Community College Students Explore Liberal Arts in Bi-Co Program
June 11, 2025
Fourteen students from seven community colleges immersed themselves in the life of a liberal arts college student at the inaugural Bi-Co Exploring Transfer Together (Bi-Co ETT) program during the first week of June. The program is a coed, no-cost, five-day residential program designed to prepare community college students for what lies ahead at a selective four-year institution.
Bryn Mawr’s Chief Enrollment Officer Cheryl Lynn Horsey check's a student in.
“I didn't really know too much about liberal arts schools at all, except for, like, Dead Poets Society,” said Evan Such, a student at Community College of Philadelphia, while sitting in Bryn Mawr's campus center between activities. “Now I am kind of considering liberal arts colleges. The conversations we had here this week were a lot of fun, and everyone was really engaged.”
While several of the students, like Such, were from the Philadelphia area, the program brought to campus students studying at community colleges as far away as Chicago and Maine.
Marcos deCampos came from Harold Washington College in Chicago and is originally from Brazil.
“For someone like me, an immigrant and a first-generation college student, to have an opportunity like this is really cool,” said deCampos. “I didn't have any liberal arts colleges on the list of schools I'd like to attend, but now I think I might apply to Haverford. I think the students who attend liberal arts colleges are the most prepared to deal with the problems that society faces today because of the multidisciplinary approach to education.”
I think the students who attend liberal arts colleges are the most prepared to deal with the problems that society faces today because of the multidisciplinary approach to education.
Marcos deCampos
Over the course of five days, the participants lived in residence halls at Bryn Mawr and took part in a packed schedule of academic and social programming across the Bi-Co. They attended panels with faculty and administrators, toured the Haverford and Bryn Mawr campuses, traveled to co-curricular sites that supported their coursework, participated in classes and group projects, and met with current students and alums. When the in-person program is complete, students continue to participate in remote workshops to learn more about financial aid, financial literacy, and the application process.
Students tour Bryn Mawr's Campus
The Bi-Co ETT is based on the Exploring Transfer program at Vassar College, where Bryn Mawr’s Chief Enrollment Officer Cheryl Lynn Horsey visited two years ago and first started thinking about starting a similar program for the Bi-Co.
“We know there are incredibly talented students at community colleges who may not be aware of the opportunities available to them at selective liberal arts institutions—or who may not see themselves in these spaces,” says Horsey. “This program is one way we can build those bridges and create a more inclusive and supportive transfer ecosystem.”
As the program came to a close, students exchanged contact information, and several said they planned to stay in touch and support one another as they worked on applications or made decisions about next steps.
“I am incredibly grateful for this experience, because it has given me so much information and insight into what I need to look for in a college. I wish there were more opportunities like this for more people,” said Sasha Petruccelli from Northampton Community College.
According to a recent study conducted by Vassar, their Exploring Transfer program has been spectacularly effective. While only about 17 percent of all community college students ever attain a four-year degree, more than 70 percent of those enrolled in Exploring Transfer have done so.
The Bi-Co ETT is partly funded through a $5,000 seed grant from a larger grant Vassar’s program received from the ECMC Foundation to partner with other schools to promote the Vassar model. Bryn Mawr and Haverford are the first two colleges to participate in the Exploring Transfer Together initiative. Each accepted student receives a scholarship to the Bi-Co ETT program that completely covers their tuition, room, meals, and materials, as well as a $500 stipend to help offset any potential lost income resulting from participation in the program. Community College of Philadelphia and Northampton Community College are partners in the program, but students from any community college can apply.
“Our intention is not just to invite students in but to evolve our institutions to better serve and reflect the full spectrum of learners,” said Horsey. “We’re excited about what this program represents—not just for the students, but as a learning opportunity for us as well.”
