The University of Lynchburg was one of 275 four-year colleges and universities named to Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s 2026 Transfer Honor Roll. The list recognizes institutions that have demonstrated exceptional success in creating pathways that help community college transfer students earn bachelor’s degrees.
The Transfer Honor Roll is one of the nation’s most comprehensive recognitions of transfer excellence. Institutions are evaluated using data from the National Student Clearinghouse, along with data collected through PTK Connect, Phi Theta Kappa’s online platform that connects the nation’s top community college students with transfer opportunities.
Rather than measuring a single outcome, the Honor Roll evaluates how well institutions support transfer students from admission through graduation. Colleges are assessed across five dimensions shown to influence transfer success: transfer student success outcomes, credit mobility and degree applicability, financial support for transfer students, recruitment and admissions practices, and campus engagement and support for transfer students.
Institutions that complete the PTK Connect institutional profile receive a Transfer Friendliness Rating. The Transfer Honor Roll recognizes the top-performing institutions based on this comprehensive evaluation.
“This recognition is about much more than transfer agreements,” said Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, PTK’s president and CEO. “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.”
The 2026 Honor Roll institutions demonstrated exceptional performance across multiple measures of transfer success. Among this year’s recognized institutions:
- Average percentage of transfer students in the undergraduate population: 56%
- Average bachelor’s degree completion rate for transfer students: 77%
- Average percentage of transferred credits applied toward a degree: 88%
- Average percentage of transfer students receiving merit-based financial aid: 76%
The Transfer Honor Roll has grown into a national benchmark for transfer excellence. This year, 1,117 colleges and universities completed PTK’s institutional profile, providing students with transparent information about transfer opportunities while allowing institutions to benchmark their transfer practices against peers nationwide.
“Recognition matters because it shines a light on what works,” said Heather Yush, PTK’s senior director of college relations. “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.”
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recognizes the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helps them grow as scholars and leaders. Recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges as the official honor society for two-year colleges, PTK also serves as the nation’s largest honor society in higher education, with more than 4.5 million members and nearly 1,200 chapters in 11 countries, including approximately 220,000 active members in colleges today. Through scholarships, leadership development, and transfer and career pathways, PTK helps students turn their potential into opportunity. Learn more at ptk.org.
