Financial Aid Office Assistant

Colorado Mesa University; United States; On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

Colorado Mesa University seeks a self-motivated, detail-oriented student employee to join the Financial Aid Office. The role focuses on learning federal, state, and institutional aid processes while providing clerical support and excellent service to students, families, and staff.

You will handle confidential information with discretion and gain hands-on office experience on a university campus. Ideal candidates will communicate well, multitask effectively, and be proficient with Word, Excel,

Qualifications

• Seeking a self-motivated, organized, and detail-oriented student employee.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced university office environment.

Responsibilities

• Gain foundational understanding of federal, state, and institutional financial aid processes.
• Provide clerical support including proofreading, data entry, and general office assistance.
• Handle confidential student information with discretion and professionalism.
• Utilize Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, OneNote).
• Learn and operate Banner, SLATE, and Cognos in daily tasks.
• Assist with on-campus events and student services activities.
• Maintain punctuality and clear communication about schedule changes.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Multi-tasking

Microsoft Office

Customer service

Data entry

Discretion with information

Tools

Banner

SLATE

Cognos

Microsoft Office Suite

Excel

Outlook

Teams

OneNote

Job description

SECTION I - OUR VALUES

CULTIVATE OUR VISION AND CULTURE At CMU, we believe in acting from a foundation of goodwill. This belief gives us the courage to form meaningful relationships, embark on joint endeavors and take risks in the pursuit of new possibilities. It’s this courage that enables the Mavily to explore new ways of thinking and doing, knowing that there is no perfect solution, no perfect idea. From this place of humility and courage, we’ve built a culture of resilience. We invest in the future by continuously adapting to change, overcoming challenges, and seizing new opportunities. We recognize that change is constant, and our resilience allows us to embrace it with confidence. Endless curiosity drives us to approach the unexpected as if it were expected, seeing opportunities for discovery and renewal in every challenge. In this community rooted in love and dignity, curiosity thrives, leading to endless opportunities for growth and advancement. Inspired by the soul of the West—the spirit that our region embodies—we emerge as a force for positive change, harnessing our collective power to build a Human Scale University that reflects our values and brings to life our shared vision of the world we aspire to create.

Colorado Mesa University Core Values

• Love - Extending oneself for nurturing the growth of self and others
• Dignity - Respecting the intrinsic value of each person and believing that others act from a foundation of goodwill
• Courage - Taking risks in the pursuit of new possibilities
• Humility - Suspending one’s ego and pride to recognize that no idea is perfect and being open to the input of others
• Resiliency - Investing in the future by adapting to changes, overcoming challenges and pursuing Opportunity
• Curiosity - Cultivating awe and exploring the unknown
• Power - The strength to act collaboratively with individual agency to achieve our goals

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Financial Aid Office at Colorado Mesa University is seeking a self-motivated, organized, and detail-oriented student employee to join our team. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills, a professional demeanor, and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment. This position offers the opportunity to learn about financial aid processes and gain hands-on experience in a university office setting.

Key tasks include:

• Gain a foundational understanding of federal, state, and institutional financial aid processes.
• Provide clerical support, including proofreading, data entry, and general office assistance.
• Handle confidential student information and records with discretion.
• Utilize Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, etc.).
• Learn and operate internal software systems, such as Banner, SLATE, and Cognos.
• Prioritize tasks and meet deadlines while ensuring the accuracy and completeness of work.
• Contribute to a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• Assist with on-campus events, including job fairs and other student services events.
• Communicate effectively in-person, via phone, email, instant messaging, and text.
• Provide excellent customer service to students, families, and university employees.
• Be punctual, maintain regular communication about schedule changes, and demonstrate reliability.
• Assist with additional projects as directed by the Financial Aid staff.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

DISCLAIMER

This position description is only a summary of the typical functions of this seat, and not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and areas of accountability.

A comprehensive university in Grand Junction, Colorado Mesa University provides exceptional educational opportunities on a state-of-the-art campus. As western Colorado’s largest university, CMU serves students on its main campus in Grand Junction, its satellite campus in Montrose, its technical college, CMU Tech, and via online offerings. Colorado Mesa University serves as the primary intellectual and cultural center of western Colorado and promotes the exchange of ideas that are of regional, national, and international importance. Founded in 1925, it is a dynamic university enrolling 10,000 students at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels. At the heart of the CMU experience is an integrative and experiential approach to higher education that encourages students to think differently and empowers them to challenge assumptions. CMU brings students together with expert scholars and thinkers from different disciplines to make connections between ideas and gain the skills to solve the unstructured, complex problems they will encounter in life. Our focus is on providing quality academic programs, built on a strong liberal arts core that supports students’ interests and regional employment needs, as well as technical programs that respond to vocational workforce demands. The Grand Valley is home to some of the best outdoor recreation in the state of Colorado and you will not have to fight traffic and crowds to enjoy it. CMU is surrounded by the Grand Mesa, Book Cliffs, and the Colorado National Monument.

We have world-class mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, rafting, and a mountain resort that’s less than 45 minutes from campus for skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing. Living and working in Grand Junction, you will be able to explore one of Colorado’s best kept secrets.