Tower Winter/Spring 2024 - 25

/// TEAM CHAMP
FINANCES FROM
THE STUDENT SIDE
After graduating from college, Emily
Smoker began her career in financial
aid as a student loan collector. For
three years, she helped find the
right repayment plan and ensure
all loans were paid back. Over time,
she began to be discouraged by the
process of enforcing repayment.
" I decided I no longer wanted to
be the person who had to collect
from students who couldn't make
payments. Rather, I wanted to
help students understand the
financial aid process, " Emily said.
She transitioned into the world
of financial aid, interacting with
students and working together to
address financial challenges limiting
their prospects for education.
After moving to Lancaster, Emily
began hearing about Thaddeus
Stevens College of Technology's
mission and approach to forging
genuine connections with students.
A former coworker shared that
Thaddeus Stevens College's
financial aid department was
hiring, and the rest is history.
After she was hired, she spent
three years working as Assistant
Director of Financial Aid before
being promoted to the Director
role in 2020. Each day, Emily is
motivated by the students she
works with and loves accompanying
them on their journey, helping them
understand the funding process
and explore opportunities to reduce
their educational expenses through
loans, scholarships, and the Stevens
Grant. The Stevens Grant is a
special offering at the College that
can be provided to students who
meet Federal Pell income levels.
This grant can be used for tuition,
books, housing, tools, and food, and
serves as a " last dollar " grant to help
students reach the threshold with
enough financial support to attend.
" It is really fulfilling when a student
comes into my office with a financial
situation that's difficult-they
are not able to navigate through
it themselves. That allows me
to help them work through the
process to see what kind of aid
eligibility they have, " Emily said. " I
enjoy giving them the tools they
need to manage that process. "
As enrollment has increased at the
College, her role is more important
than ever, in light of Thaddeus
Stevens College's mission to
provide access to those who might
not otherwise be able to attend
a higher education institution.
This year, the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was
released much later than usual, and
Emily has navigated the intensity
of that process with grace and
unwavering support for students.
Thaddeus Stevens College : 24
With a wealth of experience
working in higher education, Emily
believes the College goes above
and beyond to support its students
both academically and financially.
" I've worked for other colleges
before, and while they might
have institutional grants that
they offer students, nowhere I've
worked has had a level matched
to the Stevens Grant we offer
to our students, " she said.
Learn more about the financial
services available to current
and prospective students at
stevenscollege.edu/financialaid.
http://www.stevenscollege.edu/financialaid
Tower Winter/Spring 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tower Winter/Spring 2024
