Knox College Named to Phi Theta Kappa's 2026 Transfer Honor Roll

Knox College was recently named to the Phi Theta Kappa 2026 Transfer Honor Roll for its efforts to create an inclusive and supportive environment for transfer students. The Transfer Honor Roll is one of the nation’s most comprehensive recognitions of transfer excellence and recognizes institutions that demonstrate excellence in creating and supporting pathways for community college transfer students. This year, only 275 colleges and universities earned this prestigious recognition from Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the premier global academic organization dedicated to two-year and associate degree institutions. 

“Being named to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Roll is a tremendous honor and reflects Knox College's deep commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for transfer students to thrive,” said Assistant Vice President of Admissions Jamie Blanch, who also serves on the Board of Transfer Nation and oversees transfer admissions at Knox. “Our Admissions team works incredibly hard to make the transfer process personal, accessible, and seamless—from building strong relationships with prospective students and community college partners to helping each student see a place for themselves at Knox.”

Programs like the Gale Scholars, direct admission for PTK members, transfer scholarship opportunities, and readily available information for transfer students highlight how the College ensures an easy path to joining the Knox community while also offering new student engagement resources. Knox is also a member of the Illinois Articulation Initiative, designed to make transferring between Illinois colleges and universities more predictable, efficient, and student-friendly. 

“Creating a transfer-friendly institution is truly a campus-wide effort, and this recognition speaks to the intentional work of our faculty and staff to understand the unique experiences of transfer students and help them find a sense of belonging at Knox,” said Blanch. “We are incredibly proud of this honor and, even more importantly, of the community we continue to build for transfer students.”

Knox welcomes over 30 transfer students each year, many having already graduated from a two-year degree program and coming from local community colleges including Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg. Knox students who arrive as transfer students pursue myriad courses of study and go on to become community leaders, educators, published writers, and software engineers.

Erin Carder ’17, a non-traditional student who came to Knox after getting her associate’s degree at Carl Sandburg College, is appreciative of her transfer experience at Knox. “I am very grateful for the opportunities afforded to me through Sandburg and Knox,” she said, adding, “I am especially grateful for the relationships I have been able to build. In addition to the wonderful mentors I had at Sandburg, I had equally amazing mentors at Knox College.” 

Institutions are evaluated for the Transfer Honor Roll using data from the National Student Clearinghouse along with data collected through PTK Connect, PTKs online platform that connects our 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
• 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, president and CEO of PTK. “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 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, Senior director of college relations for PTK. “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.”

More information on transfer opportunities at Knox College can be found on its website: www.knox.edu/transfer.