(l-r) Advising Director Teresa Steinkamp, Student Advisors Grace Carlson, Liliana De La Garza, Devonte’ (DJ) Jackson, Senior Student Advisor Dominesha Newton, and Student Advisor Ricky Hughes
When student advisors meet with young people dreaming of college, they find themselves assisting students in the navigation of the often-fraught process of applying for financial aid. But what does it really take to assist students who are going through that process, especially in the context of the past year, when the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) failed the low-income students and families who needed it most? What qualities do advisors need to possess in order to listen to students’ hopes and worries; to answer their questions; and to connect them with the information, resources, and dollars they need to move forward?
Curiosity: Each initial interaction with a student begins with curiosity. Advisors build relationships rooted in genuine curiosity about who each individual student is, what makes them come alive, and the goals they have set for themselves.
Unbiased Advice: When students ask what they should do in specific situations, advisors provide necessary information, along with a steady reminder that decisions about their education belong solely to the students.
Advocacy: Advisors are also advocates. Sometimes that means joining a student in spending hours on hold with Federal Student Aid’s customer service to understand or clarify FAFSA challenges; emailing financial aid offices to question or challenge messages about aid eligibility; or accompanying students to pay bills, locate classes, or change enrollment plans.
Empathy: Investing in the lives of students means having deep empathy for the challenges they face. Advisors must acknowledge when students feel hurt, harmed, or confused by the barriers they encounter in the higher education and financial aid systems and respond in a way that is both encouraging and realistic.
Flexibility: Advisors encounter countless scenarios where their advice is crucial to keeping students on track for college. This requires flexibility, experience, and excellent problem-solving skills. When there is a need to adjust course, advisors are ready to identify options.
Authenticity: Advisors are supported in being uniquely themselves. While the team follows agreed-upon policies and approaches in day-to-day work, each advisor brings their own lived experience, expertise, and personality to their role so that they can engage with students authentically.
Peer Support: Student advisors, along with other select staff at the Foundation, meet weekly in a process group to debrief about their work. Process group is a dedicated time and space to work through challenges, seek feedback, and provide witness to both the beautiful and difficult aspects of the work.
Graduate Lindsey Snodgrass recently wrote to her student advisor, Teresa Steinkamp, to express her gratitude for the support she received while in school:
“On multiple occasions you listened intently to my college (and life) concerns over coffee and consistently gave good advice. Time and time again, you exceeded your role – what it called for. You gave life advice. You took the time to give a phone call recommendation. You came to my dad’s funeral/visitation. You listened as I voiced my feelings. You have been there for me through so many moments.”
The scholarship grants and interest-free loans that The Scholarship Foundation awards to students each year are essential to fill financial gaps that inevitably exist for many low-income students seeking higher education. But money alone is often not enough to support those who are unacquainted with the college experience. Advising fills a different sort of gap: with patience, empathy, kindness, wisdom, and the encouragement everyone needs to reach their full potential.
