#WISHRM22 Exhibitor Spotlight: Ascendium with Debbie Murphy

As a part of the WISHRM State Conference SMILE Team, I have the opportunity to connect with speakers and exhibitors and learn more about what to expect at the upcoming conference.

Today I spoke with one of the WISHRM22 Exhibitors, Debbie Murphy, about Ascendium.

Q & A with Debbie:

1. Who should stop by the Ascendium booth?

Any HR professional who is looking for new and effective ways to address recruitment and retention issues of an educated/skilled workforce. There are a lot of organizations who haven’t considered offering Student Loan Repayment Assistance (SLRA) and support as a benefit yet, they may have an EAP with tuition reimbursement but are not aware of how SLRA would benefit them and their workforce.

2. What do you want WISHRM22 attendees to know about Ascendium?

• We are a non-profit organization, education philanthropy, with a mission to make education and training beyond high school a reality for more people. Part of our focus includes helping college or college bound students minimize and manage their student loan debt.

• With 55 years of experience with student loans and a relationship with the Department of Education and student loan servicers we have the knowledge and experience it takes to provide trusted and true student loan support benefit solutions.

• Our company has the infrastructure and people to interpret student loan legislation, ensure compliance, update materials, and provide trained federal student loan coaches for your employees to resource. This is an important qualification in a period of confusion and rapid change.

• We don’t upsell your employees. Where some organizations introduce services and fees directly to employees. Our customers can be rest assured, we won’t take advantage of their employees nor our relationship as their partner.

3. Is there anything you want attendees to know about you?

I can’t wait to meet you! I’m dedicated to helping find the right Attigo by Ascendium solutions for you and your employees. I’ve been working for Ascendium, headquartered in Madison, for more than 31 years, because it’s a company I believe in and a mission I’m passionate about.

4. What are you most looking forward to at WISHRM22?

Reconnecting with people I met last year and meeting new people too! And who doesn’t love conference chicken!! 😊 But in all seriousness I do love connecting with others and learning from them, understanding their company goals, some of the challenges they are experiencing and hearing about their wins too!

5. The 2022 SHRM Benefits Survey which surveyed over 3,000 organizations showed only 7% of companies are offering company-provided student loan repayment. Why should employers be offering this type of benefit?

For several reasons actually:

• Payments, up to $5,250 annually, are tax-free within the context of an Education Assistance Program (EAP), meaning they do not qualify as taxable income to the employee nor as a taxable expenditure to the employer.

• After months of rapid wage growth, salaries are stabilizing and attention is shifting from attracting talent to retaining it. Employee benefits are becoming a key focal point for differentiation.

• Since the onset of the COVID-19 health crisis, the concept of work-life balance has changed dramatically and the dynamic between employees and employers has shifted. Workers feel more stressed than ever before, but also more empowered. This combination fueled The Great Resignation and also supported a renewed focus on the “Whole Employee” model of holistic wellness programs and supplemental benefits, like SLRA.

• It's a win-win for employers seeking to build and maintain the highest quality team, and a stress-relieving perk for employees who have student loan debt.

• Offering SLRA means employers can compete for and retain a quality workforce and improve productivity and engagement levels.

- 55% of job seekers turned down a job at least one to three times due to dissatisfaction with benefits.

- 88% say they would increase their commitment to their employer if offered SLRA.

• Employees will feel less financial stress, more easily reach financial goals, and be able to save for retirement.

6. Are there any additional things you wish for Wisconsin HR professionals and people leaders to know?

• We have many resources available to help HR Professionals learn about student loan repayment assistance and support, how to evaluate if it’s the right fit for their organization and how to implement a program.

• Our website is located at attigo.com. I encourage your readers to go check out our blog topics and helpful resources like our e-book the Employers Guide to Implementing a Successful Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program, our SLRA ROI interactive calculator and our national survey that measures employee sentiment around student loan debt and a paydown benefit.

• And I’m happy to be a resource too – feel free to reach out to me directly with questions you have.

Meet Debbie:

Debbie is equally as passionate about helping prospective clients find the right solution to address recruitment and retention goals as she is about helping individuals succeed in their pursuit of higher education. She was a non-traditional student – it took her 24 years to earn her BSM graduating from Cardinal Stritch University in 2009. She persisted with the support of family, friends, and her employer (Ascendium). Both of Debbie’s children are off her payroll now as they are both professionally successful and each earned their bachelor’s degrees from universities in Wisconsin.

Visit Debbie at the WISHRM22 Exhibitor Hall:

Take a Deep Dive Into Student Loan Repayment Assistance via Ascendium's recent blog post.

Considering offering SLRA and want to see the return on investment in offering it as part of your EAP? Visit their ROI Calculator.

Contact Debbie: 800.491.8210 | dmurphy@ascendiumeducation.org