'Financial aid stewards' help combat any FAFSA barriers

July 16, 2024 (Volume 47, Number 20)
Article by Michele Coffill

sunset photo of the carillon tower in background with fountain at Zumberge pond lit up in blue

Grand Valley has applied for a grant from the Michigan College Access Network to support FAFSA completions.

Photo Credit: Amanda Pitts

Many people on campus have gone beyond their job duties and become "financial aid stewards," helping students complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) in a year of unprecedented delays from the U.S. Department of Education.

B. Donta Truss, vice president for Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach, said their work has aided enrollment and helped students and their supporters overcome barriers to beginning college in the fall semester.

"Delaying the release of the FAFSA has caused a barrier to educational access," Truss said. "We understand these setbacks have caused heartaches and hard decisions. But I want parents and supporters to know that our staff is here to help students."

Danny C. Vélez, associate vice president for Admissions & Recruitment, said Grand Valley has applied for a grant from the Michigan College Access Network to support FAFSA completions. MCAN has $1 million in grants available to assist high schools, colleges and universities with these efforts.

"Our Financial Aid team has gone above and beyond helping students with any problems they have," Vélez said. "There's also a host of other people going unnoticed in this effort, and they are making a difference also."

Nationally, students have filed 300,000 fewer FAFSA applications than last academic year. There is still time to apply at Grand Valley and fill out the FAFSA, Vélez said.

"There is some distrust and misinformation out there as a result of the way the FAFSA was rolled out. Some people think there isn't any federal money left and that's not true," he said. "At Grand Valley, we have a lot of financial aid stewards who feel a sense of responsibility to the next generation to make sure they have everything they need to make their dreams come true."