Our September Team Spotlight is on Stephanie McCarter, who joined College Aid Services in 2023. Stephanie began her career in a student-facing role as as a Program Assistant in 2013. Her unwavering commitment to excellence in student services quickly set her apart. She consistently championed high standards, ensuring that students received the support they needed to navigate their educational journeys. This led her to her current role as the Assistant Director of Compliance & Quality Control at the University of South Carolina in 2022.
Throughout her career, she has collaborated extensively with other professionals, serving as the Vice Chair of Professional Development for SCASFAA, and she remains active in both local and regional Financial Aid Associations.
What do you like most about being a consultant?
I love the opportunities that come with consulting such as seeing different campuses and their operations. Also, the ability to assist with various projects and not always being limited to one type of area. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and have a growing community.
What do you enjoy about working for College Aid Services?
There are a few things, but what stands out is getting to know the people within College Aid Services. There is an inviting atmosphere here and it is easier to build a connection with the other consultants even though we are spread out across the country. There is a team spirit that you can feel during our meetings, and it is because of how our leadership shows that they care. I was afraid that consulting may not be as flexible as advertised, but it has been amazing to see how modern and innovative this company is.
What areas do you specialize in?
My specialty is compliance and quality control. I enjoy digging through regulations, keeping up to date with what’s new, and making sure that we update our practices as soon as possible. Getting to apply that understanding and knowledge during such a changing time, while implementing in different settings are the challenges I enjoy.
How do you stay up to date with regulations and policy changes?
Literally anything and everything that I can get my hands on. I go through online regs, electronic announcements, social media, and everything in between. It’s important to network and stay up to date within our communities – regardless of where it’s coming from: NASFAA, CAS trainings, the NASFAA Slack chat, Inside Higher Ed, and other forums that are out there. I also stay updated with state legislation depending on our clients and their institutional policy changes as well.
What challenges do you see on the horizon in Financial Aid?
I would say that the biggest challenge right now are staffing shortages that have not yet turned a corner for many. Between the delays and regulation changes, financial aid staff don’t see the benefits to being in the field, plus add in the issues from the last year that have increased duties tremendously. This can pose significant issues for an aid office’s ability to adjust and remain compliant with items like admin capability; it’s imperative for an aid office to have the support from their institutional leaders.
What advice would you give to a new Financial Aid officer?
Breathe; just breathe. Financial aid has many components to it and it’s easy to get intimidated by, then add in all the new information and issues that are being thrown at them – it’s easy to get overwhelmed. I would remind them that they have a community and resources to help them succeed in the field. I also like to emphasize how important it is to take care of yourself – burn out is real.
What do you like to do when you are not doing Financial Aid?
I’ve found myself practicing more meditation within the last year (ha!) – self-care has been important during such a chaotic year. Otherwise just adulting and making sure time is spent with family and friends.
If you are interested in joining Stephanie 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).