Linda Nicholas Email & Phone Number

New York, NY, US

Newark, New Jersey, United States

New York, New York, United States

• Oversee financial services, education, and support to more than 3,000 enrolled graduate students, 1,200 enrolled undergraduates, and over 7,500 prospective students in the admissions funnel
• Analyze and evaluate past financial aid expenditures to forecast and make recommendations on institutional aid
• Partner with external and internal stakeholders to focus on holistic student success by leveraging financial expertise to improve yield, retention, and persistence
• Plan and facilitate orientation programming to improve financial aid understanding
• Engage with the Bursar to resolve student account issues and to prevent de-enrollment
• Assess and make determinations on financial aid appeals and emergency funding requests

Greater New York City Area

• Evaluated, developed, and recommended student financial aid policies and scholarship parameters
• Provided research and data to successfully advocate for the removal of application questions pertaining to criminal history resulting in increased access and equity
• Worked alongside institutional research on refining data collection and creating financial aid dashboards in Tableau
• Partnered with the development office to manage the departmental-named scholarships process and ensure awards were disbursed according to donor criteria
• Proactively envisioned and launched new funding opportunities such as the marquee scholarship, Achieve, for promising transfer students which simultaneously expanded recruitment potential and kept NYUSPS accessible
• Ensured financial aid information online and in print was clear, concise, and up to date

• Managed the Federal Direct Loan program with a portfolio totaling over $2 million dollars
• Handled all Veterans Affairs educational benefits and served as the School Certifying Official
• Provided large-scale event planning and orchestration for GCIMUN conferences with over 2,000 global participants by managing vendor contracts and deliverables as well as troubleshooting onsite
• Liaised with International Services Manager to provide support for study abroad initiatives
• Administrative oversight for the Arabic language program in New York including course logistics and generating adjunct faculty contracts
• Handled transcript requests for students in North America

• Launched the Federal Direct Loan Program
• Developed processes and procedures for all areas of the Federal Direct Loan Program
• Implemented and managed Default Prevention initiatives
• Launched and served as an administrator of the ‘LAU – Students’ Facebook page
• Event planning on behalf of LAU for various conferences and exhibits

• Organized weekly orientation activities for 20+ international graduate students to ensure a smooth transition to the university community and to campus resources
• Curriculum development included introductions to U.S. classroom culture and academic integrity
• Collaborated with co-facilitator to optimize seminar structure and positive student outcomes

• Performed scheduled accounting tasks
• Reviewed FAFSAs and obtained necessary verification documents
• Originated loans and disbursed aid within required time frames
• Communicated daily with Director of Student Services to resolve discrepancies and delinquencies in aid
• Calculated withdrawals, course transfers, refunds and stipends

• Assisted approximately 1,000 incoming students and their families with the transition to college by acquainting them with university policies and campus resources
• Facilitated group discussions about the social and academic opportunities unique to freshman and transfer students with an emphasis on community building
• Conducted campus tours of up to 50 students and family members

Master’S Degree, Higher Education And Student Affairs, 4.00

Activities and Societies: Association of Student Affairs Professionals (Part-Time & Alumni Relations Chair)

Bachelor’S Degree, Political Science & Criminal Justice

Activities and Societies: Orientation Counselor: