Inceptia From Receivables to Retention

Case Study: WSU Tech Using Institutional Balance Outreach to Reduce Outstanding Balances and Support Student Persistence

Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) faced a challenge familiar to many institutions: a growing number of students with outstanding balances that created hurdles to continued enrollment while increasing administrative workload.⁷ Institutional leaders recognized that many of these students still intended to continue their education but needed additional support understanding their options and resolving their accounts. To address the challenge, WSU Tech partnered with Inceptia to implement Institutional Balance Outreach, a proactive student engagement program designed to help institutions connect with students who have outstanding balances, explain available resolution options, and remove barriers to continued enrollment. Approximately 1,800 student accounts were included in the initiative.

“Every student we help stay enrolled is one more individual moving toward a career, contributing to our workforce and making a better life for their families. This work is about meeting students where they are, helping them understand their options, and removing barriers so they can stay on track, complete their education, and keep moving forward.” — Lacey Ledwich, FAAC Executive Director of Student Financial Services, WSU Tech While the financial outcomes were significant, the broader impact was the institution’s ability to reconnect with students, remove barriers to enrollment, and support retention goals that might otherwise have been compromised by unresolved balances. Beyond the financial outcomes, the initiative reduced the burden on institutional staff while helping students better understand their obligations and identify pathways forward.

Within 12 weeks, the institution achieved measurable results:

• More than 55% reduction in outstanding balances • 1,179 student accounts resolved • Average resolved balance of $652 per student • Nearly 3,000% return on investment