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Juniata College Opens Aspire Center to Strengthen Transfer Student Experience
(Posted March 19, 2026)
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Karis Cornelius ’19, Assistant Director of Transfer Student Success.
Karis Cornelius ’19, Assistant Director of Transfer Student Success.
HUNTINGDON, Pa. — Juniata College has opened the Aspire Center in Ellis Hall, a new multipurpose space designed to support the College’s growing population of transfer and commuter students by providing a dedicated hub for connection, community, and engagement on campus.
“The Aspire Center serves to centralize and accelerate support for transfer students, fostering critical connections that students make at Juniata — with one another and with faculty and administrators that are fundamental to their success,” said Matthew Damschroder, vice president for student life and dean of students. “We are deeply grateful for the grant support and the vision and work of the team who has developed this space and program.”
The Aspire Center was made possible through an American Talent Initiative (ATI) Grant provided in partnership with the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R, and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
“The Aspire Center is part of the larger Aspire Juniata project, which was designed in partnership with Penn Highlands Community College specifically to meet the needs of local community college transfer students,” said Karis Cornelius ’19, Assistant Director of Transfer Student Success.
Juniata enrolled the largest transfer class in its history at the beginning of the 2025–2026 academic year, and that number is expected to grow. The Aspire Center will encourage these students to engage more deeply with the Juniata experience and integrate fully into the campus community.
Cornelius came to Juniata as a transfer student herself, bringing a firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with navigating a new academic environment.
“I found my home at Juniata, but that didn’t happen right away,” she said. “I am ecstatic to have a part in providing this opportunity for our students to know they belong here.”
Serving as both a lounge and a programming space, the Aspire Center invites transfer students to gather, study, and participate in student-led initiatives and campus life events, helping foster a stronger sense of belonging and connection within the Juniata community. The lounge is especially beneficial for commuter students who have downtime between classes.
To learn more about transferring to Juniata College and the support available through the Aspire Center, visit juniata.edu/transfer.
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.