"With only two weeks before she had to report to federal prison in 2019, Ashley Furst scrambled to get her affairs in order. Top of the list: what to do about the nearly $50K in student loan debt she had taken on to earn her master’s degree?" Open Campus reports.

... "Last week, Ryan and I were invited to be on a panel organized by Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network hoping to answer some of those questions. We were joined by Sheila Meiman, prison education specialist at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators; Persis Yu, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center; and Aaron Smith, cofounder of Savi."

"Meiman framed student loan default as 'a massive reentry issue' beyond just educational access. She highlighted how debt impacts credit scores, which in turn impacts access to housing, transportation, and more. She emphasized the need to 'tenaciously' pursue solutions while people are incarcerated, not after release, so they are in a better position to reenter society."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 9/6/2023