support community college transfer. Additionally, in 2018 PTK launched Transfer EDGE, a free online course designed to prepare students of all backgrounds to successfully transfer.
About NISTS
The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS) empowers practitioners, faculty, and administrators to be transfer champions — agents, connectors, and advocates — who challenge the status quo to improve the transfer student experience. NISTS is based at the University of North Georgia. Learn more at nists.org.