Birmingham-Southern hires admission counselor to focus on transfer students

For Immediate Release
Dec. 10, 2018

BSC hires admission counselor to focus on transfer students

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Birmingham-Southern College has hired an admission counselor who will work exclusively with students interested in transferring from other schools, the college reported.

Pamela Grubbs-Lowery, a 2017 graduate of the college, took on the role earlier this fall semester. Her hiring by the Office of Admission and the restructuring of counselor territories to allow her to work solely with transfer students are part of the college’s overall effort to enhance services for students transferring to BSC from two- and four-year institutions.

“We’re really excited about adding Pamela to our team,” said Amy Hayes, BSC’s acting vice president for admission. “We’ve already seen deeper relationships start to grow with our area two-year colleges, and we’re seeing more interest than ever in transfers planning to attend BSC this spring.”

Since 2016, BSC has worked to create articulation agreements with nine local community colleges; these agreements solidify which courses and credits transfer easily from the two-year schools. The efforts have paid off: BSC had 45 transfer students this fall, its largest incoming transfer class on record.

Grubbs-Lowery herself came to BSC in 2015 as a transfer student from Jefferson State Community College. She majored in psychology and minored in art history.

“I went to Jeff State for two years on a choir scholarship,” she said. When she learned about Birmingham-Southern at a college fair and later visited the campus, Grubbs-Lowery admitted, “I fell in love. I didn’t look for anywhere else to go.”

Now, she represents BSC at similar college fairs and conducts regular visits and office hours at Jefferson State, Bevill State, and Lawson State. She also corresponds with potential students through digital media and office visits.

In addition, she advises future students about the transition from a community college, encouraging them to seek help when they need it – which is especially relevant for transfers who are jumping into upper-level classes – and highlighting BSC’s free tutoring service, which she used herself.

Other components of the transfer experience have improved since she entered, Grubbs-Lowery said.

“We have increased aid since I was a transfer student,” she said. “We also have dinners after students are accepted to get them integrated into the community even before fall orientation starts.”

To learn more about applying as a transfer student to BSC, visit www.bsc.edu/admission or contact the Office of Admission at (205) 226-4696 or [email protected].