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The purpose of this paper was to ask librarian Rachel Mulvihill (Head of Teaching and Engagement) and colleagues at University of Central Florida libraries about the Foundations of Excellence Transfer Initiative, an extensive, university-wide self-study program examining their transfer student needs for success and retention. University librarians participated in Foundational Dimensions groups in the first year of the program and with action groups in the second year.

This is an interview.

Participation in campus-wide initiatives to reach transfer students improved the libraries’ image in the university system, strengthened inter-department connections and supported the success of transfer students. Developing personal connections with transfer students and understanding your school’s transfer population needs and dialogues with feeder school can help libraries better support their student populations.

The integration of library staff into a system-wide transfer-student assessment program is rare, if not unique.

This paper aims to outline foundational research on adult transition theory and transfer shock in higher education to provide the reader with a theoretical and practical framework for the library-focused articles in this special issue.

This paper is a review of relevant higher education literature related to transfer shock and core research related to adult transitional theory.

Transition is a period in-between moments of stability. The state of confusion and disorientation caused by the transition of transfer students from one academic culture to another is a form of culture shock known as transfer shock. “Transfer shock” refers to the decline in academic performance by transfer students immediately following transition to an institution of higher education and the corresponding recovery prevalent for most students in succeeding semesters. Recent studies have expanded the definition of transfer shock to include the academic and social factors that contribute to attrition and lack of degree persistence. Key factors that correlate to transfer students’ success or failure include gender, race, time of transfer, GPA, prior academic success, faculty collaboration, level of engagement with degree program and campus support.

Although most literature on transfer students published by librarians includes literature reviews citing relevant articles, it lacks an extensive literature review collecting research from social science and education literature.