Day 1 Sessions
Listen to all of the insight from the first full day of Flywire Fusion, including how leading institutions are driving cross-departmental collaboration, improving affordability for their students and much more.
Product Keynote & Hackathon Kickoff
David King, Flywire Corey Rethage, Flywire
Join this session to hear our product vision as well as find out more about near- and long-term priorities that will help you further embrace innovation to better serve students through our education solutions. We will also vote LIVE on what enhancement our development team will build during our first-ever Fusion hackathon that will be unveiled at the conclusion of our event on Wednesday!
Student Success + You: Unifying the Journey
Sharon Butler, Flywire Daniel Hoyle, Arizona State University
Feeling like what you do really makes a difference is one of the best parts of your job, right? There are so many factors in driving student success in today’s higher education reality – and you are a very big part of that. But getting a handle on exactly how you can help students each and every day might be tough.
As we look to prepare for the future, discover how unifying the student journey from application through graduation can optimize the experience—and even more so for international students who have to navigate the visa process and other requirements to study abroad. In this session, we will discuss:
- Needs and preferences of students from different countries
- Tools and knowledge to create a more positive experience for your students
- Best practices for processes, student support and strategies to engage key influencers, such as agents and parents
Institution Spotlight: Cross-Campus Collaboration
Jennifer Lightfoot, Texas A&M University Kathryn Holder, Texas A&M University Erin Porter, Texas A&M University Charmaine Daniels, Flywire
Why can't we be friends? Here's how key stakeholders from Texas A&M have had great success with cross-campus collaboration to drive change and achieve a common set of goals, including their approach to streamlining processes, getting buy-in for tech changes, and providing an optimal student experience. In this session, we’ll cover:
- Why collaboration is key to institutional success
- Strategies for getting cross-functional buy in
- How to tell your story of successful collaboration
Institution Panel: Driving Affordability
Brett Cassell, University of Colorado Boulder Alyse Kwapien, University of Connecticut Carlos Martinez, Texas A&M University - San Antonio Thomas McWhorter, Northeastern University Sharon Butler, Flywire
With the current regulatory landscape and discussions around the value of a higher ed degree, driving affordability for students has never been more important. Hear how four institutions are improving affordability on their campuses for both current and past-due students by offering flexible payment options, interest-free payment plans, and more. In this session, you’ll:
- Learn why affordability is a growing concern
- Understand the key institutional stakeholders that impact affordability
- Discover strategies you can implement today to drive affordability
Proven Best Practices for Driving Receivables & Cash Flow
Isaiah Behnke, University of Virginia Corey Jackson, University of Pittsburgh Amy Wang, Columbia University Corey Rethage, Flywire
Are you utilizing Flywire’s education solutions to the fullest potential? Curious what additional capabilities our solutions offer to help you accelerate receivables? This session will highlight proven best practices and configurations to efficiently drive success. From allowing students to begin paying earlier to automating the past-due collections process to help save time and enrollments, clients will share:
- Data-driven best practices for optimizing Flywire’s solutions
- Tactical ways to drive receivables and cash flow
- Unique approaches to engage with students and third parties to drive on-time payments
The Foreign Exchange Effect: the Real Cost of Attendance
Ivor Emmanuel, University of California - Berkeley Katie Van Wyk, Dir. International Admissions and Enrollment Mohit Kansal, Flywire
Preparing students for the full cost-to-degree is a new focus for institutions as they work toward ensuring student success. For international students, their families, and the institutions looking to drive their success, providing more education and clarity around the effect of foreign exchange (FX) rates on tuition costs is a growing and increasingly important focus. In this session, we'll dig into:
- The issue and why it matters across departments
- The impact of inflation and a strong US dollar on international student tuition and the international student population
- Strategies that are working for institutions who are serving established and emerging markets
Generating Income Growth: Understanding the goals of a new generation of students and the financial literacy tools to get them there
Lottia Windham, Austin Community College
As our economy continues to change and grow, more and more people are joining the gig economy, diving into freelance gigs, side projects, and short-term jobs. This includes current and potential higher education students – who may choose work in the gig economy, may already be on that path to support their academic goals, and more. Understanding their financial goals is critical to supporting their academic ones – and ensuring the best student outcomes.
This interactive and highly-rated financial literacy session will:
- Delve into the specific financial hurdles and advantages the gig generation encounters
- Explore real insight and tools to empower your student population and yourself for the changing economic landscape
- Provide actionable tips for preparing this generation with financial literacy skills and securing financial stability in this ever-changing landscape
Navigating Enrollment Pressures: Innovative Strategies to Attract, Enroll, and Retain Students
Alejandra Sosa Pieroni, Georgia Southern University
In the current landscape of higher education, colleges and universities face unprecedented enrollment pressures driven by shifting demographics, changing student expectations, and heightened competition. Economic uncertainties and the rapid evolution of technology compound these challenges. This presentation provides a high-level overview of the key factors contributing to enrollment declines and offers actionable strategies to help institutions (public or private) navigate these challenges. The session will include:
- An overview of trends in higher education enrollment
- Growth matrix to guide the development of strategies
- Real strategies at work to attract, enroll, and retain students
Flywire Flock: Finance
Janet Hicks, University of South Florida Maria Brown, North Carolina State University
Join us for an open discussion and dialogue around key topics facing higher ed finance teams. Share your insights and observations pertaining to topics that may include:
- Institutional affordability, particularly over the enrollment period to degree
- Use of institutional dollars and programs to assist students
- How to approach collecting overdue tuition in light of legislative and regulatory changes around transcript holds
- Supporting alternative instructional models (off campus/online, three year degrees, additional professional training, etc.)
Flywire Flock: International/ Enrollment/Admissions
Daniel Saud, University of Arizona Rob Reddy, Saint Louis University
Join us for an open discussion and dialogue around key topics facing higher ed international, admissions and enrollment teams. Share your insights and observations pertaining to topics that may include:
- How affordability is impacting admissions and retention, progression, and graduation (RPG) across institutions
- The most important strategies you have seen/implemented for successful collaboration with your finance colleagues (bursar, financial aid, CFO)
- How you are leveraging technology to better serve your students through internal or external operational improvements
Elevating Your Banking Experience For Superior Student Satisfaction
Thor Perplies, Citi Commercial Bank Kevin Kelly, Citi Commercial Bank Kirsten Mitchell, Flywire Dave O’Brien, Flywire
This session will be an insightful panel discussion where we explore trends in finance and treasury operations across higher education and how they can be harnessed to enhance the banking experience of the institutions. We’ll connect financial practices in academia to innovative banking strategies to support you with delivering a superior student experience. Attendees will:
- Learn how to leverage emerging trends and innovations in banking to enhance their treasury operations
- Gain insights into practical strategies for integrating digital transformation in treasury and financial processes
- Acquire insights into how banks and fintech companies provide support to higher ed institutions that can lead to improved student satisfaction