Talia Brown
Chief Information & Data Officer,
Graceland University
Enhancing Time-to-Aid-Eligibility through Financial Aid Process Automation
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 4:30PM–5:15PM CT | EDUCAUSE Commons, Enterprise Central, Poster Area
Session Type:
Poster Session
Delivery Format:
Poster
The landscape of financial aid processing has become increasingly complex, particularly in light of recent FAFSA changes and regulatory requirements. With fewer than 50% of high school graduates completing the FAFSA—despite completion being linked to an 80% increase in postsecondary enrollment—institutions face mounting pressure to remove barriers to financial aid access. In this session, Talia Brown, Chief Information & Data Officer at Graceland University, explores their strategic implementation of cloud-based automation for Title IV processing that dramatically reduced processing time, improved student satisfaction, and reallocated valuable staff resources to high-impact student engagement. Through this detailed case study, you'll discover how automation addressed verification bottlenecks, enhanced compliance management, and ultimately improved both the student and staff experience. You'll gain practical insights into implementation approaches, technical integration considerations, and proven strategies to maximize ROI in your own financial aid office.
