LU Moment: LU stands out for low student debt | S9 Ep. 4

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Podcast: S9 Ep. 4
Date: February 16, 2026
Title: LU Moment: LU stands out for low student debt | S9 Ep. 4
Host: John Rollins

JOHN ROLLINS: Welcome to The LU Moment, where we showcase all the great things happening with 蜜桃视频 University faculty, staff, students, and alumni. I’m John Rollins, associate director of community relations and public affairs here at LU, and I want to welcome you all to this week’s show. In a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, 蜜桃视频 University was featured as the No. 1 public four-year institution in Texas for low student debt. That’s incredible. Here today to tell us more about what contributes to making this possible for our university, we’ve got Megan Begnaud joining the podcast. Welcome to the show, Megan.

MEGAN BEGNAUD: Thank you. I'm excited to be here.

JOHN: This is a topic that needs to be discussed. It’s amazing for our university to have this spotlight and recognition right now, so we figured we’d bring you in to share more about it. We’re so glad to have you. You are the director of student aid here at 蜜桃视频 University. Could you explain some of the ways the Office of Student Aid works to make achievements like this possible?

MEGAN: Yes, obviously there are a lot of factors that go into this. It’s very exciting for our efforts in the Student Aid office to be highlighted because I truly have an amazing team. They work so hard behind the scenes and directly with students and their families. It’s a lot of work that students don’t really see—they don’t always know what goes into it. And sometimes we don’t hear from students until they’re upset or have questions they don’t understand, often at the very last minute. We’ve really made a huge shift to support students in having a better understanding of what’s needed from them and what’s available to them. I know when I was a student, I just didn’t know—it wasn’t something I was familiar with. There’s also a lot of information overload. Students are trying to manage so many things, and at 17 or 18 years old, as they’re about to graduate high school, college finances aren’t always top of mind. They may be compartmentalizing or just focused on graduation. So, we really try to get in front of students and their families as early as possible—meeting with juniors and their families so they can have a clear timeline. We communicate opportunities such as grants, priority deadlines, scholarships that are available, and what those deadlines mean. When I say, “priority deadline,” I think sometimes people get concerned or even panic a little—which honestly isn’t a bad thing. What it means is that if you complete those items before the priority deadline, you’re at the top of the list to receive funding that may be available and that you could be matched with. We encourage students to get those things done quickly so they have the best chance of receiving all available aid. The later those items are completed, the less funding may be available. Beyond that, we really focus on walking students through the process. I don’t love the phrase “hand-holding,” but in many ways, that’s what they deserve. It’s a lot to navigate, and we want to give them all the resources and tools they need. Our outreach team does a wonderful job of meeting students where they are. Some students need very little assistance, and others need additional support—and we’re here for whatever level of help they need.

JOHN: So yeah, you all are involved from beginning to end, right? And like you said, especially with incoming freshmen—18 years old—they don’t necessarily know the ins and outs of financial aid. I felt the same way when I was in college; I didn’t know everything that was available. Then you hear about Pell Grants and different scholarships you can apply for, and it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. I think what your department does is one of the most important roles on campus, to be honest. So let’s go ahead—I want to give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to our listeners. Tell us a little more about your background and how long you’ve been at 蜜桃视频.

MEGAN: Sure. I’ve been with 蜜桃视频 for five years. I’m born and raised in Southeast Texas, and I really love this area. I’m married to someone I’ve known since kindergarten, and he’s also a 蜜桃视频 graduate.

JOHN: So you are truly Southeast Texas.

MEGAN: So, we’re Southeast Texas through and through. I went to 蜜桃视频 and graduated with my bachelor’s in marketing. I thought I was going to be an insurance agent—I don’t really know how that happened—but I ended up shifting my career for a long time into the human resources field. Then I had the opportunity to serve on the student side and be a resource for students. It’s really about providing a service in a different capacity, and students are a lot more fun than employers and employees. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to come back to where I came from.

JOHN: But you were telling me earlier that you have a unique story. You were at another university, correct, and maybe didn’t have the best experience with their financial aid department? When you came here, you wanted to be a better resource for students than what you experienced. Can you tell us a little more about that?

MEGAN: Yeah, so when I was a senior, I had gone to another institution and was going through the process there. I really didn’t have the best experience—I felt frustrated with the information I was getting from their financial aid department and didn’t have a clear understanding. I just said, “You know what, I’m going to go to 蜜桃视频 and see what information I can get.” I had a wonderful experience here, and it really changed the trajectory of my life. I joined a sorority, made lifelong friends, and was very active on campus. It was awesome to be close to home while still meeting people from all over—and, like I said, they’re my lifelong friends. Now, I always think about myself at 18 and the information I didn’t have. I try to ensure that everyone in our office approaches our families and students with that same servant’s disposition. I hope we’re always able to fulfill that role for them.

JOHN: Yeah, well, I love that you keep using the word service, because I think for all of us who work here on 蜜桃视频’s campus, everything comes back to the students. That’s why we’re here—that’s why a college or university exists. Having that mindset, no matter what role you’re in, and remembering that we’re here to ensure the success of our students—that’s what it’s all about. I love that you keep bringing that up because it really should be our top priority. So, what are some things that you think a lot of people might not know about the Office of Student Aid? Are there any misconceptions or rumors out there—like, “I don’t think I could apply for this” or “I wouldn’t qualify?” What would you tell students or individuals to encourage them to come see your office?

MEGAN: We really don’t have enough time to go through all the things people don’t know about financial aid—that’s a big list. Maybe that’s a topic for another show. But there are definitely a lot of areas that students just aren’t aware of, and it’s no fault of their own. There’s just a lot of information to manage. For example, we have students who will call after their first year saying, “I’m not seeing my financial aid on my account.” And we have to politely tell them that it’s because they didn’t complete the FAFSA application again for that year. So part of what we do is communicate that it’s not a one-and-done process. We try to be very diligent about reaching out—we send text messages and emails to let students know what we need from them so that, by the first week of school, their financial aid is dispersed to their account. We’re always looking for areas where students need extra guidance, making notes, and then improving our communication for the next semester. A lot of it is also reminding students that these processes happen year after year. The same goes for awards—we don’t always receive the same funds each year, so what was available last year may not be available this year. We work to distribute funds in the best way possible based on what we receive. So, really, it’s often just a matter of understanding the process.

JOHN: But I want to highlight what you mentioned about your proactivity—starting early, even in junior year. I know last year there was something called the Early Bird Admit program. Is that when it starts, in junior year? Yes, and you almost have to start that early. By the time students become seniors, if they haven’t really chosen a college yet, it’s already late—they need to begin the process sooner. I love that you all are emphasizing that and putting it out there for students.

MEGAN: It kind of takes the guesswork out of the process. I say this all the time: students are really just trying to get through school. But unfortunately, that’s not how the timeline works. Our scholarship applications open up a year in advance. We have students who complete their scholarship applications and submit their FAFSA as soon as it opens, and then we have students who call just a couple of weeks before school starts saying, “I don’t really have the funds to pay for this semester.” That makes it harder for us. If students have those conversations earlier, we have more funds available to help them.

JOHN: To check things out, right? On that note—if a student runs into a financial issue a week or two before school starts—are you able to set up payment plans to help? Like, could they pay half upfront and then the rest over time?

MEGAN: Yes, we actually direct those students to the Student Business Office—they handle setting up payment plans. We stay in communication with them, and if a student has something preventing them from receiving their aid—maybe something was submitted late—we can let them know. We can even put a hold on their account so there aren’t any issues with enrollment. There are a lot of ways we can help, but the key is that the student has to communicate with us—that’s where early communication really makes a difference. We can avoid a lot of the scrambling last minute.

JOHN: Meet in the middle, right?

MEGAN: Yes.

JOHN: And I just learned that scholarships open a year ahead of time—I didn’t even know that. That’s really important information for anyone listening. There was a recent story that April Thompson, our communications specialist at 蜜桃视频, published on the LU News site. It noted that more than 2,000 scholarships are awarded annually, totaling over $20 million in student assistance. That’s huge for 蜜桃视频 University! Could you speak to how students can go about finding these scholarships a year in advance? How do they research, start applying, and figure out which opportunities they might be eligible for?

MEGAN: We have what we call our general university scholarships. These are awards where incoming students with a specific GPA and class rank are automatically matched to them—these are awards directly from the university. There’s a common myth that if a student gets one of these, it’s the only scholarship they can receive, but that’s not true. We’re excited to tell students there are many more scholarship opportunities available. We have very generous donors who have built strong relationships with 蜜桃视频 and continue to support students in different areas. Students complete our general scholarship application, which matches them to awards across all of our colleges that aren’t specific to a major or degree plan. Each college also has a shorter, more specific application for scholarships tied to that college. The great thing about this system—and I don’t want to date myself—is that back when I was in college, you had to apply for every opportunity individually online. Now, once a student completes these applications, our system automatically matches them to all scholarships they qualify for. It really takes minimal time to complete the applications and opens up access to opportunities across campus. That’s why I always tell students to complete their scholarship applications. Some donors have very unique requirements—like attending a particular high school, being part of a certain organization, or having a family member connected to a group—and sometimes only a few applicants meet those criteria. Students often think, “Oh, I probably won’t qualify for anything,” but they’d be surprised at what’s available. I always say—you never win the lottery if you don’t play.

JOHN: I love that. Well, I love that this new system or method that you all are using hones in on that and shares, you know, suggestions that this might be one that you you'd seem to meet the qualifications. Why not apply for it? I think that's awesome. And then there's things like the Presidential Scholarship, that's, I believe, $100,000 and a full ride scholarship. You can't beat that.

MEGAN: Yes, our Presidential Scholarship interviews are some of the most fun. The interview process is extensive, but making the scholarship offers is my favorite time of year. We get to visit local high schools and often surprise students—sometimes at a pep rally, depending on the time of year. It’s incredibly exciting for us to see those students and know that they’ll be joining us.

JOHN: I love the pep rally photos when you all go, because it’s like you’re presenting the scholarship in front of their peers. That’s amazing for 蜜桃视频 as well, because other students see it and think, “Well, I could go there too. 蜜桃视频 hadn’t been on my radar, but maybe now it is.” So, let’s go ahead and wrap up with this: in 2025, the Carnegie Classifications recognized 蜜桃视频 University as an Opportunity College and University. This speaks to the power of expanding access and success for underserved student populations, first-generation students, and many others. Could you speak a little about that, especially in regard to financial aid? Underserved student populations, first generation students and so many others. So, could you speak to that a little bit in regard to financial aid as well?

MEGAN: I think that really goes back to what we were talking about earlier—meeting students where they are. If you’re a first-generation student, you might not have a full understanding of financial aid. Even if you’re not, many of us didn’t fully understand it at the time. We know that 蜜桃视频 has a high-need population, which means a lot of students qualify for financial aid. In fact, 90% of our undergraduate students receive financial aid. Because many students don’t have a clear understanding of the process, we have to lean in and provide the support they need. It’s about helping them feel confident in what they’re doing and making sure they’ve completed all the necessary steps.

JOHN: You’re there to educate, right? Ninety percent—that’s incredible that 蜜桃视频 is able to support students on that scale. So tell me this, and then we’ll wrap up real quick: what are the days and hours of operation for your office? And how can people—whether online or by phone—get in touch with you to learn more about these opportunities?

MEGAN: We’re here Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but we start check-ins at 8:30 and wrap them up around 4:30 to give everyone a little extra time. We’re available by phone, email, and of course for in-person visits—you don’t need an appointment. We have a check-in system to make sure everyone meets with a counselor. For our online students, or those who work during the day and can’t come in during regular hours, we offer a system where they can schedule an online appointment with one of our counselors. It’s great because they can share their screens if they’re having issues, and we can walk them through the process step by step. If a student needs help outside of regular hours, we also have Chirp, our interactive virtual assistant. It’s multilingual, so students or parents who need support in another language can ask questions. Chirp combs through and provides answers, and if the question isn’t fully resolved, it gives them the option to schedule a virtual appointment or access our contact information. We really try to meet students wherever they are and work around their availability—it’s all about making support accessible.

JOHN: Well, Megan, thanks again for joining me on the show and for everything your department does to ensure our students are successful both during college and beyond. For any prospective students, parents, or guardians who may be listening, save the date for 蜜桃视频 University’s largest open house event, Cardinal View, taking place on Saturday, February 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside the Sheila Umphrey Recreational Sports Center and the Student Setzer Center here on LU’s campus. This event will be packed with guided tours, an academic showcase featuring faculty from over 60 programs, campus and community resources and organizations, and there’s even a chance to win multiple scholarships throughout the day. Thank you, Megan, and the entire Financial Aid team. For more information, visit lamar.edu/cardinalview. And as always, search The LU Moment on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts to keep up with the events, activities, programs, and people right here at 蜜桃视频 University. This is John Rollins, your host—thank you for listening, and we’ll talk to you next time.