*The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition values open dialogue and respectful discourse. As such, the views of vendors, presenters, and participants during events, and courses may not be representative of those of the Center or the University of South Carolina.
Upcoming Webinars
From Campus Leader to College Parent: Seeing Student Success Through a New Lens
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | 12:00-1:00 p.m. EST | Zoom
REGISTER HERE
Are you supporting a student as they begin the college search process or navigate their first months on campus?
Join The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition for our September webinar: From Campus Leader to College Parent: Seeing Student Success Through a New Lens, a panel discussion with prominent higher education scholars and leaders Drs. Dan Friedman, Matthew J. Mayhew, Joy Gaston Gayles, and Linda J. Sax. Moderated by the NRC’s Executive Director, Dr. Kate J. Lehman, the panelists will share what they learned about college transitions as they parented their own children through them!
Questions? Contact us at fye@mailbox.sc.edu for assistance. We hope to see you online on September 29!
About the panelists:
Dr. Dan Friedman serves as Assistant Vice President of University 101 Programs and the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina. With nearly three decades of experience in higher education, he is a nationally recognized leader in student success, faculty development, assessment, and the first-year experience. He provides executive leadership for University 101 Programs, an academic unit serving thousands of students annually through six courses, including more than 350 sections of UNIV 101. He oversees more than 300 instructors and 300 peer and graduate leaders each year and leads strategic planning, curriculum innovation, and comprehensive assessment efforts. Under his leadership, the program has grown enrollment by 88% while strengthening learning outcomes and earning multiple NASPA Gold Awards and top rankings in US News and World Report. Dr. Friedman also oversees the National Resource Center, the internationally recognized authority on postsecondary student transitions. He is co-author of From Educational Experiment to Standard Bearer: University 101 at the University of South Carolina, which chronicles the evolution, national influence, and key ingredients of the first-year seminar. A respected scholar and keynote speaker, he consults nationally on student success initiatives. Outside of work, Dan enjoys baseball, live music, and Bruce Springsteen. He is the father of two college students – a transfer junior at App State and a first-year student at Furman University.
Dr. Joy Gaston Gayles is the Head of the Educational Leadership, Policy, & Human Development Department and an Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Education. She is internationally recognized for her research on women and people of color in STEM fields and intercollegiate athletics, issues of equity, inclusion, and justice. As a thought leader, Dr. Gayles was named one of 25 innovative women in higher education by DIVERSE: Issues in Higher Education in 2022. She also served as the 2022 President of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). Her presidential address, Humanizing Higher Education: A Path Forward During Uncertain Times, is published in the Review of Higher Education.
Dr. Matthew J. Mayhew is the William Ray and Marie Adamson Flesher Professor of Educational Administration at The Ohio State University. His research examines the relationship between college and its influence on student learning and democratic outcomes. To support the study of college and its impact on student development and learning, he has been awarded more than $25 million in funding from sources including but not limited to the United States Department of Education; the National Science Foundation; and the Templeton Religious Trust. He has been on the editorial boards of the Journal of Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, and the Journal of College Student Development. He received his B.A. from Wheaton College; his Master’s degree from Brandeis University; and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Linda J. Sax is a Professor in the School of Education & Information Studies at UCLA and Founding Director of Momentum: Accelerating Equity in Computing and Technology. She received her B.A. degree (1990) in political economy from UC Berkeley, and her M.A. (1991) and Ph.D. (1994) degrees in higher education from UCLA. For over a decade, Dr. Sax served as director of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) and Associate Director of the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA, where she oversaw nationwide surveys of college students and faculty. Dr. Sax’s research focuses on gender differences in college student development, with an emphasis on women in STEM fields. Dr. Sax has generated over $11 million in research funding and is currently Principal Investigator for several research studies focused on understanding diversity efforts in undergraduate computing. Her work on this topic has been funded by the National Science Foundation, AnitaB.org, the Computing Research Association, the Kapor Center, Google.org, and Pivotal Ventures, Executive Office of Melinda Gates. Dr. Sax is the recipient of the 2025 Research Achievement Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), the 2019 ASHE Mentoring Award, and the 1999 ASHE Early Career Award. Dr. Sax was selected as a 2007-2008 Fellow for the Sudikoff Family Institute for Education & New Media. She is also the recipient of the 2005 Scholar-in-Residence Award from the American Association of University Women. Dr. Sax has authored over 125 publications including The Gender Gap in College: Maximizing the Developmental Potential of Women and Men, as well as several book chapters, monographs, and articles in journals such as Research in Higher Education, The Review of Higher Education, The Journal of Higher Education, The Journal of College Student Development, and The Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. She serves on the Editorial Boards for The Journal of Higher Education and Research in Higher Education and was a Trustee of Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles from 2013-2022.
Past Webinars
Advising Success Network x NRC: Celebrating Students' Transformative Experiences at HBCUs
August 12, 2026
- Webinar recording coming soon!
Join this exciting webinar with contributing authors as they share findings from the book Celebrating Students and Their Experiences at HBCUs*. The text centers the student experience and celebrates the intergenerational excellence of HBCUs. Engage in a critical conversation around HBCUs with scholars committed to HBCU success. Attendees are encouraged to download and read the book in advance, and bring written questions to the webinar, to engage in this celebratory and informative session.
*Funded by NASPA’s Advising Success Network and published by the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.
Facilitators:
Jamil D. Johnson, Ph.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership, Learning Design, and Inquiry, Higher Education and Student Affairs, University of South Carolina
Jamila S. Lyn, Founder and Chief Student Success Strategist, Bottom Up Thinking Consulting
NTSW 101: Tools, Tips, & Campus Ideas for National Transfer Student Week
July 29, 2026
- Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/ZNXldzEI7ms
Each October, National Transfer Student Week (NTSW) shines a light on the students who navigate new campuses and communities, carrying their learning and determination from one college to the next. It’s a moment to recognize transfer students, as well as the faculty and staff who support them along the way.
During this webinar, we:
- Launched the 2026 NTSW marketing kit
- Spotlighted programming ideas from campuses across the country
- Opened the floor for live Q&A and brainstorming with NRC staff members and other attendees
Presenters:
- Emily Kittrell, Transfer Expert-in-Residence, National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition
- Sarah Kane, Current Transfer Student, Vanderbilt University
- LaSean Jennings, Transfer Program Manager, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Georgia Tech
- Campbell Keele, Coordinator, Transfer Initiatives, Office of Student Engagement, Missouri State University
- Kimberly Dressler, Assistant Director, Carolina Experience, Carolina Experience Office, University of South Carolina
What Works in Peer Mentoring: Evidence-Based Strategies to Support Low-Income College Student Transitions
Held in partnership with the Pullias Center for Higher Education, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California
June 17, 2026
- Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/IzgSRBFbXDo
Discover how thoughtfully designed peer mentoring can be a game-changer for low-income students’ success as they transition to college. This webinar shares compelling mixed-methods evidence of an effective peer mentoring model that boosts students’ confidence, sense of belonging, and clarity about their academic and career pathways. Learn how this high-impact peer mentoring program moves beyond basic check-ins to deliver proactive, validating, and holistic support that meets students where they are and sets them on a path for success. Walk away with actionable strategies to design or strengthen peer mentoring initiatives that meaningfully expand students' support networks on your campus and promote a successful college transition.
Presenters:
- Joseph Kitchen, PhD., Associate Research Professor, Pullias Center for Higher Education, University of Southern California.
- Zoe Corwin, PhD., Research Professor, Pullias Center for Higher Education, University of Southern California.
- Jennifer Harvey, Senior Director, Thompson Scholars Learning Community, University of Nebraska, Kearney
- Angel Cante, Peer Mentor, Thompson Scholars Learning Community, University of Nebraska, Kearney
Building Early Momentum: Transfer-Affirming Practices at Community Colleges and Partner Institutions
A Transfer "Think Tank" session held in partnership with Transfer Nation
April 29, 2026
- Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/odqEKSmpq-E
This Think Tank featured a small group of institutions offering brief spotlights on the specific strategies they are using to reach students (in advising, success courses, cross-campus collaborations, and other areas), followed by open discussion where attendees could trade ideas, surface shared challenges, and consider what intentional transfer partnerships might make possible.
Shaping What's Next: The Future of Transfer Work at the NRC
March 26, 2026
- This webinar was not recorded
The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition facilitated a conversation with transfer champions as part of our acquisition of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS). Our Transfer Expert-in-Residence, Emily Kittrell, presented a series of questions via PollEverywhere to get a better idea of what the Center should focus on when it comes to our more transfer-focused work going forward.
Welcome to the NRC! (for Transfer Champions)
January 28, 2026
- Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/dt0JWG6ZhoU
The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition hosted a welcome webinar for transfer champions as part of our acquisition of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS). Members of the Center's leadership team provided updates from their area of the Center (Conferences and Continuing Education; Research and Grants; Resources and External Relations) and what they're brainstorming for transfer work in the very near future.
Inside Insights: Virtual Author Panel
September 26, 2025
- This webinar was not recorded
Dr. Annie Kelly, Editor of Insights for College Transitions, hosted a panel discussion with the authors of the fall 2025 issue of Insights. Each author spoke on their article and associated research and participated in a moderated Q&A session with all attendees.
2025 Paul. P. Fidler Research Grant Information Session
June 18, 2025
- Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/yuqjbT6S8l8
Dr. Kevin Wenger, Ed.D., Research Analyst for the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Student Transitions, provides an overview of the 2025 Paul P. Fidler Research Grant. Topics discussed included eligibility requirements, what makes a strong application, and more.
Lunch & Learn: In Conversation with Dr. Dallin George Young & Dr. Bryce D. Bunting
April 18, 2025
- Webinar Recording: https://youtu.be/LAj2xtFpg_E
Dr. Dallin George Young, Assistant Professor for College Student Affairs Administration and Student Affairs Leadership at the University of Georgia, and Dr. Bryce D. Bunting, Assistant Dean and Director of First-Year Experience at Brigham Young University, discuss selected topics from their bestseller, Rethinking Student Transitions: How Community, Participation, & Becoming Can Help Higher Education Deliver on its Promise.