News, Resources, & Events
Stay current with higher education trends and Trellis news and events using our online resources.
Blog
Feeling Ignored? Four Tips for Staying in Touch with Students
Administrators, academic advisors, and financial aid officers may not be able to effectively support their students when communication lines are unreliable. This problem continues to affect universities, even when students seem more reachable [...]
The Changing Landscape of Texas’ Higher Education Students
In 2005, Texas became a majority minority state when its non-White residents comprised the majority of the total population. This change was driven almost exclusively by a growing Hispanic population. As we move into [...]
Welcome to the Trellis Blog!
If you’re new to Trellis, or just new to our blog, we’re excited you found us. And we’re looking forward to providing you with informative articles that you can immediately use in your role, [...]
News
New Research Study Shines a Light on Repayment Expectations and Financial Outcomes for Parent PLUS Borrowers in Texas
By examining loan portfolio data and interviewing parent borrowers, the study reveals the impact of Parent PLUS borrowing. Round Rock, TX – Helping students meet their full financial need to attend college is an [...]
New Report Examines College Students’ Ability to Meet Basic Food Needs and the Impact it has on their Education Aspirations
Trellis Company’s latest research, ‘Studying on Empty: A Qualitative Study of Low Food Security Among College Students,’ followed 72 college students for nine months to monitor the effects of low food security and the [...]
Trellis Company and Trellis Foundation Donate $50,000 to Support Victims of El Paso Shooting
Donations to support the educational needs of victims and their families impacted by the August 3rd tragedy Round Rock, TX – Trellis Company (Trellis) and Trellis Foundation have donated a total of $50,000 to [...]
Upcoming Webinars & Events
Date: 2/19
Time: 1:00 PM CST
Title: Parent PLUS Borrowing: Repayment Experiences and Impacts
Description: With the cost of college continuing to increase significantly, parents have more frequently turned to the Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan program (PLUS) to help finance their children’s higher education goals. Despite the growing popularity of the program, little is known about the repayment experiences of these borrowers and the impact repayment may have on their other financial decisions, such as retirement. Trellis Company’s report, PLUS Borrowing in Texas: Repayment Expectations, Experience, and Hindsight by Minority-Serving Institution Status, uses Trellis’ administrative database of Federal Family Education Loan Program loans and interviews with parent borrowers to address these issues. Learn about the repayment outcomes of PLUS borrowers, the dynamics between parents and children, and more.
Speakers:
Jeff Webster, Director of Research, has worked for Trellis since 1986. Jeff has overseen numerous studies on student loan default, debt burden, student retention, and the demand for financial aid. His area administered the most comprehensive analysis of the efficacy of federal student loan counseling and currently conducts an annual survey on student financial wellness. Jeff has presented to many groups, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, and the Financial Literacy and Education Commission.
Carla Fletcher has worked at Trellis Company since 2005 in the Research Department and currently is a Senior Research Analyst. She has helped develop and maintain numerous public policy reports, including the State of Student Aid and Higher Education in Texas, the School Fact Sheets, and analyses of the risk factors for dropping out of college. She has also developed reports and online tools related to student loan debt-to-income ratios, FAFSA completion, and the efficacy of student loan counseling. Before Trellis Company, Carla worked as a Researcher in the Child Support Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Carla earned her master’s degree from Texas State University – San Marcos.
Wenhua Di joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in March 2006. Her current research interests include higher education finance, small business lending, and program evaluation. Di also serves as the Executive Director of the Dallas-Fort Worth Federal Statistical Research Data Center (DFW FSRDC). The DFW FSRDC, located at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, provides researchers access to restricted data from federal agencies and other organizations. The center is supported by a partnership between the U.S. Census Bureau and ten regional research institutions. Before she joined the Dallas Fed, Di was a visiting assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. She taught probability and statistics, econometrics, environmental economics, and resource economics. She also worked as a consultant at the World Bank. She holds a PhD in public policy with a concentration in environmental economics from Harvard University and an MS and a BS from Peking University.
