“I was very much at a loss of where to go,” said Nathan Gardner. He was in his early twenties and felt aimless. “I did not want to spend my life running pizzas, and wanted to start taking steps toward my career.” Reflecting on his teenage years, Gardner shared that he had a rough history with academics. He enjoyed writing, theater and art but “none of those looked feasible” for someone in his shoes.
He knew college was the right next step, and he landed at the Community College of Vermont, or CCV. It was local and affordable, and “I didn’t feel like I was settling. … It felt like the choice that made sense for where I was at in my life.”
After a decade in the workforce, Gardner had cultivated skills in a variety of settings. He took CCV’s Assessment of Prior Learning class, which offers “credit for what you know,” and earned close to 30 credits for his on-the-job experience. After graduating with a liberal studies degree, he is now continuing his education at Vermont State University (VTSU). “A lot of the jobs I’m looking at ask for a bachelor’s degree,” he noted. Taking this next step feels like a smart investment in his future.
The path from CCV to VTSU was straightforward, thanks to the Vermont Transfer Guarantee (VTG), an innovative partnership between CCV and participating colleges and universities in Vermont that guarantees admission into bachelor’s degree programs for CCV graduates. Champlain College (including Champlain College Online), Norwich University, Saint Michael’s College and Vermont State University are all partners in the program, which is a part of the New England Transfer Guarantee sponsored by the New England Board of Higher Education. In the 2024–2025 academic year, its first year, the VTG served close to 300 students.
“Transfer was very seamless,” Gardner said. “I just checked off that I was going to graduate by a certain term, made sure I had all my ducks in a row; my transfer request got accepted and I got a letter in the mail. There were no real hurdles.”
The VTG provides a clear, practical path for CCV graduates with an eligible GPA to complete a bachelor’s degree—admission guaranteed. It lowers barriers and increases access and opportunity for transfer students by minimizing credit loss and increasing transparency, affordability and momentum toward educational and career goals.
At the core of the program is an unwavering commitment to equity, opportunity and access for all students. And this, says CCV associate academic dean Nicole Stetson, means the pathway is in perfect alignment with the College’s mission. “The Vermont Transfer Guarantee promotes equity and access for CCV students seeking to continue their education in the state,” Stetson said. “By guaranteeing admission to qualifying students, the Guarantee simplifies the transfer process. Students can confidently pursue career and educational goals, save time and money, and plan ahead for transfer to a bachelor’s degree program in the state.”
CCV is Vermont’s only community college, and it is the second-largest higher education institution in the state, serving roughly 10,000 students each year at locations across Vermont and through robust remote learning options. Students can choose from 40 degree and certificate programs in high-demand fields including healthcare, education, business and IT—most of which can be completed fully online. As a college that holds access as its north star, CCV is continuously adapting to changing student needs, from flexible course modalities to innovative transfer pathways like the Vermont Transfer Guarantee.
In addition to guaranteed admission, features of the VTG include a waived application fee, guaranteed transfer of credits, junior status upon enrollment, and various scholarships and other financial incentives, which vary by college. Across transfer partners, there are over 200 different bachelor degree program opportunities under the VTG for CCV graduates. A transfer search tool on CCV’s website allows students to easily explore opportunities by degree program, career area, and college/university.
The program is enabling Collin Clair to take the next step toward a career in IT. He completed his associate degree at 18 and transferred seamlessly to Champlain College, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and networking. “Every single class that I took at CCV transferred and was applicable to something here at Champlain. I just picked it up right there as a junior. I didn’t have any issues with anything. I didn’t have to go back a year, or semester, or do anything I’d already done. It was an amazing feeling.”
Clair is sure to have a positive career outlook with his degree from Champlain; according to Vermont’s Most Promising Jobs, produced by the Vermont Department of Labor and the McClure Foundation, roles in the IT field such as software developers and computer systems analysts have a median wage of at least $30 per hour and are projected to be in high demand over the next decade.
What’s good for Vermonters is good for Vermont: Whether in IT, education, business, healthcare, or beyond, preparing students for high-demand careers is essential for meeting the state’s workforce needs.
Natalie Geoffroy discovered a passion for healthcare at CCV, and the Vermont Transfer Guarantee is enabling her to turn that passion into a career in nursing. She completed an associate degree in health science and a medical assisting certificate at CCV (an accomplishment made even more meaningful by the fact that she graduated debt-free thanks to the 802 Opportunity program, which offers free CCV tuition to Vermonters with a household income under $100,000). Geoffroy works as a medical assistant at a local health center, where she loves being directly involved in patient care. “What made me want to work in healthcare is just helping others,” she said. “Now by being a medical assistant, I see that even just a small interaction with patients can just make their day so much better.”
Geoffroy’s next step is continuing to Vermont State University’s bachelor of science in nursing—and the Vermont Transfer Guarantee will allow her to keep up her momentum. “I’m interested in VTSU because it’s local and they partner with CCV so I can have all my credits transfer,” she said. “I should have almost half my degree done in the nursing program.”
For many students in Vermont, the Transfer Guarantee puts a four-year degree within reach.
“There are alternative ways to do college,” Nathan Gardner said. “[The Vermont Transfer Guarantee] gives you a lot of support and helps you meet the goals that you might not have thought that you were going to reach while accommodating who you are as a person, and a worker, and a Vermonter. It’s easier than you think.”
