University of South Carolina's National Resource Center to Lead National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students

The NRC will expand its mission to support educators and institutions serving transfer students.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:19pm

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The University of South Carolina's National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (NRC) has been selected as the new home for the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS), which has been based at the University of North Georgia since 2012. The NRC, an international resource for scholarship and innovation in student transition research, will now integrate NISTS's resources and relationships to further support transfer students and the educators who serve them.

Why it matters

The integration of NISTS into the NRC creates a more comprehensive national hub for transition-related research and professional development, positioning the University of South Carolina as a leader in student success initiatives. This move expands the NRC's capacity to address the needs of transfer students, a growing population in higher education.

The details

NISTS has established itself as a national voice on transfer student success, offering research, resources and professional learning opportunities that influence how colleges and universities serve students who move between institutions. By integrating NISTS into the NRC, the University of South Carolina aims to preserve NISTS's invaluable resources and relationships while expanding the center's broader mission to champion all students in transition.

  • NISTS has been based at the University of North Georgia since 2012.
  • The NRC has served for forty years supporting educators and institutions with first-year programming, academic advising and strategies that promote student learning and persistence.

The players

National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition (NRC)

An international resource for scholarship and innovation in student transition research, serving to support educators and institutions with first-year programming, academic advising and strategies that promote student learning and persistence.

National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS)

An organization that has established itself as a national voice on transfer student success, offering research, resources and professional learning opportunities that influence how colleges and universities serve students who move between institutions.

Kate Lehman

Executive Director of the National Resource Center.

Janet Marling

Executive Director of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students.

J. Rex Tolliver

Vice President for Student Affairs and Academic Support at the University of South Carolina.

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What they’re saying

“For more than two decades, NISTS has shaped how higher education understands and supports transfer students. At the NRC, we see this transition as both a privilege and a responsibility to preserve NISTS's invaluable resources and relationships while integrating them into our broader mission to champion all students in transition. We warmly welcome the NISTS community into ours and look forward to advancing this work together with renewed energy and purpose.”

— Kate Lehman, Executive Director of the National Resource Center

“For 23 years, NISTS and the National Resource Center have engaged in a celebrated partnership that's spanned publishing, presenting, and advocacy. This shared experience positions the NRC to preserve the treasured elements of the NISTS community while advancing the field of transfer and learning mobility. We have the utmost confidence in Kate and her team and are grateful to the University of South Carolina and the Division of Student Affairs and Academic Support for their championing of this important endeavor.”

— Janet Marling, Executive Director of the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students

“The National Resource Center is one of the University of South Carolina's proudest contributions to higher education. Welcoming the NISTS portfolio into the NRC expands both the reach and reputation of USC as a leader in student success.”

— J. Rex Tolliver, Vice President for Student Affairs and Academic Support at the University of South Carolina

What’s next

The NRC plans to integrate NISTS's resources and relationships into its broader mission to support all students in transition, with the goal of creating a more comprehensive national hub for transition-related research and professional development.

The takeaway

The University of South Carolina's National Resource Center is positioning itself as a national leader in supporting transfer students and the educators who serve them, building on its long-standing expertise in student transition research and programming.