Webinars Join us for timely higher education topics. Register for an upcoming webinar event or view an on-demand presentation. Upcoming Increase Enrollment and Decrease Cost with Verification Services (replay) Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Show Description It’s everywhere. Higher education institutions have unprecedented challenges to consider. What does “going to college” mean? How will revenue change? What will enrollment look like and what are we going to do about it? Where can costs be reduced and gains still made? In this session Mike Lubben, SVP of Business Development at Inceptia, talked with Steve McDowell, the Director of Financial Aid Services for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system, to find out how they are looking ahead to the next school session. The conversation focused on the role verification services plays with reducing melt, staffing challenges, expense management and verification lift. Register Professional Judgement Doesn’t Have to be Complicated Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Show Description The pandemic has changed everything and though recent studies indicate students want to come back to school, many will need a change in their financial aid to do so. PJs are on the rise and the current process is daunting and could be the difference in a student to deciding if they will enroll or return to school. Join us to find out how PJ Advisor, our virtual professional judgement platform can streamline the professional judgement process for your students and your school. Developed with the student and administrator in mind, PJ Advisor is easy to use, streamlines the entire process, and is available on any device, wherever and whenever it is needed. We’ll cover the features and the benefits along with a sneak peek at the platform itself. Register Burn Bright without Burning Out Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2020 Show Description Burnout, or physical and emotional exhaustion due to the stress of working conditions, is all too familiar for those in higher education. Take the time now to learn about this phenomenon and prepare yourself for the busy academic year ahead. This introspective and informative session will highlight the signs of burnout and research-based self-care practices that help to combat work fatigue. We will also discuss how job burnout impacts the field of higher education financial wellness on a larger scale. Attendees will develop a plan for self-care and stress reduction in order to burn bright without burning out. Register Unraveling the Financial Aid Office in an Uncertain Time (replay) Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 Show Description As financial aid administrators are always looking out for the best ways to find the balance between counseling students, meeting enrollment goals, keeping up with process demands, and compliance, the world throws in yet another challenge of managing all of this in an ever-changing global environment of uncertainty. In this session, Mike Lubben, SVP of Business Development at Inceptia, talked with Dr. Amy Cable, Executive Director of Process Improvement at the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Tobyn Friar, Director of Financial Aid and Military Veteran Student Services at Loyola University Chicago and Melissa M. Stephens, Director of the Office of Financial Aid & Student Employment at Western Connecticut State to find out what they were thinking about and planning for in the upcoming months as school sessions come to an end and planning for the next begins. We covered topics regarding verification, professional judgment, and SAP appeals. Register Managing Verification While Everything is Changing Around It Date: Thursday, June 18, 2020 Show Description Verification continues to change as we manage the new normal of today and work toward the uncertain normal of tomorrow. We all know the intent of verification is to get the right amount of aid to those that need it most and the process can be challenging. Managing it will likely get even harder when you consider a possible flood of PJs. The challenges along the way can make or break the decision process for students and their families, impacting them for years to come and wreak havoc on your office. In this session we will be joined by a panel of financial aid experts to talk through how the verification challenges are changing and actions we can take to mitigate them. Register Using Soft Skills to Excel in Hard Times Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2020 Show Description Even in the best of times, the ability to assist students can rely greatly on communicating effectively. Now, as campus closures necessitate a shift away from in-person contact, developing or honing phone skills can make a huge difference in the quality of our student interactions. Students are making critical choices right now about starting or continuing their studies, and providing exceptional support is key for your school to excel. Whether you’re settling into your role or you’re a seasoned higher ed pro, we can all benefit from examining and sharpening our soft skills in stressful situations … amidst change … and on the phone. Hear from our customer support experts on the tips and techniques they use to manage student interactions every day including: Using effective language Employing emotional intelligence Taking control of the call And physical or mental tweaks you can make to improve your communication Register Missed Opportunities and Abandoned Ambitions: Understanding and Combating Student Melt (replay) Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Show Description There are some incoming freshmen who have taken all the necessary steps to start college but simply disappear over the summer. And there are currently enrolled students who have done what it takes to persist, but leave school due to verification roadblocks. Both sets of students are now facing additional challenges in the midst of the pandemic and can be seen as the opposite sides of the same “student melt” coin, resulting in lost opportunities for both college and learner. So what can we do to combat melt? This session provides an overview of the melt phenomenon, considering today’s issues, using curated research to highlight some of the root causes and issues, as well as steps we can take to raise awareness and identify strategies to help students get to and through college. Register What Does the 2020-21 Financial Aid Office Look Like? Date: Thursday, June 25, 2020 Show Description At one point 2020 seemed like a magical year of opportunity. However, over the last few months, our version of opportunity has certainly changed. What have we learned from the past few months? How has that changed our perspective and what should we be doing now to prepare? Join us as we discuss these questions and more with our financial aid expert panel as we take a forward-looking approach to what might be ahead for the many duties of financial aid including verification, appeals, enrollment, and loan repayment. Register On-Demand 2020 Increase Enrollment and Decrease Cost with Verification Services View Webinar Show Description It’s everywhere. Higher education institutions have unprecedented challenges to consider. What does “going to college” mean? How will revenue change? What will enrollment look like and what are we going to do about it? Where can costs be reduced and gains still made? Join us as we talk with Steve McDowell, the Director of Financial Aid Services for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system, to find out how they are looking ahead to the next school session. We’ll focus on the role verification services plays with reducing melt, staffing challenges, expense management and verification lift. Missed Opportunities and Abandoned Ambitions: Understanding and Combating Student Melt View Webinar Show Description There are some incoming freshmen who have taken all the necessary steps to start college but simply disappear over the summer. And there are currently enrolled students who have done what it takes to persist, but leave school due to verification roadblocks. Both sets of students are now facing additional challenges in the midst of the pandemic and can be seen as the opposite sides of the same “student melt” coin, resulting in lost opportunities for both college and learner. So what can we do to combat melt? This session provides an overview of the melt phenomenon, considering today’s issues, using curated research to highlight some of the root causes and issues, as well as steps we can take to raise awareness and identify strategies to help students get to and through college. Getting Ready for Student Loan Repayment View Webinar Show Description If you’re preparing to graduate, don’t plan to return to school, or will drop below half-time enrollment, the repayment clock will soon begin ticking on your federal loans. Head into repayment with the information you need to make smart choices and avoid costly mistakes. This one hour session will cover the basics of student loan repayment, including: How to save time and money throughout the life of your loan(s) How to choose a loan repayment plan that works best for your finances Options that allow you to avoid default and delinquency This session is a great way to hear exit counseling concepts explained, with the opportunity to have your questions answered by an expert. 20 Quick Financial Wins We Can Achieve With Students View Webinar Show Description Students are often overwhelmed with the idea of money, budgeting, and financial planning. It’s so big that they don’t know where to start, how to create a plan and how to stay motivated to stay on track. Join us for an interactive session of sharing ideas on how to help students achieve some quick wins to improve their confidence, skills and knowledge, one baby step at a time. By the end of the session, participants will walk away with 20 different ideas on how to help their students shift into action and success. Ideas will include: Getting family involved in the finances Finding money for college Crafting a budget Creating systems that support positive action Generating savings through small and achievable actions Using credit wisely Unraveling the Financial Aid Office in an Uncertain Time View Webinar Show Description As financial aid administrators are always looking out for the best ways to find the balance between counseling students, meeting enrollment goals, keeping up with process demands, and compliance, the world throws in yet another challenge of managing all of this in an ever-changing global environment of uncertainty. Join us as we talk with our panel of leading financial aid professionals from a diverse school background to find out what they are thinking about and planning for in the upcoming months as school sessions come to an end and planning for the next begins. We’ll cover topics regarding verification, professional judgment, and SAP appeals. Weird Science: Understanding How Your Mind and Emotions Affect Your Money View Webinar Show Description If you are ready to get serious about taking charge of your finances, you need to start by understanding the link between your mind, your emotions, and your wallet. This fun, 30-minute session will help you identify your unique Money Personality and both the pros and cons of how you handle your money. We’ll even leave you with tips to retrain your brain so that you can begin to make intentional spending choices, rather than being ruled by emotions! Missed Opportunities and Abandoned Ambitions: Understanding and Combating Student Melt View Webinar Show Description There are some incoming freshmen who have taken all the necessary steps to start college, but simply disappear over the summer. And, there are currently enrolled students who have done what it takes to persist, but leave school due to verification roadblocks. Both sets of students are opposite sides of the same “student melt” coin, resulting in lost opportunities for both college and learner. So what can we do to combat melt? This half-hour session provides a brief overview of the melt phenomenon, using curated research to highlight some of the root causes and issues, as well as steps we can take to raise awareness and identify strategies to help students get to and through college. Financial Education in the Age of FOMO (rebroadcast) View Webinar Show Description How can we prepare students to say no in a world of nonstop peer pressure to spend, while technology makes it ever easier to do so? In this one-hour webinar, we’ll explore the effects of social media on spending and saving, the drawbacks of fintech, and how we can tailor financial education programs to inform and empower students to resist. Sneaking Mindfulness into Real Life for Higher Ed Professionals View webinar Show Description Mindfulness may sound like a trendy buzzword that has more to do with yoga than higher education, but what if it could be used to help higher ed professionals decompress, handle work stress, and better serve students? And even if it did, who has the time? In this one-hour webinar, mindfulness coach Daron Larson will educate us on mindfulness benefits and application by: Exploring how small behavioral changes lead to significant results over time Learning how to add mindful awareness to existing habits and activities Developing a simple, personal plan for incorporating a mindful awareness habit into your routine 2019 Strategic Enrollment Management: Leveraging Financial Aid by the Numbers View webinar Show Description In this one-hour webinar, Scott Cline, Vice President of Enrollment Management at California College of the Arts and Carissa Uhlman, Vice President of Student Success at Inceptia will discuss data and the use of data analytics in financial aid and enrollment. The presentation will cover: General understanding of the use of data analysis and predictive analytics Accessing the right financial aid data to support recruitment goals Evaluation of data for continual improvement Real-world scenarios from the California College of the Arts on the vital role data has played in reshaping financial aid awarding and meeting recruitment goals ROI and future trends Verification: What We Have Learned, What We Recommend and How We Can Best Help Students View webinar Show Description Verification—it strikes fear into the hearts of not only students but financial aid administrators everywhere. This cumbersome process can test the limits of any financial aid office and can lead to the unfortunate delay of educational goals for students who become overwhelmed in the process. Having processed thousands of verifications for schools across the country, Deana Unger will present a critical reflection on current trends, challenges, and opportunities, with the goal of significantly improving the user experience and combating verification melt. Scott Lapinski will join in as we share insights on top verification errors, student inquiries, recommendations for efficient processes, and student support tips including a use case from the University of Texas at Tyler. Strategic Enrollment Management: Leveraging Financial Aid View webinar Show Description The problem – your school has aggressive recruitment and retention goals. The Enrollment Office is off and running to meet those goals and while you know financial aid is critical to the mix, you’re unsure how to build a strong partnership and showcase the value your department provides to students. In this one-hour webinar, Amy Cable, Executive Director, Enrollment Management Support at the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) and Sue Downing, Senior Vice President of Inceptia will present an overview of Strategic Enrollment Management and the vital role financial aid plays in meeting enrollment goals. The presentation will cover: General understanding of Strategic Enrollment Management Getting a seat at the table and showcasing your value Development of financial aid strategies to support recruitment and enrollment goals Real-world scenarios from the LCTCS on developing an integrated enrollment and financial aid strategy Future trends in Strategic Enrollment Management Connecting With Students Through Collaboration View webinar Show Description Join Sydney Meimann from the University of Cincinnati’s Money Management Task Force for ideas and tips on ways to leverage cross-department relationships in an effort to best connect with students. Who can be your best ally in reaching students when it comes to financial education? FAFSA Toolkit Express: Free Resources to Promote FAFSA Completion View webinar Show Description When it comes to nudging students to complete the FAFSA, you can never have enough tools to spread the message – but who has the time or resources to create a comprehensive FAFSA communication plan? Join our half-hour express session to explore all the features of the FAFSA toolkit, including: Checklists Web banners Postcards, emails, and posters Even a verification video, and more! The ABC’s of Gen Z: Adapting Financial Aid Practices for Effective Outcomes View webinar Show Description Gen Z, the next generation of students, is more tech savvy and digitally driven than its predecessors – an area in which many campus departments are still getting up to speed. Learning their language and finding the right balance of electronic and interpersonal interaction will present challenges as FAOs adapt to these bright young minds; this session will help you prepare for that. Through research, and best practices from the University of Illinois, this session covers: Understanding the Gen Z mindset Communication and engagement strategies Tips from the University of Illinois to easily meet Gen Z where they are Student Insights: Financial Behaviors and Issues of Inequity View webinar Show Description While Inceptia’s latest student survey shows disparity between what students know about money versus how they behave, it’s not always just a matter of putting knowledge into action. Issues of inequity that arise from gender, race, and home and food insecurity can also affect our students’ ability to improve financial wellbeing. This 1-hour session will combine the best research and ideas from our previous webinars to foster understanding and share best practices regarding: Aligning financial education with student misperceptions Recognizing issues of inequity pertaining to race, gender, and socioeconomic status Case studies for developing financial education training and resources that address these systemic barriers Building a Better Award Letter: Providing Information that Really Helps Students and Families View webinar Show Description Award letters are a key to student recruitment, but today’s award letters are hard to decipher for families as they try to make decisions on the best fit for their prospective student. The format is inconsistent, terminology is confusing and bottom-line cost is too hard to figure out. What can you do when 63% of recently enrolled and prospective students note feeling lost when searching for college or financial aid options? Join us as we look at how to build a better award letter noting studies on award letter pitfalls and improvements for content, brand and student experience to help families make better financial decisions. Handling Money Like a #GirlBoss: Empowering Women Through Financial Literacy View webinar Show Description In honor of Equal Pay Day, join Inceptia to learn more about what the financial education community can do to address the unique financial struggles that women face. Guest speakers will include Sophia Bera, founder of Gen Y Planning and CNBC contributor, and Jennifer Hemphill, an Accredited Financial Counselor and host of the Her Money Matters podcast. They’ll share their insights into the female financial literacy gap, challenges facing minority women, and suggestions for empowering female students to take control of their finances. Loan Summaries: Helping Students, Helping Schools View Webinar Show Description Loan summaries, or debt letters, have become a mandated requirement for colleges and universities across the country, with national legislation under consideration. Now is the time to learn more about how Inceptia’s Loan Summary can help you! This webinar will breakdown what makes a successful debt letter, examine results from debt letter campaigns at three major colleges, and speak to Robert Fahy from Rutgers University regarding the adoption and implementation of Loan Summary at their campus. 2018 Same Campus, Miles Apart: Addressing the Racial Wealth Divide View Webinar Show Description This one-hour webinar combines thought-provoking research and practice to examine how minority students struggle against systemic economic disparity. With expert speakers from Prosperity Now, the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota – Duluth, attendees will learn about: Data surrounding the current realities of how people of color are impacted by racial wealth inequality, and practical solutions on how practitioners can better serve students to improve their financial stability How to introduce students to the topic via course integration How to provide peer mentor training that incorporates discussion and reflection on economic inequality How Are Students Really Managing Finances? Results from a Multiyear Behavioral Assessment View Webinar Show Description Join us for Inceptia’s first multi-year research project, in which we worked with over 60,000 students from across the country to gain insight into their personal finance successes and challenges. From credit, to student loans, to alternative banking, the assessment was designed to gauge a full range of financial capability markers. The results can help all financial education advocates keep their finger on the pulse of what students know, what they think they know, and areas in which we can help bridge the gap. A Little Nudge Goes a Long Way: Helping Students Help Themselves View Webinar Show Description This session will explore the why, how, and when of nudge theory. A case study from Indiana University will demonstrate how a simple letter nudged students toward better borrowing habits. Finally, we’ll discuss guidelines and ideas for utilizing nudge theory at your campus. Attendees will come away from this session with: 1. A practical understanding of nudge theory and its role in financial education programming 2. Tips and ideas from the Indiana University case study 3. A guide to creating nudge-based financial education initiatives Innovations in Financial Aid Management Solutions (What’s Inceptia uncomplicating now?) View Webinar Show Description Join Inceptia to get a look at additions and enhancements to their Financial Aid Management Solutions. We will cover new innovations in sign in, award letters and forms as well as enhancements to our current solutions that will help you boost enrollment, promote your school, enhance the student experience and save you time. Full Minds, Empty Stomachs: Food Insecurity on Campus View Webinar Show Description As part of our Financial Capability Month series, Inceptia explores the growing epidemic of students going hungry on campus. In this one hour webinar, we’ll discuss how food insecurity happens in such a food-rich environment, and how going hungry impacts every area of life for these students. Utilizing a body of growing research, we’ll look at how some institutions are working to tackle this problem head on. Finally, we’ll hear from one school on what it takes to open and run a campus food pantry, as they provide insights from their first year of operation. Teaching Them to Fish: Empowering Students Through Financial Self Advocacy View webinar Show Description Inceptia welcomes James McCarthy, former FDIC and CFPB member, for an informative one hour webinar regarding the top financial issues of which students must be wary and for which they must develop their own advocacy skills. From credit card fraud to ID theft to student loan complaints and more, we’ll provide practical talking points to help foster productive conversations with your students and resources to help them take action. Attendees of this webinar will benefit from James’ insider expertise to resolving financial issues, and will receive access to our financial advocacy resource guide. 2017 Drowning in process? A service partner can help! View webinar Show Description Financial aid professionals continue to be some of the busiest people on campus. With staffing constraints, shrinking budgets, increased regulatory requirements, data security concerns, and trying to serve students who expect modern, streamlined, user-friendly experiences, institutions are constantly challenged to get everything done. Working with a service partner can help schools provide more personalized service to students and their families while reducing the need for time-intensive technical support and regulatory compliance updates. Protecting Your Students’ Data View webinar Show Description Reserve your spot in our one-hour webinar with Art Provost, Director of Corporate Security, as he talks about the top five pitfalls to data security connected to the ED guidance and how Inceptia has overcome them. Your ability to keep your students’ sensitive data (both online and on paper) secure is more critical than ever. A data breach results in reputational and financial consequences; and it could lead to identity theft and fraudulent activity. Security preparedness is not only a key to understanding the constant threats in the environment but also a regulatory requirement. It’s even up to you to understand how data is protected when partnering with a third party. The Impact of Financial Wellness: Trends, Research and Case Studies from the Experts View webinar Show Description In honor of Financial Capability Month, Inceptia will host Bryan Ashton, Director of Student and Institutional Success at TG, and Phil Schuman, Director of Financial Literacy, Indiana University, as they discuss the impact of financial wellness programming on college campuses. As co-founders of the Higher Education Financial Wellness Summit, Bryan and Phil have designed this webinar to empower those who are working actively to implement financial wellness programs, providing case studies of successful methods for establishing financial wellness and financial literacy programs on college campuses. Additionally, Bryan and Phil will provide recommendations for cross-campus collaboration, explore the impact of student finances on student success, and present a case study illustrating the tie between student success and financial wellness. The Financial Aid Office in Transition: What’s Ahead for 2017 View webinar Show Description Join Inceptia for a one-hour webinar as we host Justin Chase Brown for a discussion on issues and challenges facing the financial aid office. Justin will examine the interwoven needs of enrollment management initiatives and financial aid practices, and how big data influences all facets of operations. He’ll discuss utilizing social media to better serve students and families, as well as how to communicate across generational divides. Finally, the political winds of change will be addressed as Justin looks at potential shifts in bureaucracy, deregulation, privatization and free college initiatives. One Letter, Big Results: Using Debt Letters to Encourage Smart Borrowing View webinar Show Description Join us as we present the findings from our latest research brief, “Loan Summaries: Nudging Students Toward Responsible Borrowing.” We will examine preliminary results of institutional loan summary initiatives at three large universities and the science behind effective debt letters. A case study from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities will demonstrate how the school is integrating letters into student portals as well as training staff to address responsible borrowing during standard student interactions. Finally, we’ll discuss strategies for integrating loan summaries into broader financial education programs to support student success. 2016 Financial Aid Management Practices: The Benefits of Outsourcing Verification View webinar Show Description Join Inceptia as we present highlights from our latest research brief, “Progressive Financial Aid Management Practices: The Benefits of Outsourcing Verification.” We will look at the pain points financial aid professionals are experiencing today, according to the latest NASFAA data. We’ll also address the benefits of outsourcing verification and their impact on helping institutions refocus their resources, get a positive return on investment and built their reputation as an innovative higher education industry leader. The ROI of Financial Education View webinar Show Description Join us as we present the findings from our latest research brief, “The ROI of Financial Education.” We will examine the effects of financial education on student satisfaction and financial stress levels, retention and cohort default rates, and lifelong financial behaviors. A simplified review of the numbers will provide a basis for calculating the return on investment for financial education programs, and we’ll share examples of recognized institutional success through financial education initiatives. Talk to Us Ready to help your students succeed? It's time to join the Inceptia movement. Fill out the required fields and we'll get in touch with you. Full Name:*Title:*Organization/Institution:*Email Address:* Phone Number:*Message:*View Inceptia's full privacy statement.