Womble Bond Dickinson’s Kelly Lipinski was an invited speaker at the Education Finance Council’s Annual Membership Meeting on March 19. She participated in a panel discussing the emerging partnership between private education lenders and higher education institutions to increase student borrower access to credit. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated the federal Grad PLUS loan program beginning July 1, 2026. As a result, colleges and private lenders are exploring partnerships to support borrowing, managing financial risk, and improve student outcomes.
The panel discussed legal and structural guardrails applicable to lenders and schools, as well as strategic considerations for lenders looking to collaborate with schools.
Kelly was joined by panelists Stephanie K. Chin, Senior Vice President, Structured Finance Research, Morningstar DBRS; Steven W. McCullough, President and CEO, ISL Education Lending, and Phillip Wambsganss, President/Executive Director, Higher Education Servicing Corporation, HESC Solutions, Inc. and North Texas Higher Education Authority, Inc. Sara Parrish, President, CampusDoor, and Chief Operating Officer, Incenter Lender Services served as the session moderator.