Financial Aid Access Coordinator

Duties:

Vancouver Island University (VIU) is seeking a skillful, compassionate, experienced professional who is committed to supporting former youth‑in‑care and other marginalized students to fulfill their post‑secondary goals and pursue a meaningful career path. As the Financial Aid Access Coordinator, you will serve as a key member of the Financial Aid and Awards team with close working relationships with Accessibility Services, Academic Advising, Registration, the Office of Indigenous Education and Engagement and many other VIU departments.

Reporting to the Director of Student Services, you will be responsible for assisting former youth‑in‑care who are eligible for the BC Provincial Tuition Waiver Program (BC PTWP), from the prospect stage through to graduation. Your approach will be complemented by your compassionate skills when meeting students in‑person and virtually with the understanding that these students have likely experienced barriers to post‑secondary education.

You will help them navigate their educational journey at VIU by directing them to financial assistance pathways (scholarships, awards, bursaries, emergency bursaries, government assistance programs), navigating institutional, government and non‑governmental services, and connecting them with other support services on campus. In addition to supporting former youth‑in‑care, you will serve as the primary contact for all emergency bursaries requests. You will connect with students, gather information and documents, and make recommendations to the Director on adjudication.

• Serves as the main contact for prospective students seeking information about the BC PTWP, provides initial screening and reviews applications with students for the BC PTWP, provides clarity of funding guidelines and connects students to other resources as needed to facilitate their transition to VIU
• Provides individualized service to students from the inquiry stage through to graduation
• Assists students in navigating the university system and provides proactive support as needed; incorporates as part of the individualized service wrap‑around care approach that integrates connection with other VIU departments
• As appropriate, supports students in navigating funding program appeal procedures including the BC PTWP exception review and Student Aid BC (provincial loans) appeals
• Refers students to appropriate supports including Academic Advising, Accessibility Services, Counselling Services, and the Office of Indigenous Education and Engagement
• Participates in convocation ceremonies to celebrate tuition waiver student success

• Serves as the main point of contact for all student requests for emergency bursaries
• Connects with students, reviews their request for eligibility, collects information and documentation and sends to the Director a completed application for adjudication
• Refers students to appropriate supports including Academic Advising, Accessibility Services, Counselling Services, and the Office of Indigenous Education and Engagement

• Serves as a resource member to the Awards Selection Committee
• Contributes to and completes institutional, funding, and government reports as needed including the BC PTWP On‑Campus annual report, Youth Futures Education Fund (YFEF), and the Institutional Accountability Plan and Report plus any other reports or data requested by the Director
• Ensures information related to the BC PTWP remains up‑to‑date on the Financial Aid and Awards web site as well as brochures and handouts
• Attends and presents information about the BC PTWP program to prospective and current students at information sessions, presentations, workshops, and orientation
• Works with VIU's Communications department to showcase successful outcomes for tuition waiver students
• Participates in internal and external committees, advisory boards, and community of practice groups as required – such as PTWP navigation community of practice, YFEF learning forum

• Remains current on best practices to retain marginalized…