Pegasus Launch Program, a new innovative initiative at UCF, seeks to help transfer students secure post-graduation employment or graduate school placement as the university continues to focus on career readiness.
Through the new program, funded by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, UCF is building a more intentional curriculum-to-career experience that connects transfer students with career preparation, mentorship, and High-Impact Practices (HIP) learning opportunities, such as internships, work-based learning, and undergraduate research experiences.
Oct. 19-23 is National Transfer Student Week
Graduation data shows that transfer students are less likely to secure post-graduation employment or graduate school placement compared to those who begin their higher education at UCF. However, transfer students who engaged in hands-on learning, like research and internships, are significantly more likely to have secured opportunities at the time of graduation.
“Transfer students bring extraordinary talent, resilience and ambition to UCF,” says project lead, Kimberly Schneider, assistant vice provost for at UCF. “This partnership allows us to remove barriers, strengthen support systems, engage in HIPs, and create clearer pathways from college to meaningful careers.”
As one of the nation’s largest universities, UCF serves nearly half of its 60,300 undergraduates through transfer pathways. Debuting in August 2027, the Pegasus Launch Program will provide targeted support before and after transfer through technology integration and intentional programming to help students:
- Make informed academic decisions
- Participate in High-Impact Practices
- Stay committed through graduation
- Successfully transition into the workforce or graduate education
鈥� a nationally recognized model for student success since it began in 2005 鈥� guarantees admission to UCF when students earn an associate degree at one of the seven state colleges. Each year, 5,000 students take advantage of the program, improving access to higher education and fueling the region鈥檚 workforce.
鈥淭hrough DirectConnect to UCF, we help transfer students make informed academic decisions, align their coursework with their intended UCF major, and prepare for a successful transition,鈥� says Kimberly Hardy, assistant vice provost for UCF Connect. 鈥淭he Pegasus Launch Program takes that support a step further by helping students connect their education with hands-on learning experiences, so they are better prepared to enter the workforce after graduation.”
Even before students transfer, they will utilize a digital curriculum-to-career degree map that aligns academic coursework directly with real-time job market data. To accelerate professional development, the improved program integrates advanced career-readiness tools, including VMock AI feedback for interviews and Focus2Career, a self-guided career planning system, as well as HIPs, which include research and internships.
Pegasus Launch Program seeks to increase HIP participation. The current university-wide goal is for 100% of undergraduate students to complete at least one High-Impact Practice experience by graduation.
