Santiago Canyon College is taking a significant step forward in expanding opportunities for its students with the announcement of a new transfer agreement with Chapman University. The Santiago Canyon College to Chapman University Pathway Program opens the door to 14 distinct degree pathways, and as a result, provides a more streamlined transfer route for students in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.
Approved by the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Trustees on March 23, the agreement guarantees admission to 14 majors at Chapman for SCC students who meet the required criteria.
This is the second agreement SCC has entered into with Chapman. In 2019, the two institutions established the Chapman Transfer Admission Guarantee for Future Educators, a pathway for SCC students into Chapman’s Integrated Educational Studies bachelor’s degree program that prepares future elementary and special education teachers. After resulting in strong outcomes, that agreement served as the model for this newest partnership.
The degree pathways included in this program are Bachelor of Science degrees in biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, environmental science and policy, mathematics, physics, health sciences, accounting and business administration; and Bachelor of Arts degrees in psychology, communication studies, global communication and world languages, strategic communication and economics.
Transfer requirements have historically varied widely among four-year universities. Through this agreement, SCC and Chapman aim to take the guesswork out of an often confusing process and provide students with clear academic planning from the start of their college journey.
“Research has indicated that when students have a mapped out pathway for the steps they need to complete at the community college to transfer to the four-year institution, and those expectations are clear, there’s a greater chance of successful transfer and completion,” said SCC Dean of Division of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Michelle Samura.
“What makes me most excited about this is that it goes to the core mission of what community colleges are for,” said SCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Jason Parks. “Transfer is so complicated. Agreements like this set up a pathway for people who don’t know, who don’t come from families that have degrees. So when we get agreements like this, students can see the end game.”
Additionally, SCC students will be eligible for Chapman’s merit-based scholarships and institutional aid. These financial incentives, combined with defined transfer expectations and timelines, can help lower the overall cost of earning a degree.
“It was always about enabling them to make an easy choice,” said Chapman Executive Vice President, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Michael Ibba. “It should be based upon their passions and their desires and what they want to do. And that’s what this program does.”
The 14 degree pathways included in the agreement were chosen based on the strong alignment between SCC’s coursework and Chapman’s requirements. SCC Articulation Officer Leonor Aguilera reviewed the articulation to ensure there were no gaps in the coursework and submitted additional coursework as needed to solidify the pathways. Additional degrees will be reviewed for future inclusion.
“We actually have had pretty strong articulation with Chapman for a number of years, so it was really exciting to build these pathways,” Aguilera said.
Another key focus of the agreement between SCC and Chapman is their shared role as higher education institutions in the city of Orange and their strong commitments to the local community. Through SCC’s established Early College/Dual Enrollment partnership with Orange Unified School District, local students will have the opportunity to earn college credit in middle and/or high school, attend SCC and then transfer to Chapman.
“What I’m especially excited about for this agreement is the focus on our most local communities,” Samura said. “There’s a path being forged for Orange Unified students to come to SCC and then move on to Chapman. It’s about increased access and opportunity and awareness of what’s possible for them.”
As president of SCC’s Academic Senate, Tara Kubicka-Miller represents faculty through campuswide governance and plays a role in developing agreements such as this one. She also serves as professor and chair of the school’s communication department and can see firsthand the benefits this alignment will bring to SCC students.
“We’re all part of the same community, and we can work together for our community,” Kubicka-Miller said. “It’s at the heart of what community colleges want to be able to do. We’re lucky that we get to keep building those partnerships.”
Beginning in the fall 2026 term, SCC counselors and Transfer Center staff will be able to guide interested students through the program requirements. By aligning curriculum and expectations between the two institutions, the agreement not only simplifies the transfer process but also reinforces a shared commitment to student success, access and long-term achievement.
“These are spectacular students,” Ibba said. “And my experience has been that if we do the right things by them, they will do spectacularly well… That’s why I’m excited about it, because I think it has the potential to enrich us academically with great transfer students.”

Original Source: https://www.ocregister.com/2026/05/11/santiago-canyon-college-agreement-with-chapman-opens-14-transfer-paths/