Our Team Spotlight for the month of May is Brandi Stanfill. Brandi entered higher education in 2008 as an Internal Financial Aid Auditor at ATI Career Training Center and has served in numerous leadership positions over the last 16 years in her home state of Texas.
Joining College Aid Services in 2022, she brings her expertise on everything from application processing to compliance and has successfully completed multiple annual audits without any findings from the Department of Education. Brandi uses her interpersonal skills and array of knowledge to help others navigate the financial aid process, which makes her an invaluable member to our team as well as the clients she serves. Read what Brandi has to say about being a consultant and her advice to fellow professionals below.
What do you like most about being a consultant?
As I’m sure a lot of other people say, I enjoy being able to help a school on the back-end side of things, teach new concepts, and implement new policy and procedures to improve efficiencies in their office. My favorite thing as a consultant is when I’m working with a staff member, and they have that “I get it” moment – I love that because it’s how I know that I am making a difference and taking something difficult off someone’s plate so that they have time to resolve other issues.
What do you enjoy about working for College Aid Services?
The importance that College Aid Services places on work-life balance and the genuine care that they have for their consultants’ success. My husband works for College Aid Services and because he spoke so highly of the organization, I decided to join as well. Not everyone gets to work next to their husband or feel like their leadership team actually cares about the staff. Here, there is a desire to work together and help each other solve problems regardless of whether we’re serving the same client or different clients.
What areas do you specialize in?
Compliance is my jam as it has always fit my personality. I’m a very “follow the rules” and “do things by the book” type of person, and thus, compliance was always a big thing for me when I started in higher education. I have seen first-hand what a lack of regulatory knowledge can do to an institution, as I’ve witnessed schools that were actually shut down after the Department of Education got involved over their lack of compliance. That has always motivated me to be willing to learn if I don’t know the answer to something.
How do you stay up to date with regulations and policy changes?
I’m not sure that any of us can “stay up-to-date” as fast as we’d like with what seems like daily changes and updates surrounding the Department’s handling of the 2024-2025 FAFSA. I rely heavily on the NASFAA newsletters and the Department of Education’s Facebook page where they will post their Dear Colleague Letters – of course, the College Aid Services webinars. Luckily, I have my husband sitting in an office right next to mine, so I can always just bug him!
What challenges do you see on the horizon in Financial Aid?
The most obvious challenge on the horizon to me is Fall 2024 awarding. I think there is going to be a level of difficulty in helping students and families to understand things that we have never faced before as professionals. We are all in new waters: the fundamentals are the same, but the rules are changing even more. The possibility of a new Presidential Administration coming with the November elections could mean even more potential changes in the Department of Education for 2025-2026.
What advice would you give to a new Financial Aid officer?
Latch on to a good mentor is what I would tell anyone starting out. That’s the best thing that one could do because there are going to be so many new processes and terms that you are not going to understand as a new officer. Sometimes when you ask a lot of questions, you get people who seem annoyed…find someone who is the opposite and has a helper’s mentality. Don’t be afraid to ask questions because it is the only way that you are going to learn over time.
What do you like to do when you are not doing Financial Aid?
I am big into fitness, and I go to the gym a lot. I take fitness classes there and have found a small community that I hang out with; we enjoy each other’s company. I volunteer at my grandson’s school, and I’m a huge sports fan – I am a die-hard fan of the Dallas Mavericks, so I’m excited to cheer them on through the playoffs with my two dogs next to me in front of the TV. I’m also a Texas Rangers fan, and they just won their first World Series last year!
If you are interested in joining Brandi and the rest of our College Aid Services team, review our current openings here. 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).