Mellon Foundation grants $3.4 million to HFC/U-M transfer program

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York City has donated $3.4 million in grant money to help HFC students when transferring to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor via the Transfer Bridges to the Humanities@Michigan (TB2H) program.

TB2H is a collaboration between HFC and U-M for students who wish to study the humanities, then transfer to the U-M’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) to complete a bachelor’s degree. The Mellon Foundation grant will be used to provide community college students with paid summer internships, undergraduate research opportunities, and service-based learning projects at U-M.

TB2H prepares transfer students for academic and community life at U-M with dedicated mentorship, academic advising tailored to their academic needs, learning and social experiences, faculty connections, and the financial support needed to help them earn their bachelor's degree.

TB2H looks to expand opportunities at community colleges

This new funding, received by HFC and U-M, will help TB2H expand its efforts to recruit and retain humanities students from Schoolcraft College in Livonia and Grand Rapids Community College – to attend U-M. It is a renewal of $1.6 million grant initially received in 2018 to establish TB2H in an effort to increase the number of students transferring from HFC to U-M’s LSA.

“We are very excited to return to campus and encourage our students to consider transferring to U-M’s LSA,” said HFC School of Liberal Arts (SoLA) Associate Dean Robert Yahrmatter. “Our goal is to triple the number of students who transfer in the humanities in the next three years.”

“We are excited to receive this grant from the Mellon Foundation and continue our efforts to bring transfer students to U-M,” said LSA Associate Dean for Undergraduate Students Dr. Timothy A. McKay. “This grant lays the foundation on which we’re building a larger partnership with all 28 public community colleges across Michigan. Students may start their educational journey at a community college for a number of reasons, but (TB2H) that the journey to U-M is not impossible. In fact, it is just the opposite. They have what it takes to be successful here and this program makes that path open.”

HFC alumnae find life-changing experiences through the program

“My primary reasons for attending a community college first were financial freedom and family. I am the child of Lebanese immigrants and have close familial ties to my hometown (of Dearborn),” said Yasmeen Berry.

Berry graduated from Henry Ford Early College – a partnership between HFC, the Dearborn Public Schools, and Henry Ford Health System in coordination with Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency and the State Board of Education – in 2021, earning her associate degree in biology. She is now double-majoring in neuroscience and biological anthropology at U-M. She aspires to attend medical school upon graduation.

“(TB2H) made my transition to U-M possible,” she said. “The incredible coordinators associated with the program are genuinely invested in students’ success. Ultimately, through the opportunities provided as part of the (TB2H) program, I have gained and continue to attain valuable experiences with my mentors that will forever shape my future career.”

HFC and U-M LSA alumna Kierra Scott is currently working on her MBA at the U-M Stephen M. Ross School of Business. She, too, had a positive experience with TB2H. She stated it helped her feel like she wasn’t alone during the process of transferring from HFC to U-M.

“Before I attended U-M, I knew people and had people I could go to with any questions or concerns, which made my experience a little less intimidating,” said Scott. “My daughter Kiemora and I are forever grateful for this life-changing experience.”

100% admission to LSA

TB2H’s successful outcomes are a testament to how providing access and support can make the lasting difference for students looking to transfer from HFC to U-M. As of the fall 2021, 100% of program participants who applied to U-M were admitted and decided to attend. Since the launch of TB2H, no program participants have withdrawn from U-M, which exceeds the retention rate of traditional first-year students at the university.

“One of the reasons transfer students don’t apply is because they assume they won’t fit in,” said TB2H Recruiting Coordinator Nick Turinsky. “Our program is designed to dismantle that belief and break down those feelings of self-doubt. We know they are more than capable to thrive at U-M, and we have seen the results. They just need to see themselves here.”

For questions or more information about TB2H, contact Sherry Clippert-DeVogel at soclippert@hfcc.edu.