Director of Financial Aid Resume Example

Director of Financial Aid · Northeastern University

Boston, MA · 2019 - Present

• Oversee the administration of over $300 million in federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid for 30,000+ students across undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Led a team of 25 financial aid professionals, achieving a 98% accuracy rate in aid disbursement and compliance with Title IV regulations.
• Implemented a new student communication platform, reducing financial aid inquiry response times by 30% and increasing student satisfaction by 15%.
• Developed and managed a $20 million institutional aid budget, strategically allocating funds to support university enrollment goals and student retention initiatives.
• Successfully guided the institution through three federal program reviews with 100% compliance and no significant findings.

Associate Director of Financial Aid · Boston University

Boston, MA · 2012 - 2019

• Managed a portfolio of federal and state grant programs totaling $80 million, ensuring compliance and timely disbursement to over 15,000 students.
• Supervised a team of 10 financial aid counselors, improving processing efficiency by 20% through workflow optimization and training.
• Developed and delivered financial literacy workshops to over 2,500 students annually, resulting in a 10% reduction in loan default rates.
• Coordinated annual FAFSA completion campaigns, increasing FAFSA submission rates by 18% for incoming students.
• Played a key role in the successful implementation of a new financial aid management system (Banner), streamlining application review and award packaging processes.

Assistant Director of Financial Aid · University of New Hampshire

Durham, NH · 2008 - 2012

• Administered federal student loan programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, for 10,000+ undergraduate students.
• Counseled students and families on financial aid options, resulting in a 95% satisfaction rate for counseling services.
• Processed over 5,000 financial aid applications annually, ensuring accuracy and adherence to federal guidelines.
• Assisted in the development of institutional aid policies and procedures, contributing to a more equitable distribution of funds.
• Provided training to new staff on federal regulations and university-specific financial aid processes.

Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education Administration · Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · 2006 - 2008

• Specialized in educational policy and finance.
• Completed thesis on "Impact of Federal Aid Policies on Student Enrollment Trends."
• Achieved a 3.9 GPA.

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance · University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA · 2001 - 2005

• Graduated Magna Cum Laude.
• Member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society.
• Recipient of the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence.

Director of Financial Aid · Austin Community College District

Austin, TX · 2017 - Present

• Managed an annual financial aid budget of over $150 million, supporting 40,000+ students across 11 campuses, increasing federal and state aid disbursement by 18% over five years.
• Led a team of 35 financial aid professionals, improving student satisfaction scores by 25% through enhanced counseling services and streamlined application processes.
• Implemented a new FAFSA completion campaign that resulted in a 30% increase in FAFSA submissions among first-time students, boosting Pell Grant eligibility.
• Reduced student loan default rates by 2.1 percentage points (from 16.5% to 14.4%) through proactive financial literacy workshops and exit counseling initiatives.
• Secured $1.5 million in competitive state grants for emergency student aid programs, assisting over 1,200 at-risk students in persisting through their studies.

Associate Director of Financial Aid · Lone Star College System

Houston, TX · 2012 - 2017

• Oversaw financial aid operations for three campuses, processing aid for 25,000+ students and ensuring compliance with Title IV regulations during annual audits.
• Developed and implemented an online aid verification system, reducing processing time by 40% and cutting administrative costs by $75,000 annually.
• Managed institutional scholarship programs totaling $5 million, increasing scholarship awards by 35% through improved outreach and application simplification.
• Trained and mentored a team of 15 financial aid advisors, enhancing their proficiency in complex aid regulations and customer service delivery.
• Contributed to a 10% year over year growth in student enrollment by optimizing aid packaging strategies to maximize student eligibility.

Financial Aid Counselor / Senior Financial Aid Counselor · Texas State University

San Marcos, TX · 2009 - 2012

• Provided comprehensive financial aid counseling to over 500 students annually, assisting with FAFSA completion, loan applications, and understanding aid packages.
• Managed caseload of 1,500+ students, ensuring timely and accurate processing of federal, state, and institutional aid.
• Led weekly financial literacy workshops for incoming freshmen, reaching over 2,000 students per year and improving financial awareness.
• Resolved complex student issues related to satisfactory academic progress (SAP), dependency overrides, and special circumstances appeals, achieving a 90% resolution rate.
• Reviewed and verified financial aid applications for compliance with federal and institutional policies, processing over 2,000 verification files annually.

Master of Education in Higher Education Administration · University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · 2008 - 2010

• 3.9 GPA, Dean's List
• Thesis: 'Impact of Financial Aid Literacy on Community College Retention Rates'

Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance · Texas A&M University

College Station, TX · 2004 - 2008

• 3.7 GPA, Magna Cum Laude
• Recipient of the Mays Business School Leadership Award