By Ascendium Education Group
At Ascendium, we believe education and training after high school can transform lives, leading to financial stability, a fulfilling career and a stronger community. We’re on a mission to elevate opportunity, and we work to break down barriers that prevent too many people from achieving their education and career goals.
We do this by:
● Helping borrowers successfully repay their student loans.
● Providing colleges and businesses with solutions that promote student and employee success.
● Funding initiatives that increase outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.
● Investing in companies that advance change to education and workforce training systems.
And everyone at Ascendium plays a critical role in our mission. Whether they spend their days crunching numbers, assisting federal student loan borrowers, supporting grant partners, or making executive decisions, our employees make a difference in people’s lives. Our commitment to elevating opportunity doesn’t stop with borrowers, customers and grant partners, either. It extends to the communities where we live and work.
The passion our employees have for serving their communities is reflected in the time they spend volunteering. In 2024, Ascendium employees volunteered over 6,000 hours in their communities. This was facilitated by Ascendium’s volunteer time off program, which encourages every employee to spend up to eight hours of paid time off each year volunteering.
“It is fun to see the ripples of goodness that Ascendium’s employees are creating in the community through this program — happy, healthy kids; grateful parents; spruced-up spaces; nourished families; and much, much more,” said Deputy General Counsel Jenny.
In addition to promoting employees’ community involvement, Ascendium is committed to community giving. In 2024, for instance, Ascendium gave $25,000 grants to 28 Madison-area nonprofits, as nominated and voted on by employees. Now in its fourth year, this Good Neighbor Grants program is intended to fund essential community projects, such as educational initiatives and support services for low-income families. Since 2021, 90 nonprofits have received Good Neighbor Grants for a total of $3.3 million in gifts from Ascendium.
Helping people achieve their dreams is joyful work, and that joy is reflected in a workplace where employees feel valued and supported to do their best in the office and the community. This employees-first culture is the reason we’ve earned a Top Workplaces designation, both nationally and in the Madison area for five consecutive years.
Learn more at ascendiumeducation.org.
