Phi Theta Kappa names Lipscomb to 2026 Transfer Honor Roll for 10th consecutive year

Phi Theta Kappa names Lipscomb to 2026 Transfer Honor Roll for 10th consecutive year

Kim Chaudoin | 07/27/2026

Lipscomb University has been named to Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society's Transfer Honor Roll for the 10th consecutive year, recognizing the university's continued commitment to creating pathways and a supportive campus experience for community college transfer students.

Lipscomb is one of 275 colleges and universities nationwide selected for the 2026 honor. The recognition highlights four-year institutions that demonstrate excellence in helping community college transfer students successfully pursue and complete bachelor's degrees.

The PTK Transfer Honor Roll is one of the nation's most comprehensive recognitions of transfer excellence. Institutions are evaluated using information from the National Student Clearinghouse and PTK Connect, Phi Theta Kappa's online platform connecting community college students with transfer opportunities.

Rather than focusing on a single outcome, the evaluation considers how institutions support transfer students throughout their college experience. Colleges and universities are assessed in five areas: student success outcomes, credit mobility and degree applicability, financial support, recruitment and admission practices, and campus engagement and support.

"This recognition is about much more than transfer agreements," said Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa. "Successful transfer happens when institutions intentionally design policies, practices and campus cultures that help students thrive after they arrive. These colleges have demonstrated that transfer student success is not accidental. It is a strategic priority."

This year, 1,117 colleges and universities completed Phi Theta Kappa's institutional profile and were evaluated for the recognition. Among the 2026 Honor Roll institutions, an average of 88% of transferred credits applied toward a student's degree, 76% of transfer students received merit-based financial aid and the average bachelor's degree completion rate for transfer students was 77%.

Heather Yush, senior director of college relations for Phi Theta Kappa, said highlighting institutions that serve transfer students well can help strengthen pathways nationwide.

"Recognition matters because it shines a light on what works," Yush said. "When colleges are recognized for transfer excellence, they create powerful examples that inspire other institutions to strengthen their own transfer pathways. Ultimately, that means more students earn the bachelor's degrees they set out to achieve."

Creating pathways for transfer students

Lipscomb offers transfer students a dedicated admission counselor to guide them through the application and enrollment process, as well as an online credit evaluation that allows prospective students to see how their previous coursework may apply toward a Lipscomb degree. Students may transfer up to 63 semester hours from a community college.

The university was also among the first institutions to establish an official partnership with Phi Theta Kappa to offer direct admission to eligible PTK members.

Once enrolled, transfer students participate in QuestWeek, Lipscomb's new student orientation experience, and may be placed in groups with other transfer students to help them build relationships and become familiar with the campus before classes begin. Transfer students living on campus may also be placed together in a residence hall community. They may pursue membership in social clubs during their first semester and have immediate access to the university's Career Development Center for assistance with internships, career exploration and preparation for life after graduation.

Lipscomb offers five academic scholarships to transfer students - the Lipscomb Pathways Scholarship, the Community College Transfer Scholarship, the Phi Theta Kappa and National Society of Leadership Scholarships, the Transfer Trustee Scholarship and the Lipscomb Noyce Scholars Program. Students interested in transferring to Lipscomb may use a special online form to receive a credit evaluation and find out how their hours will transfer to the university. Find the form here.

'The people here have changed my life'

Junior Clay Ozanne arrived at Lipscomb wondering whether he would find his place as a transfer student. A year later, the social work and ministry double major has performed at the 56th Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, participated in a mission trips to Mongolia and Japan, and stepped into several leadership and service roles across campus.

Ozanne transferred to Lipscomb from Pellissippi State Community College. Raised in Szczecin, Poland, and now living in Alcoa, Tennessee, he said Lipscomb's community immediately stood out to him.

"Lipscomb's Christ-centered and close-knit community made me feel right at home and excited to get involved in campus life," he said.

Ozanne is a member of the Lipscomb Gospel Choir, a new member of the Presidential Ambassadors Council and a resident assistant with Lipscomb's IDEAL program, which provides a two-year college experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

"My experience at Lipscomb as a transfer student has been nothing short of extraordinary," said Ozanne. "Even as a transfer student, I found it easy to get involved and to meet new and returning students alike. The faculty is also incredibly supportive and understanding, making it clear they care about me in and outside of the classroom."

Although he was initially anxious about what it would be like to enter a new university as a transfer student, Ozanne said those concerns quickly disappeared.

"The people here have changed my life for the better, and I don't regret choosing this school and community whatsoever," he said. "Getting to meet other transfer students and being surrounded by other people who also want to pursue Christ made my transition to Lipscomb so much easier."

In his first year at Lipscomb, Ozanne has encountered opportunities he never imagined when he began the transfer process.

"From getting to sing at the 56th Dove Awards to getting to go on a mission trip to Mongolia and Japan related to my major, I have been incredibly blessed," he said. "I am so thankful I have the privilege of going to this university."

Finding a place that felt like home

Samuel Garrett, a Hendersonville, Tennessee, native, first learned about Lipscomb's transfer opportunities while serving as president of the Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Volunteer State Community College.

Hooton visited one of the chapter's meetings and explained Lipscomb's guaranteed admission process and scholarship opportunities for community college students, particularly PTK members. Garrett later learned that he was eligible to compete for a full-tuition Transfer Trustee Scholarship at Lipscomb.

After applying, he attended Purple and Gold Day, an admitted-student event that gave him the opportunity to explore campus and meet members of the Lipscomb community.

"I immediately fell in love with the campus, the welcoming environment and the people," said Garrett. "Everyone I met, from the professors in the nutrition program to the staff members I interacted with throughout the day, made a lasting impression on me."

On the drive home, Garrett called his family.

"I told them, 'This place feels like home, and I will do whatever it takes to end up here,'" he recalled. "I felt a real sense of peace about the decision."

Garrett returned to the Lipscomb campus to interview for the Transfer Trustee Scholarship and was selected as one of eight recipients that year. He credits the leadership experience he gained through Phi Theta Kappa in preparing him for the competitive process.

After transferring to Lipscomb as a junior, Garrett became active in the Student Dietetics Association and served as a leader of the Lippy Lunatics, Lipscomb's student cheering section.

"My only regret is that I did not have the opportunity to spend more time at Lipscomb," he said. "Although I transferred in as a junior, the Lipscomb community welcomed me with open arms and made me feel known and valued almost immediately. The people I met took a genuine interest in me and worked to ensure that I felt at home."

Because Garrett transferred from an institution governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents, his previous coursework transferred smoothly. Quest Week also helped him meet other students navigating the transfer process and become familiar with the campus before classes began.

"Rather than feeling like an outsider entering halfway through college, I felt as though I had become part of the Lipscomb community from the beginning," he said.

Garrett said the personal investment of faculty members was one of the most meaningful aspects of his Lipscomb experience.

"One of the biggest differences I noticed at Lipscomb was how deeply the professors cared about their students - not only their academic performance but also their lives, goals and faith," he said. "I had never experienced so many professors willing to sit down with students and discuss topics beyond their subjects."

Faculty members in the nutrition program helped Garrett find opportunities tailored to his professional interests. He recalled being invited to a faculty member's home for dinner and a game night with other Student Dietetics Association members. When he wanted to study abroad but could not commit to an entire semester, faculty helped him arrange his schedule so he could take a course in Italy in May 2025.

Another professor learned of Garrett's interest in sports nutrition and connected him with an opportunity that led to his current work with Vanderbilt University Athletics.

"These are only a few examples of the personal support I received," said Garrett. "Because of the care and encouragement shown by the faculty and staff, transferring to Lipscomb did not feel like a drastic life change. It simply felt like stepping into a new environment where I already belonged - I just hadn't found it yet."

Garrett graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in dietetics and will begin Lipscomb's Master of Science and Dietetic Internship program in August. He plans to attend graduate school full-time while continuing to work in nutrition at Vanderbilt's football program.

He has also worked to help other transfer students find their place at Lipscomb. Garrett has participated in National Transfer Student Week activities, served on student panels, helped interview candidates for the Transfer Trustee Scholarship and met with prospective students during Lipscomb Friday and Quest Week events.

He even returned to his Phi Theta Kappa chapter at Volunteer State to share his experience and encourage other students to consider Lipscomb when they are ready to transfer.

"I struggle to put fully into words the impact Lipscomb has made on me," said Garrett. "I want to keep sharing what Lipscomb has meant to me."

Learn more about transfer pathways to Lipscomb.