Collaboration in Action: Three Leaders, One Vision for Student Success at New England College

At New England College (NEC), three leaders—Kristen Blase, Leslie Gray, and Elizabeth Dutton—representing Student Financial Services and Financial Aid, have forged a collaborative partnership that’s reshaping the student financial experience. By working across departmental lines and leveraging Nelnet Campus Commerce’s integrated digital solutions, they’ve moved from manual, fragmented processes to a streamlined, student-centered approach. Their teamwork has not only improved operational efficiency but also empowered students and families with greater flexibility, transparency, and support.

Kristen Blase has been with NEC for over 13 years, guiding the institution through significant changes in payment systems and student support. She reflects on the evolution: “When I arrived, the campus was already using Nelnet, but we were on QuikPay back then, and it did not have the option to do payment plans. We were using TMS for payment plans when I started…We wanted a more integrated solution, and Nelnet offered the enterprise product that did just what we were looking for.”

Leslie Gray, with over five years at NEC, is known for her hands-on approach and deep understanding of the payment plan solutions. She’s passionate about helping students avoid collections and return to campus.

Elizabeth Dutton brings eight years of experience and a unique perspective from both financial aid and accounts receivable, emphasizing the importance of seamless support. “We help students make payments and get to know Nelnet so they can see their billing and see how to make a payment, where to set up a payment plan, and add authorized users,” she said. “We still work with students to provide that high level of customer support as much as we can to get them to the right place to make sure their bills are paid.”

Their partnership is more than just collaboration—it’s a model for how cross-departmental teamwork can drive meaningful change for students and staff alike.

Before embracing Nelnet’s integrated solutions, NEC’s student financial services and financial aid teams faced significant hurdles. Manual processes, fragmented systems, and time-consuming reconciliations created inefficiencies for staff and confusion for students.

For Elizabeth, the challenge was especially acute during her time as bursar: “We were processing the TMS payments manually. So we had to reconcile each month, and it wasn’t a set day that they were always due. Students could change their dates on specific days that they were paying.”

The lack of integration meant that staff spent countless hours on repetitive tasks, with little time left for proactive student support. Kristen recalls, “It would take multiple days to reconcile at the end of each term. The way we did it was just crazy.”

These manual systems also made it difficult to keep student accounts up to date, leading to missed payment deadlines and larger receivables problems. As Kristen explains: “Before Enterprise, we really struggled with students being able to meet the deadline because they would say, ‘Oh, my account’s not up to date,’ or if they dropped a class, that wouldn’t automatically update their payment plan and we’d have to wait and go in and change it.”

For Leslie, the lack of online options for students who were no longer enrolled was a major pain point: “We didn’t have a way for students who were no longer enrolled to pay online or to make some sort of automatic payment. That was really a big hurdle and that was what everybody kept asking.”

These challenges underscored the urgent need for a more efficient, integrated, and student-friendly approach—one that would allow staff to focus on what mattered most: supporting students and improving the campus experience.

Recognizing the need for change, Kristen, Leslie, and Elizabeth joined forces to modernize student financial services at NEC. Their partnership was instrumental in implementing Nelnet’s suite of digital tools—including payment plans, international payments, refunds, and tuition insurance.

The team’s collaborative approach ensured that every department’s needs were considered, resulting in a seamless transition that benefited both staff and students.

The impact of this cross-departmental teamwork is best seen in the stories of students who have benefited from the new systems. Leslie shares, “We used [the past due payment plan] to bridge a gap for a currently enrolled student who wasn’t going to finish a current payment plan the way that it was. It was a very small amount that they owed, but seemed very, very large to them.” She adds, “We were able to get them enrolled in that past due payment plan. They were able to pay that off in that three-month time span, which was more than they normally would have had in those payments and we’ve not had an issue with that student since.”

Leslie mentions another student who had taken a break from school for about two years. “I introduced the past due payment plan, and I did a lot of push out on that one, and that student actually came back, so it was thrilling,” she says.

Kristen adds, “We’ve been really happy with the Flywire integration; we use that a lot. We have a good number of international students and that just makes the payment process seamless, where they can just pay in their own currency right in their Nelnet portal.”

These stories highlight how collaboration and technology can empower students to overcome financial obstacles and continue their education.

The transition to Nelnet has delivered measurable results for NEC.

Manual reconciliations that once took days now happen automatically, freeing staff to focus on student support.

Efficiency gains, improved collections, and enhanced accuracy have strengthened the college’s financial health and empowered staff to make a greater impact.

Despite their successes, the team faced challenges—especially in communication between students, parents, and staff. Kristen explains, “The biggest challenge is having the student and the parent on the same page because some information goes only to the student. Or maybe the parent calls in and the student didn’t tell them something.” She adds, “So we do struggle with that, but it is nice that the students can add their parent right there in the Nelnet portal and then the parent can get the bills sent to them directly. And again, that’s seamless. It’s not something that we have to do manually.”

Continuous improvement and open communication have been key to overcoming these hurdles and ensuring a positive experience for all.

For colleges considering a similar transformation, the NEC team offers practical advice. Kristen encourages, “Don’t be afraid to ask for things you might want because in our experience, Nelnet’s been very responsive to our needs. We were able to get an option for students to electronically sign the financial responsibility statement by using one of the features.”

Their experience shows that strong vendor relationships and a willingness to advocate for campus-specific needs can lead to tailored solutions and lasting success.

The journey doesn’t end here. The team is committed to further automation and innovation. Elizabeth shares, “I would love for the billing feature to be live so that when their insurance is waived, they can see their real true bill instead of having to ask us to create another manual bill for them.”

With a foundation of collaboration and a focus on continuous improvement, NEC is well-positioned to keep enhancing the student financial experience.

The partnership between Kristen Blase, Leslie Gray, and Elizabeth Dutton exemplifies the power of teamwork in higher education. As Leslie reflects, “I can't be appreciative enough how great our team works together because I don't hear that about other campuses between the bursar's office and the financial aid office. The only common denominator is Kristen in this. She's had a hold of it for a very long time. She knows how it runs, and she has expectations. We all try very hard to meet them.”

Their story is a testament to what’s possible when departments unite around a shared vision for student success.