Envision Green guides students to MSU
The spartan statue on the Michigan State University campus. Photo by Dean on Unsplash.
By Nicole Wadkins
Staff Reporter
For students at Lansing Community College planning to transfer to Michigan State University, there is a valuable resource students can take advantage of to make transferring smoother: Envision Green.
Envision Green is a program that connects LCC students with MSU advisors to provide academic planning and support services so students can feel more confident about transferring. Laura Wise, Program Director for Envision Green, emphasized that the goal of the program is to save students and their families time and money as they work on their college education. “Our hope is by the time that they finish working with us and transition to Michigan State, that they have been able to make academic, professional, social, and support connections,” Wise said.
Envision Green began as an informal effort to help LCC students who were interested in transferring to MSU. When Erika Espinoza, now Envision Green Transfer Advisor Coordinator, began working at MSU in 2021, the program was already in motion in small ways. There were Advisors from Exploratory Advising and Admissions who would stop by LCC to meet with students and offer transfer guidance. “It wasn’t a formalized role that we had. It was more in addition to our MSU role as exploratory advisors,” Espinoza said. “We had a passion and interest in supporting our incoming prospective transfer students and so we dedicated a few advising appointments during our week to support students.”
Over time, the effort grew. By 2023, the program was officially formalized and had a full-time dedicated staff. Beginning in the summer of 2023, both Wise and Espinoza started to have an office at LCC in the Gannon Building. Then, in December 2024, the partnership was formally renewed on paper through a memorandum of understanding, a formal agreement outlining the roles and responsibilities both of the institutions will uphold.
Since becoming an official program, Envision Green has continued to grow to better support LCC students. Espinoza now offers one-on-one advising appointments on Mondays and Thursdays. Students check in at the advising desk using the kiosk, which helps manage the line and keep track of who’s next. Starting last academic year, Espinoza has expanded access for students who need guidance and support by offering additional walk-in hours in the Office of Empowerment in the Arts and Science Building, Room 1313.
Envision Green has seen major growth. Between fall 2024 and spring 2025, there were 430 students who utilized the advising appointments, which just shows, “the need that there is for advising and there is a need to have staff that is available to meet with our students,” Espinoza said.
The program has also expanded. During the 2024-2025 academic year, Envision Green hosted 29 events and there was an attendance increase with over 400 attendees. Some of the events added were related to financial aid, undergraduate research, and career services.
Envision Green has also worked to strengthen the partnership between both campuses to better support students who use campus resources. For example, students who use the Center for Student Access at LCC can be connected with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at MSU in order to make their transition smoother. Similar partnerships have also been formed with the Veterans Services at both institutions. Faculty collaboration between LCC and MSU has also grown through articulation agreements which, “makes sure that the curriculum between the institutions is as smooth as possible, really trying to minimize any credits lost in the transition and help students have very clear academic pathways,” Wise said.
A glimpse of what a Transfer Success Session looks like from the most recent one at October 6. Where Envision Green Transfer Advisor Coordinator Erika Espinoza informs students about the resources Envision Green offers. Photo courtesy of Laura Wise.
The first step for students interested in transferring to MSU is to register to attend a Transfer Success Session. Each session is an hour long and is held twice a month, one in person and another virtual. In every session, it is emphasized that students should “make the most of their time at LCC and that they have the best of both worlds,” Wise said. “We aren’t trying to rush students out of LCC, we want them to develop a comprehensive plan and the goal for these sessions is for them to learn about all of the resources and decide what is their next step that is going to help them be most successful.”
During these sessions, students are introduced to academic, professional, social, and support connections. They hear from LCC advisors, LCC Transfer from Admissions, and from Espinoza about academic advising, campus life, and available services. These sessions also help students start making connections early, even before they transfer. “We’ve had students that reached out about interest in particular registered student organizations at Michigan State,” Wise said. “We’ve been able to make those connections.”
Participants also get an early look at upcoming Envision Green events and can even register before they’re available to the public. A new opportunity that has grown out of these sessions is the Envision Green Student Advisory Group which is made up of LCC students planning to transfer to MSU. “We want to be able to serve our students in the way that they feel best serves them,” Espinoza said. “So, student voices are a huge part of being able to do that.”
After attending a transfer success session, students are able to take advantage of additional resources offered through the program. The most utilized resource is the academic advising with Espinoza. “So, when students are ready to connect directly with the college, if they know their major, we’re also able to make those direct connections,” Wise said.
Through the program, students can schedule one-on-one appointments with MSU admissions to discuss transfer requirements and degree pathways. They can also gain a clearer understanding to how their LCC credits will transfer to MSU and discover academic or career programs that align with their goals. Envision Green additionally helps students connect with undergraduate research opportunities related to their interests.
Students who use support services at LCC can be connected to similar resources at MSU before transferring. This will allow students to establish connections early on and transfer more smoothly. The program also connects students with MSU’s Transfer Student Success Center, which pairs current community college students with new MSU transfer students. These mentors provide guidance and community building opportunities for students currently navigating the transfer process.
Envision Green’s impact has already been significant. In fall 2024, 76% of students who transferred to MSU had connected with the program at some point during their journey. So far, the program continues to see growing participation in advising session, events, and its digital newsletter, with over 500 people opening the latest one. “I honestly thought now that this is going into the third year of the program as it is now, that the numbers would kind of even out, that as students were familiar,” Wise said. “But we’ve only continuing to see an increase in attendance and utilization of services.”
Participation in Envision Green is open to all students. There is no GPA requirement or eligibility criteria to be part of Envision Green.
Students interested in learning more can visit the Envision Green website to find upcoming events and academic advising hours. Through their website, you can sign up to receive their newsletter and can even follow their Instagram. You can also access news stories and additional resources relating to Envision Green on their Linktree.
The next Transfer Success Session will take place on November 3 from 12-1 p.m. (virtual) and November 18 from 3-4 p.m. at the Gannon Building. Make sure to register on their website.
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