Overview

The purpose of the Ambassador program is to elevate transfer student voices in the national conversation about student success, and to develop student leaders who can advocate for transfer students on their own campuses and beyond.

What Ambassadors Will Receive 

• Complimentary registration for the new in-person, transfer-focused conference planned for summer 2027, to include all conference sessions and meal functions*
• Hotel (room and tax) for up to three nights over the conference dates 
• Recognition at the in-person transfer-focused conference, including the presentation of a plaque during the event 
• Recognition in a forthcoming issue of the Center's online publication, Insights for College Transitions, and on the Center’s web page, social media channels, and press releases
• Recognition on the Center’s social media channels during National Transfer Student Week

* - We are currently in the planning stages for this event and will announce more details about it by the end of the summer

Who Should Submit an Application? 

The National Transfer Student Ambassador Program is open to undergraduate transfer students who are enrolled for at least one semester during the academic year in which the transfer-focused conference occurs (e.g., fall 2026–summer 2027).

Applicants must have attended at least two different postsecondary institutions after high school graduation and should have completed at least one semester at their current institution before attending the conference in summer 2027.

Selected Ambassadors must be able to attend the full transfer-focused conference and commit to the following activities: 

• Prior to the conference, Ambassadors attend two Zoom calls with NRC staff to discuss conference travel and planning. 
• During the conference, Ambassadors will participate in a transfer student panel presentation, the annual awards ceremony, and an evening reception.  

How We Select Recipients 

Up to four ambassadors are selected each year. The selection committee will use an evaluation rubric to rate nominees’ efforts and attributes in three areas: transfer story and insights, leadership and advocacy, and communication and presence. The selection committee will include a panel composed of members of the Center’s Advisory Board, past award recipients, and other leaders in American higher education.

What Is Required of the Application Process 

Each application packet for the National Transfer Student Ambassador award must include the following: 

• Application Form 
• Letter of Recommendation 
• Current Resume 
• Brief responses to the following prompts:
  • Describe your transfer experience — where you started, why you transferred, and what the transition was like. 
  • What have you learned from the transfer process that you’d want other students or the professionals who work with them to know? 
  • Have you been involved in any efforts (formal or informal) to support other transfer students or improve the transfer experience? How would you build on that as an Ambassador?