In order to continue the trend of falling student loan debt default rates in the state of Iowa, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) has taken a proactive approach by implementing new intervention strategies and offering loan repayment services for its students.
“Students who are retained and complete a credential are overwhelmingly able to repay loans, so the college focuses our efforts on early prevention, retention and degree completion to attain a family-sustaining wage,” explained Kristin Dietzel, NICC executive director of institutional effectiveness. “Students who achieve a 15-credit threshold are much more likely to complete their program of study, graduate, obtain strong employment, repay debt and contribute to the community.”