Become a Scholar
About Us
WHO WE ARE
A nonprofit organization simplifying the transfer journey for community college students and institutions.
Mission
Birch Scholars empowers community college students to successfully transfer to four-year institutions and thrive—through personalized advising, academic planning, financial aid support, and a connected peer community. We guide students through every step of the transfer process, ensuring they are not only admitted, but prepared, confident, and fully supported from application to graduation.
Vision
We envision a higher education landscape where community college students are valued, supported, and celebrated. Our goal is to equip students with the knowledge and guidance they need to shape their futures. We aim to eliminate the barriers that cause students to lose credits, change majors, or leave college before reaching their goals. Birch Scholars is building a new model of student success—one rooted in partnership, planning, and purpose.
Our Services
Each Birch Scholar is part of a supportive cohort model and receives comprehensive, individualized services from a dedicated advising team. Our model also provides structural support to institutions seeking to improve student outcomes and strengthen transfer pipelines.
For Students
Transfer Admissions Counseling
- College list development tailored to student goals and academic records
- Application timeline planning and support
- College list development tailored to student goals and academic records
- Personal statement and supplemental essay guidance
- Major and career planning aligned with values and interests
Financial Aid & Scholarship Counseling
- FAFSA and CSS Profile support
- Review of financial aid offers with guidance on award terms
- Assistance identifying and applying for merit-based and external scholarships
- Coaching on post-award communication and appeals
Academic Advising
- Guidance on earning and applying credit for prior learning
- Help aligning majors with previously earned credits to minimize time to degree
- First-semester transition coaching at the receiving institution
- Connection to campus-based resources for support and retention
Peer Cohort and Mentorship
- Student support community to foster connection and motivation
- Storytelling sessions to build confidence, purpose, and belonging
- Access to near-peer mentors who’ve navigated the transfer journey
For Institutions
Interactive professional development on supporting transfer students
- Connection to high-achieving, transfer-ready community college students
- Storytelling campaigns that showcase diverse talent and perspective
Training on inclusive advising and communication practices
- Ongoing mentorship and advising to support retention post-transfer
- Transition coaching that supplements on-campus student services
- Co-hosted transfer workshops and events
Credit Evaluation & Curriculum Alignment
- Standardized templates for credit review to ease articulation
- Advising support to prevent loss of credits or repeated coursework
- Help aligning community college coursework with major pathways
Articulation & Partnership Development
- Support in building or revising articulation agreements
- Guidance on aligning student goals with institutional offerings
- Tools for improving pathway clarity and transparency
Faculty & Staff Development
- Interactive professional development on supporting transfer students
- Training on inclusive advising and communication practices
- Insight into the challenges and aspirations of today’s transfer student
The Challenge
Community college students are among the most determined and capable learners in higher education—but the transfer system too often fails them. Despite their ambition, most never reach the finish line.
Our Solution
Birch Scholars exists to close the gap. We provide the personalized guidance, structural support, and institutional partnerships needed to ensure transfer is not a detour—but a launchpad.
Our Team
Dr. Allyson Bregman
Founder & Executive Director
Dr. Allyson Bregman has dedicated her career to creating equitable, life-changing education pathways for students. With more than 15 years of experience spanning secondary and higher education leadership, she founded Birch Scholars to address a critical need: ensuring that talented
community college students have the support, resources, and relationships they need to successfully transfer to four-year institutions and thrive long after graduation.
She has also held positions at Drew School, Choate Rosemary Hall, and the University of Michigan, where she guided students through the college application process, created advising curriculum, and designed and assessed teaching and learning initiatives.
Throughout her career, she has built programs that strengthen student retention, improve academic outcomes, and remove barriers to degree completion. Prior to launching Birch Scholars, she served as Director of Curriculum and First-Year Experience at Guttman Community College (CUNY), the newest community college in the CUNY system that she helped to found in 2012. In this role, she led major curriculum reforms, expanded academic support services, and secured more than $3 million in philanthropic, university, and federal funding to enhance student learning and institutional capacity.
At Birch Scholars, she is committed to building a national model for transfer success—one that centers community college students, recognizes their strengths, and provides the high-impact advising, financial aid support, and advocacy they deserve.
Allyson holds a B.A. from Connecticut College and a Ph.D. in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan.
Erica B. Chapman
Chief of Organizational Learning and Talent
Erica founded the DKDK Project, a boutique consulting organization supporting educational innovation. Additionally, she served as the Special Assistant to the President of Sarah Lawrence College, where she facilitated new educational initiatives for President Cristle Collins Judd. She is the former Dean of Faculty at The Masters School, where she spearheaded the implementation of a mission-aligned teacher development and evaluation system. Prior to becoming the Dean of Faculty, Erica was the Director of CITYterm at The Masters School, an experience-based semester program for juniors and seniors in high school. As the Director,
Erica oversaw all aspects of the interdisciplinary, project-based semester school, including the development of an innovative, place-based curriculum and the overall administration of the program. Erica’s work at CITYterm is featured in Ken Bain's Super Courses: The Future of Teaching and Learning. Additionally, Erica has leadership experience in the public, private, charter and non-profit domains. She has held positions at Achievement First Charter Schools, New Leaders for New Schools and at the New York City Department of Education.
Erica holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Get Involved
Become a Birch Scholar
Are you a Community College Student looking to transfer to a senior college? We're here to help.
Become a University Partner
Birch Scholars is seeking connections with institutions interested in improving transfer student outcomes.
Donate Today
We are seeking founding partners and mission-aligned funders to help us scale this transformative model.
Your Contribution Will:
- Fund the first 30 students through our full-service program.
- Build cross-campus partnerships across public and non-profit institutions.
- Create training tools and data-informed pathways for national replication.
- Ensure students not only transfer—but complete their degrees with confidence.