Dave Girard

Investing in Students

Sean Green, Mike Cagney, Dave Girard, Bob Whelan, David Bergeron, Bill Bennett, Tony Miller

Addressing the $1.3 trillion U.S. student loan crisis, panelists including David Bergeron and industry leaders from SoFi and Upstart proposed shifting from traditional lending to investment-based models like Income Share Agreements and equity financing. These alternative structures aim to align educational costs with future earnings and force institutions to accept financial consequences for poor student outcomes, thereby challenging the cultural resistance to viewing higher education as a quantifiable investment. While innovative platforms have demonstrated low default rates through community accountability and flexible repayment terms, the discussion concluded that widespread adoption remains hindered by federal regulatory ambiguity and institutional reluctance to forfeit guaranteed federal protections.