Angelique Irving is a Senior Consultant for College Aid Services. In her most recent College Aid Services assignment, she brought her expertise in compliance to assist with the day-to-day tasks, such as reconciliation, Return of Title IV processes, and ED recertification.
During her professional work, Angelique focuses on training and compliance. She writes and reviews policies for the office, campus, and district, as well as provides training to new financial aid staff district wide. When asked what advice she would give a new person starting in Financia Aid, Angelique said “Financial aid administrators must learn to adapt and adjust accordingly. Financial Aid is very policy laden, but not everything is black and white. Learn to operate in that grey area.”
When asked about her most rewarding achievement while working in Financial Aid, Angelique first reflected on a time when she rewrote the entire Satisfactory Academic Progress policy to switch to a Progressive SAP policy that would lend itself to earlier intervention for incoming students. Since then, the institution has decreased the number of students who have gone on SAP Holds overall by 8%.
Another rewarding achievement Angelique described was a relationship she built with a Federal Work Study student. Angelique became an “unofficial mentor” to this student and provided support throughout their college experience. Angelique was able to assist the student with various funding options that allowed them to pick up additional classes and take advantage of summer courses to graduate in a little under two years. With Angelique’s support, that student was able to secure enough scholarships to transfer to a university and graduate debt free with a nursing degree. The student is a full-time ER nurse preparing to go back to school for their MSN. Another piece of advice for a new financial aid administrator: “Empathy will always be key. Beene Brown says it best: ’empathy fuels connection.'”
Angelique’s final piece of advice for new financial aid administrators is “Never stop learning. No matter how much we think we may know, things are evolving, and it is important to do as much reading and attend as many trainings as possible.” While she was considering consulting for College Aid Services, Angelique continued to expand her expertise and attended many College Aid Services webinars and trainings. Since joining the team, Angelique has felt supported and connected with College Aid Services colleagues. “I love how much of a family environment (even from a distance) CAS is. I hope to continue to develop and strength these connections for years to come.”
Angelique graduated from Roosevelt University in the Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership program.
To learn more about how College Aid Services can help your institution, contact us at info@collegeaidservices.net or by phone toll-free at 833-GETCAS1 (833-438-2271).