Lincoln nonprofit honors its roots, its people and four decades of service to students and higher education

Lincoln, Neb. (October 19, 2026) — Forty years ago, National Student Loan Program (NSLP) began its work in Lincoln with a commitment to helping students navigate the financial side of higher education. Today, that commitment lives on through Inceptia, a nonprofit that works with colleges and universities nationwide to help students take their next step.

A great deal has changed since 1986. Students now face new questions about paying for college, completing requirements, staying enrolled and managing repayment. Inceptia’s work has evolved alongside those needs, but its purpose has remained deeply personal: helping people find a path forward when the process feels complicated or overwhelming.

“Behind every form, phone call or outreach campaign is a person trying to make an important decision about their future,” said David Macoubrie, president and CEO of Inceptia. “For 40 years, our employees have brought knowledge and compassion to those conversations. That is what I am most proud to celebrate.”

From its beginnings as NSLP to the services Inceptia provides today, the organization has helped millions of students pursue their higher education goals. Its teams support institutions with financial aid processes, student outreach and loan repayment guidance, combining useful technology with the human connection students often need at a critical moment.

The anniversary is also an opportunity to recognize the people who have shaped the organization in Lincoln over four decades: employees who built new services as student needs changed, institutional partners who placed their trust in Inceptia and the students who shared their questions and goals along the way.

“Lincoln has been our home from the beginning,” Macoubrie said. “We are grateful to everyone who has been part of this story. As we look ahead, we remain committed to listening, adapting and showing up for students and the institutions that serve them.”

About Inceptia

Inceptia is a nonprofit partner to colleges, universities, and trade schools, helping strengthen enrollment, retention, and repayment outcomes. Our agile, dependable solutions guide students through admissions, financial aid, and loan repayment. With tailored programs, expert staff, and a mission-driven commitment, we extend your team so you can focus on student success.

Five questions for moving from the FY 2023 official result to current borrower risk

The FY 2023 official cohort default rate is an important result, but the percentage cannot explain what shaped it or where borrower risk is developing now. Five questions can help institutions connect the reported outcome with a forward-looking default prevention strategy.

When the FY 2023 official cohort default rate arrives, the percentage will naturally become the headline. It can show whether the institution's rate changed from the draft and how the result compares with earlier cohorts. It also begins the period for reviewing the official borrower and loan data and pursuing any adjustment or appeal allowed under current Federal Student Aid guidance.

The official rate is still a backward-looking measure. A cohort default rate, or CDR, measures the share of borrowers who entered repayment during a federal fiscal year and defaulted within the three-year monitoring period. It shows what happened to a defined group of borrowers. It cannot explain the result on its own or show where an institution may still be able to influence a later cohort.

A stronger review connects the official rate with current borrower-level, institutional and outreach data. Five questions can help institutions move from a reported result to a practical response.

Begin by comparing the official and draft rates, the number of borrowers in the cohort and the loan records used in the calculation. Identify borrowers or loan statuses that were added, removed or changed. Review the official loan record detail report promptly and follow the current FSA instructions and deadlines if the data may qualify for an adjustment or appeal.

This review establishes whether the official result reflects the records the institution expected. It also gives financial aid leaders a clear explanation for any change between the draft and official percentages.

The FY 2023 cohort entered repayment during an unusual period. Federal student loan payments remained paused for most of 2023, interest resumed Sept. 1, 2023 and payments resumed in October. The on-ramp to repayment then limited the consequences of missed payments through September 2024.

Those conditions matter when interpreting the official result. A low FY 2023 CDR is welcome, but it does not necessarily mean borrower repayment risk is low today. Compare the result with the institution's pre-pause CDRs and current borrower conditions instead of treating the percentage as a complete picture of repayment performance.

Several cohort years are active at the same time. While the FY 2023 official rate closes one reporting cycle, borrowers in FY 2024 and later cohorts are already moving through repayment, delinquency and resolution.

Current data can reveal changes that the official rate cannot. Compare borrower volume, withdrawal patterns, repayment transitions, delinquency stages, contact rates and resolutions. Look for concentrations by program, completion status, enrollment history, balance, geography and contactability.

Two institutions can post the same official CDR and need different responses. If risk is concentrated within one identifiable population, a focused intervention may address much of it. If risk is widely distributed, the institution may need broader processes and stronger coordination across offices.

Borrowers already in default help explain the official or projected result, but intervention may no longer change that cohort's outcome. Seriously delinquent borrowers represent a more urgent prevention opportunity. Newly delinquent borrowers and new repayment entrants often have more time and options available.

Outreach should change with the risk. A newly delinquent borrower may need a clear reminder to review the account and contact the servicer. A borrower in a later stage may need stronger urgency, repeated attempts and one-on-one help understanding available options. Email can carry detailed instructions, text can prompt a time-sensitive action and phone outreach can help when the situation is complex or earlier attempts have not produced a response.

Operational conditions also matter. Timely enrollment reporting, accurate student status information and current contact data support the correct repayment status and a better borrower experience. Financial aid, the registrar, enrollment teams, student accounts and default management staff may each hold part of the information needed to understand and address the risk.

Leadership needs the official result and the outlook behind it. A useful CDR briefing explains the FY 2023 rate, what changed from the draft, which conditions shaped the outcome, what current data shows about later cohorts and what action is underway.

That story should connect borrower outcomes with operational implications. A CDR of 30% or more triggers default prevention planning requirements. Rates of 30% or more for three consecutive years can affect Direct Loan and Pell Grant eligibility, while a rate greater than 40% for one year can affect Direct Loan eligibility. CDRs can also determine whether an institution qualifies for low-default-rate exemptions from certain disbursement requirements.

The purpose is not to rely on the thresholds as a scare tactic. They give leadership context for evaluating the people, cross-campus coordination and outreach resources required. A clear plan should show which borrowers are actionable, how the institution will reach them and how progress will be monitored across active cohorts.

Institutions do not need to build every part of a default prevention program at once. Start with the most useful next step. Review what changed from the draft. Identify a concentrated risk segment in an active cohort. Resolve an enrollment reporting issue. Tailor outreach for one delinquency stage. Establish a short leadership briefing that can be updated as the data changes.

The FY 2023 official CDR should sharpen the strategy, not complete the conversation. Monitoring current borrower risk throughout the cohort cycle gives institutions more time to act and a clearer basis for deciding where outreach can make a difference.

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New cooperative purchasing agreement helps institutions more quickly implement solutions that support enrollment, financial aid administration, student engagement and financial wellness.

Lincoln, Neb. (June 9, 2026) Inceptia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students and institutions succeed, announced that its solutions are now available through E&I Cooperative Services, making it easier for colleges and universities to access proven services that support student success while reducing procurement complexity.

Higher education institutions continue to face increasing pressure to improve enrollment, persistence, completion and financial wellness outcomes while navigating staffing constraints, evolving regulations and changing student needs. Through its relationship with E&I Cooperative Services, Inceptia is helping institutions more quickly implement solutions designed to support students throughout their educational journey while improving operational efficiency.

"For nearly 40 years, Inceptia has been committed to helping institutions support student success while navigating operational challenges," said David Macoubrie, president and CEO of Inceptia. "Our relationship with E&I helps make those solutions more accessible so institutions can focus less on procurement hurdles and more on serving students."

"Higher education institutions are seeking partners that can help them navigate evolving student and operational challenges while making the most of limited resources," said Eric Frank, CEO of E&I Cooperative Services. "Through this agreement with Inceptia, we’re expanding access to proven, student-centered solutions while removing barriers to adoption – so our members can move faster on key student success initiatives."

Inceptia's solutions help institutions engage students at critical moments throughout the student lifecycle, from enrollment and financial aid administration to financial wellness and student loan repayment. By combining personalized outreach, technology and experienced support, Inceptia helps institutions strengthen student engagement, streamline processes and reduce administrative burden.

Solutions available through E&I include:

• Enrollment support and student outreach services designed to help institutions engage prospective, returning and stop-out students.
• Financial aid verification and compliance solutions that simplify documentation collection, review and identity verification processes.
• Institutional balance outreach services that help students understand and resolve financial barriers that may impact persistence and re-enrollment.
• Repayment and financial wellness solutions that support borrowers as they navigate student loan repayment responsibilities.

"Student and operational success are interconnected," said Macoubrie. "When institutions can communicate more effectively, streamline administrative processes and provide right-time targeted support, students benefit, and staff can focus their efforts where they matter most."

E&I Cooperative Services is the only member-owned, nonprofit sourcing cooperative focused exclusively on education. Through competitively solicited contracts, E&I helps educational institutions streamline the procurement process while maintaining compliance and maximizing value.

To learn more about Inceptia's solutions available through E&I Cooperative Services, visit our solutions microsite or contact us Talktous@Inceptia.org.

About Inceptia

Inceptia is a nonprofit organization committed to helping students and institutions for nearly 40 years. Inceptia has provided higher education with solutions that simplify financial aid processes, improve student engagement, support enrollment efforts and promote financial wellness. Through a combination of technology, outreach and counseling, Inceptia helps institutions strengthen student success while reducing administrative burden. Visit inceptia.org.

About E&I Cooperative Services

E&I Cooperative Services (E&I) is the only member owned, non profit procurement cooperative exclusively focused on serving higher education and K 12 institutions. E&I delivers unsurpassed value and an exceptional experience to its members through a broad portfolio of competitively solicited contracts with industry leading suppliers and innovative sourcing solutions. The Cooperative empowers its members to make informed, analytics driven decisions to capture more spending and optimize their education dollars. Rooted in a strong, member-driven community, E&I fosters collaboration, shared expertise, and collective impact across the education sector, helping institutions advance their missions through cooperative purchasing. For more information, visit eandi.org.

Lincoln, Neb., May 12, 2026 — Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) helped more than 1,100 students overcome financial barriers caused by past-due balances, enabling them to stay enrolled and continue making progress toward completing their education with the assistance of Inceptia’s Institutional Balance Outreach program.

WSU Tech recognized that unpaid student balances, even when relatively small, become obstacles to persistence and re-enrollment. Students with unresolved balances may face challenges registering for future classes, accessing transcripts, or continuing their academic progress. At the same time, providing meaningful outreach to hundreds of students can place a significant burden on institutional staff.

Even when students begin the process, many never make it to enrollment. And the breakdown isn’t happening in one place, it’s happening across the entire student journey. The FAFSA funnel is still leaking — just in new places, with students falling off at every stage from completion to enrollment.

“Every student we help stay enrolled is one more individual moving toward a career, contributing to our workforce and making a better life for their families. This work is about meeting students where they are, helping them understand their options, and removing barriers so they can stay on track, complete their education, and keep moving forward,” said Lacey Ledwich, FAAC, Executive Director, Student Financial Services, WSU Tech.

To address both challenges, WSU Tech implemented Institutional Balance Outreach (IBO), Inceptia’s student-centered outreach solution designed to provide compassionate, personalized support and clear guidance to more than 1,800 students with outstanding balances. As a result, 1,179 student accounts were resolved, helping create a clearer path to continued enrollment.

By removing financial barriers that can disrupt persistence, the initiative helped more students remain enrolled and delivered measurable financial results for WSU Tech, while also reducing operation burden for campus staff. Instead of managing thousands of individual outreach attempts internally, WSU Tech was able to rely on Inceptia’s team to handle student conversations efficiently and compassionately, allowing staff to focus on broader institutional priorities.

“Our goal is always to help institutions support students while improving operational efficiency,” comments Deana Unger, Chief Operating Officer, Inceptia. “When students understand their options, feel supported, and have a clear path forward, everyone benefits.”

Visit Inceptia.org to read the full case study and find out more about Institutional Balance Outreach.

As Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, WSU Tech stands at the forefront of modern technical education in Kansas, offering over 100 degree and certificate options. These programs cover critical fields such as aviation, health care, manufacturing, design, information technology, police science, culinary arts, business, and more. WSU Tech operates four campuses and serves as the managing partner of the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) in Wichita, KS, a city known for its high concentration of STEM jobs.

In 2018, Wichita State University, Kansas’ urban public research university, affiliated with WSU Tech, enhancing the institution’s student-centered focus and aligning with Wichita State’s dedication to innovation and applied learning. This partnership has created a comprehensive educational environment that supports student achievement and meets the evolving needs of industries in the urban heart of Kansas and beyond.

Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and as a Kansas Board of Regents institution, WSU Tech upholds high academic standards and equips students with the skills necessary for lifelong success and career readiness.

For more information on how WSU Tech shapes the future of technical education and contributes to the workforce in Kansas and beyond, please visit www.WSUTECH.edu.

Follow WSU Tech on social media: Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | X (Twitter) | TikTok

Lincoln, Neb. (April 21, 2026) – As graduates step into a world of first paychecks, student loan decisions, and real-world financial responsibilities, Inceptia, a nonprofit dedicated to student success, has released the latest edition of its Great Advice series — created in collaboration with NerdWallet — to help them move forward with clarity and confidence.

Great Advice for Grads 2026 delivers practical, real-world guidance for managing money after graduation — without the overwhelm. Designed to be both approachable and actionable, the guide equips students with tools to make informed financial decisions from day one.

This year’s edition includes:

• Strategies to pay down student loans faster and reduce long-term interest
• Simple budgeting frameworks that balance real life with financial goals
• Clear guidance on building and improving credit
• Insights on using AI for financial decisions, when it helps and when to think twice

“Graduation is an exciting milestone, but it also introduces a new level of financial responsibility that many students aren’t fully prepared for,” said Michelle Lisec-Talarico, Director of Marketing at Inceptia. “This guide is designed to meet graduates in that moment — with practical guidance they can actually use and return to as their financial journey evolves.”

Developed in partnership with NerdWallet, a trusted source for personal finance insights, the guide combines expert-backed strategies with approachable education — making it easier for graduates to take their next steps with confidence.

Colleges and universities are encouraged to share Great Advice for Grads 2026 with their students and alumni as a timely resource to support financial wellness beyond graduation.

Inceptia enables colleges and universities to strengthen relationships and boost enrollment using dynamic tools and personal outreach programs that empower students to successfully navigate admissions and financial aid. With tailored solutions and a nonprofit’s commitment to service, we remove barriers for students so schools can focus on what matters most — guiding them toward a rich and rewarding life through higher education.

NerdWallet (Nasdaq: NRDS) is on a mission to provide clarity for all of life’s financial decisions. As a personal finance website and app, NerdWallet provides consumers with trustworthy and knowledgeable financial information so they can make smart money moves. From finding the best credit card to buying a house, NerdWallet is there to help consumers make financial decisions with confidence. Consumers have free access to our expert content and comparison shopping marketplaces, plus a data-driven app, which helps them stay on top of their finances and save time and money, giving them the freedom to do more. NerdWallet is available for consumers in the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia.