Sponsor spotlight Student-centered Edmonds College Financial Aid department is lowering barriers, driving successful outcomes

Edmonds College's Financial Aid department is revolutionizing educational access by prioritizing student support and community outreach. Amid the "triple whammy" of the COVID-19 pandemic, software implementation, and FAFSA changes, the leadership team embraced a student-centered service model. This model emphasizes rapport-building with students and streamlined fund disbursement, essential as Washington state faces a concerning FAFSA completion rate of just 45. 6%. To combat this issue, the Financial Aid team has initiated bi-weekly workshops with the Pre-College department and quarterly sessions with the Workforce department.

Additionally, they conduct workshops at the Monroe Correctional Facility to assist incarcerated individuals seeking educational opportunities. Their partnership with the Edmonds School District facilitates multilingual workshops, ensuring inclusivity in financial aid access. As a result, Edmonds College is recognized as a vital resource for financial aid assistance in its community. This initiative not only aids individual students but also addresses the state's critical need for a skilled workforce by 2032.