FINANCIAL AID SPECIALIST

Position Information

Position Information


Posting Number
S-4023


Position Number
33370


Type of Recruitment
External


Position Title
FINANCIAL AID SPECIALIST


Position Summary


Advises students and families about the financial aid application process, financial aid eligibility and alternative sources of financial assistance. Includes participation in outreach activities and presentations to various internal and external audiences; reviews and resolves financial aid professional judgment appeals; performs institutional quality assurance/verification of financial aid applications; processes various forms of financial aid.

Required Qualifications


Education equivalent to an Associate's degree.
Three years of increasingly responsible work experience of a qualifying nature.
Strong knowledge of financial aid including federal and State of Michigan financial aid programs and regulations.
Experience using complex computer systems.
Ability to maintain accurate records; strong attention to details.
Ability to perform the essential functions and requirements of the job.
Ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours.
Demonstrated positive interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and project a positive image.
Ability to perform the essential functions and requirements of the job.

Preferred Qualifications


Experience in Financial Aid.
Public speaking experience.
Experience using Sigma's Student Aid Management (ProSAM) system and the Campus Management (CM) student information

Duties & Responsibilities


Meets privately with students and their families to explain the financial aid process, advise on alternative sources of aid, and discuss personal concerns and appeals.
Represents CMU's Office of Scholarship & Financial Aid at various outreach activities such as Admission and Orientation events; may present financial aid interest sessions.
Reviews and approves/denies professional judgment appeals such as requests from parents to be exempted from borrowing the federal parent loan so that the student has access to additional federal student loan.
Verifies the accuracy of information supplied by students and parents on the federal aid application (FAFSA); this requires a comparison of a multitude of source documents (tax returns, W-2's, bank statements, etc.) to the FAFSA. Includes adjustments and repackaging aid.
Adjusts student aid packages due to the receipt of "outside" aid (e.g., private scholarships and loans).

Supervision Exercised


None.

Message to Applicants


Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU's mission, vision, and leadership standards.

You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

This position will remain open until filled. The university reserves the right to close the recruitment process once a sufficient applicant pool has been identified. For best consideration, please submit application materials by November 30, 2026.

Employee Group
Supervisory Technical


Staff Pay Level
3


Pay Range
Starting Rate Between: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour


Division
Student Recruitment & Retention


Department
Scholarships & Financial Aid


Position Status
Regular


Position End Date

Employment Status
Full-Time


FTE
1.0


Position Type
12 month


Weekly Work Schedule
Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed


Location
Mount Pleasant, MI


About the Department

About CMU


Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men's and women's Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It's part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state's largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions - Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more - are within easy reach of the city's central location in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

CMU Leadership Standards


Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

EEO Statement


CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

If you wish to see "Know Your Rights " posters, please click here .

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU's Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education's Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU's Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: View email address on click.appcast.io

Posting Ends

Open Until Filled
Yes