Imagine stacks of $100 bills stretching from Earth past the International Space Station — that’s the staggering reality of America’s $1.77 trillion student debt crisis. Heather Jarvis, executive director of Fosterus — a nonprofit that helps employers administer loan assistance programs — joins host Monique Akanbi to unpack how this burden affects today’s workforce and why employer-sponsored loan repayment programs are a win for both employees and organizations. Together, they explore how expanding access to these benefits can help close equity gaps across race, ethnicity, and gender. They also share tax-advantage strategies for offering cost-effective support.

This podcast is approved for .5 PDCs toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification. Listen to the complete episode to get your activity ID at the end. ID expires August 1, 2026.

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