Financial Aid Counselor - Scholarship Office

Kent State • Kent, OH

17h • $34,000 - $37,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Financial Aid Counselor position is in the Scholarships Office at Kent Campus. This role is responsible for administering institutional, state, donor-funded, and external scholarship programs. The counselor will coordinate high-volume scholarship application, review, awarding, and reconciliation processes, ensuring compliance with university, donor, state, and federal regulations. The position reports to the Assistant Director, Scholarships.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field
• Three months experience in student financial aid, customer service, or a relevant field
• Knowledge of personal computer applications
• Skill in written, verbal and interpersonal communication
• Skill in providing excellent customer service while complying with confidentiality laws and university policies
• Skill in organization and time management
• Skill in attention to detail
• Skill in utilizing computer applications, i.e., Microsoft Office

Nice To Haves

• None.

Responsibilities

• Process and administer a high volume of institutional, donor-funded, external, and state-sponsored scholarship awards while ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with established awarding criteria and funding restrictions.
• Review scholarship recipient eligibility and make award determinations; adjust student financial aid packages as necessary to ensure compliance with federal, state, institutional, and donor regulations.
• Administer and oversee state scholarship and grant programs, including procedures, award processing, reconciliation, reporting, and compliance monitoring.
• Review and process student requests for external scholarship funding; evaluate documentation, coordinate award posting, and ensure appropriate integration with existing financial aid packages.
• Review scholarship applications and supporting materials, verify eligibility requirements, and facilitate award selection processes in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for the University's scholarship management platform; troubleshoot system issues, research awarding discrepancies, resolve processing errors, and coordinate with internal and external technology partners as needed.
• Monitor scholarship awarding reports and processes to identify, investigate, and resolve data integrity issues and award conflicts.
• Provide ongoing support and consultation to faculty, staff, and campus partners across multiple campuses regarding scholarship platform functionality, application review processes, award administration, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with enrollment management, financial aid, academic colleges, advancement, and other campus stakeholders to coordinate scholarship programs and improve operational efficiency.
• Assist with the development, implementation, and documentation of scholarship policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure consistency across campuses.
• Counsel students and families regarding financial aid and scholarship opportunities, eligibility requirements, application processes, and the impact of scholarship awards on financial aid eligibility during financial aid outreach events.
• Present on financial aid and scholarship opportunities to students and families.
• Participate in special projects and perform related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Kent State University is committed to creating a community that is culturally and intellectually diverse and to attracting and retaining a diverse staff. We strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that respect differences, and are inclusive, welcoming, respectful and kind.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level