HARTFORD, Conn. — Michelle Jarvis-Lettman, of Windsor, made history Friday when she became the state of Connecticut’s first student loan ombudsperson.
Jarvis-Lettman was appointed by Gov. Ned Lamont, when he announced the creation of the state Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson. The office will serve as the state’s chief authority and specialist on all issues related to student loans, according to a release from Lamont’s office.
“I am excited to be appointed Connecticut’s first student loan ombudsperson,” Jarvis-Lettman said in the release. “Throughout my career in higher education, I have worked in all types of colleges and universities from four-year universities to community colleges, and I am thrilled to be taking on this role.”
The establishment of the office resulted from legislation approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Lamont. Administratively held with the state Department of Banking, the office is led by a student loan ombudsperson appointed as the agency’s commissioner.
Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez appointed Jarvis-Lettman to the role.
Lamont said that with more than 500,000 borrowers in Connecticut, there is great need to expand the resources related to student loans that are available to the people of the state. He added that the new office will be particularly helpful in the years to come, as nationwide uncertainty grows surrounding student loans.
“Michelle Jarvis-Lettman and the Connecticut Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson will be able to provide valuable guidance to those who need it,” Lamont said.
According to Perez, Jarvis-Lettman is an expert on student loans and will complement the work his department has already accomplished in the field.
“The additional capacity will not only allow us to reach more borrowers and assist them as they navigate this often-complex landscape, the office will help ensure student loan servicers are treating Connecticut borrowers fairly,” Perez said.
Jarvis-Lettman has accumulated over 15 years of higher education experience. She’s worked as a student financial aid professional and has extensive experience dealing with student loans and repayment and forgiveness programs.
Jarvis-Lettman previously served as the financial aid consultant for Worcester State University in Worcester, Mass., and as the financial aid director at Our Lady of Elms in Chicopee, Mass. She also worked as the bursar for the University of Hartford in West Hartford and as associate financial aid director for Wesleyan University in Middletown.
“My passion is helping student loan borrowers fully understand their rights and responsibilities when it comes to paying back their loans, and I look forward to assisting as many people as possible,” Jarvis-Lettman said.
After earning a master’s degree in higher education administration from Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Mass., Jarvis-Lettman attained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Worcester State University. She has also been a key presenter on topics concerning financial literacy to broad audiences such as the Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, according to the release.
The Office of the Student Loan Ombudsperson is statutorily charged with several duties related to student loans, such as assisting in the resolution of complaints from student loan borrowers received by the Department of Banking, analyzing data on student loan borrower complaints and helping student loan borrowers to understand their rights and responsibilities under the student education loan terms.
The office also provides information to the public, state agencies, legislators and others regarding the problems and concerns of student loan borrowers, making recommendations for resolving them.
Additionally, Jarvis-Lettman’s new office will disseminate information regarding its availability to help loan borrowers and potential student loan borrowers while coordinating with other state agencies on student loan initiatives to achieve an effective statewide, comprehensive approach for borrowers.
According to Lamont’s office, citing the Education Data Initiative, over 507,200 student borrowers live in Connecticut, which amounts to about 14% of the state’s population. These borrowers have a total of $18.6 billion in student loan debt, averaging $36,672 per person.
More than 50% of these borrowers are under age 35. Lamont’s office says that among the state’s indebted borrowers, 12.2% owe less than $5,000; 23.4% owe $20,000 to $40,000; and 2.29% owe more than $200,000.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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