Monmouth College earns national honor for welcoming transfer students with open arms

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (08/27/2026) — For the sixth straight year, Monmouth College has been named to Phi Theta Kappa's Transfer Honor Roll, recognizing institutions that demonstrate excellence in creating and supporting pathways for community college transfer students. This year, only 275 schools earned the prestigious recognition.

Monmouth was honored as one of the most transfer-friendly colleges in the nation based on its Transfer Profile in PTK Connect, which highlights admissions practices, transfer scholarships, cost of attendance, campus life, recruitment information and student reviews available to prospective transfer students.

"Monmouth College receiving this recognition each year is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff to ensure our transfer students' needs are met not only through the admission and enrollment process, but also through to graduation," said Director of Admission Brock McNinch. "Much work has been done to improve our transfer friendliness each year, from increasing the limits on accepted transfer credits to expanding academic pathways and partnerships with community colleges. There is more work to be done, and I'm excited about the future for transfer students coming to Monmouth College."

Transfer students typically comprise 10-15% of Monmouth's new students each fall. Following is some background on three transfer students - one who is just starting at Monmouth this year, one who's now a senior and another who's gone on to obtain an advanced degree.

'I felt supported'

Making the transition from nearby Carl Sandburg College to Monmouth is Carlin Sears '28, who plans to study business administration with a minor in marketing.

"My career goal is to become a marketing manager for a small or big corporation, but I would also like to work in sales," she said.

Sears, who's from the small nearby town of Roseville, said she chose Monmouth for the next step in her education because she wanted a place where she could grow "academically, personally and professionally. I was drawn to the smaller community because I knew I wanted to attend a school where I would be known, supported and encouraged to succeed. Having a few familiar faces there also gave me a sense of comfort while starting this new chapter. Ultimately, Monmouth felt like a place where I could step outside of my comfort zone, build meaningful relationships and prepare myself for my future."

Sears said she found a comfort zone with Monmouth's admission staff, who made the transfer process "unbelievably easy. Everyone I had contact with was incredibly helpful and provided me with clear and thorough information throughout the process. Whenever I had a question, I received an answer almost immediately, which made the whole experience feel stress-free and welcoming. The effort the admission team puts into making the transition easy for new students is truly amazing. I felt supported every step of the way."

Embracing a second chance

Sears is a local student, but that's not the case with Ethan Potter '27, at least originally. He attended high school in Florida and started his college career there. But neither the timing (during the pandemic) nor the subject he chose to pursue proved to be the right fit. A move to the area put Monmouth squarely in his sights, and Potter is thriving in his new environment.

In addition to focusing on political science and communications studies, Potter is a highly engaged student, serving as a Scot Ambassador, a head resident and an officer within Zeta Beta Tau, the Interfraternity Council and Turning Point USA. He's also made a name for himself in radio, managing the college station (WPFS) and interning at Monmouth's downtown stations (WMOI/WRAM). On the latter front, he was selected to participate in the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation Career Academy, an impactful four-day experience he had at the conclusion of classes last spring.

"The small-school experience is genuinely one of the best educational experiences, not just in the classroom, but growing as a person, as well," said Potter, who hopes to secure a media position after graduating or be part of a politician's media team. "It's one of the greatest ways to develop as a person. I've found that when I put in more effort than I'm used to, I'm able to turn out better products than I thought I was able to."

Monmouth as a steppingstone

As a senior at nearby Galesburg Hight School, Alyssa Villarreal '23 didn't yet have a clear plan for what her next chapter would entail. She chose the community college route as a way to figure things out, earning an associate's degree at Sandburg.

"Community college was the best first step for me because I was still unsure of what I wanted to do for a future career," she said. "It allowed me to fully decide on what major I would like to pursue in my last two years of college without the added pressure of feeling like I was making the wrong decision."

As it turned out, the major she selected was a new one at Monmouth, and she was in the first class of students to graduate in health sciences and human movement. Both the admission staff and kinesiology instructor Jen Braun were instrumental in making that possible.

"It was a fairly easy process to transition from Carl Sandburg to Monmouth," said Villarreal. "All of the staff in the admission office were knowledgeable, and Professor Braun was extremely helpful with figuring out what my next two years needed to look like to prepare me for graduating on time."

But Villarreal didn't stop with a bachelor's degree. She's completed her studies in the University of Florida's highly competitive doctor of physical therapy program and recently passed her boards, as well. She works for Optimal Performance and Physical Therapy serving the outpatient orthopedic and sports population.

"My advice to new college students is to try to push yourself out of your comfort zone," said Villarreal. "A lot of the opportunities that have allowed me to grow the most were ones I was nervous to try or felt uncomfortable to pursue. Try your best to not be scared of showing up alone to a new study group or extracurricular activity - there are so many new people to meet and opportunities to experience."

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