‘Set Up to Succeed’
CVHEC’s Transfer Project featured in national report addressing
California’s Postsecondary Education Attainment Goal needs
BY TOM BURKE
Coordinator – CVHEC Central Valley Transfer Project
Chancellor-emeritus – Kern Community College District
(APRIL 15, 2026) — In a national report published this spring by Complete College America, “Set Up to Succeed — Meeting California’s Postsecondary Education Attainment Goal,” the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium is spotlighted for its Central Valley Transfer Project highlighting the power of regional collaboration to drive meaningful change in higher education.
This affirms that when institutions come together with a shared commitment to student success, they can remove long-standing barriers and create clearer, more equitable pathways to a bachelor’s degree.
Such national recognition elevates the Central Valley higher education community as a leader in innovation, showing that solutions developed locally can have national relevance. Through this work, CVHEC and its regional public institutions of higher education are demonstrating how cross-system alignment can improve transfer outcomes and serve as a model for other regions across the country.
This teamwork here in Central California includes one University of California campus, three within the California State University system and 15 campuses of the California Community Colleges system.
The Central Valley Transfer Project continues to grow, now engaging a majority (11) of those 15 CVHEC community colleges in the valley’s 10-county region along with the three CSU partners (Bakersfield, Fresno, Stanislaus) and UC Merced.
With tools like the Program Pathways Mapper software that the Transfer Project introduced to the CCC system when Chancellor Sonya Christian adopted CVHEC’s initiative first as a demonstration model in 2023 and last year as a mainstay of the Vision 2030 master plan, students have access to clear, intersegmental structured academic pathways that streamline transfer and reduce excess credits, helping them save both time and money.
This recognition is not just about a single initiative or one organization. It reflects a broader commitment by a community of dedicated and determined professionals to equity, access and regional transformation. A resolute force of project leads, college and high school faculty, administrators, counselors and students all powering up as a CVHEC team for one basic outcome: simplifying the transfer process to help more students complete degrees and become solid contributors to the economic and social vitality of the Central Valley.
It’s a strong example of how coordinated, student-centered efforts can reshape educational systems for the better. And it’s a mission well-accomplished by all as presented by CVHEC’s national partners in the CCA report. We thank all who contributed to this success.
See full report: “Set Up to Succeed — Meeting California’s Postsecondary Education Attainment Goal” (the CVHEC Central Valley Transfer Project is featured on page 28).
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