Case Studies
To hear how others have benefited from their work with Blue Icon Advisors, or to find inspiration for your next consulting project, browse our case studies by service below. If you are ready to start a project with Blue Icon, complete our no-obligation information request form today.
Executive Coaching/Trusted Advisor Program
Blue Icon's Trusted Advisor Program provides virtual coaching, consultation, operational assistance, and training to help financial aid and enrollment management professionals grow and thrive.
- Clarkson University - The director of financial aid at Clarkson University, contacted Blue Icon Advisors seeking assistance to support the loan manager.
- Community College in the Southwest - Blue Icon was asked to coach the new financial aid director on budget cuts, office restructuring, cross-training, and communication at all levels.
- Loras College (IA) - Blue Icon was hired to train an up-and-coming financial aid director on management and financial aid delivery topics.
- Central Carolina Community College (NC) - Blue Icon Advisors assisted the Central Carolina Community College financial aid director in becoming a better advocate for herself and her financial aid team on campus.
- Gateway Technical College (WI) - Blue Icon Advisors provided a comprehensive one-on-one coaching experience for Gateway Technical College's new financial aid director.
Interim Leadership/Staffing
Blue Icon staffing ensures financial aid offices must have strong leaders and staff to ensure students receive financial aid in a timely fashion, keep the school in compliance with federal aid rules and regulations, and keep leadership apprised of critical financial aid needs and activities.
- Galen College of Nursing - Theresa Eiler, Director of Financial Aid at Galen, knew the understaffed office could not process the verification files in a timely manner and contacted Blue Icon for interim staffing assistance.
- Glendale Community College (CA) - Glendale Community College in California experienced staffing shortages coupled with increased workload, resulting in a backlog of records to process.
- Hawai'i Pacific University - When the position of financial aid director became available, this school contacted Blue Icon Advisors seeking a consultant to serve as interim director.
Policies and Procedures Assistance
If time limitations prevent you from creating or updating your policies and procedures manual, Blue Icon Advisors can help.
- Shasta College - Shasta College asked Blue Icon to develop a complete, compliant Policies and Procedures manual.
- Tennessee Board of Regents - The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) contacted Blue Icon Advisors seeking assistance with the creation of a policies and procedures manual.
- Los Rios Community College District (CA) - Blue Icon provided a team of three consultants to evaluate policies and procedures with a student equity mindset and review all aspects of operations.
- University of Wyoming - Blue Icon completed priority sections in the NASFAA P&P Builder that the school identified.
- Connecticut State Community College - CSCC wanted to create a comprehensive policies and procedures manual in the NASFAA P&P Builder for all 12 of the system's campuses.
- Nevada State College - NSC needed assistance uploading their policies and procedures into the NASFAA P&P Builder and wanted to ensure they were complete and compliant.
- Logan University (MO) - The university wanted a comprehensive, compliant policies and procedures manual and a student-facing handbook.
- Glendale Community College (CA) - GCC wanted to build a comprehensive and compliant policies and procedures manual and to teach the financial aid staff how to manage the manual.
- Michigan Career & Technical Institute - MCTI wanted to work with Blue Icon to upload the school's policies and procedures into the NASFAA P&P Builder and train the staff to use the Builder.
- Watts College of Nursing (NC) - Blue Icon reviewed its new policies and procedures for processing and delivering federal financial aid, as well as consumer information disclosures and reporting setup.
- Lasell University(MA) - Lasell University worked with Blue Icon Advisors to evaluate and upload two sections of existing policies and procedures into the NASFAA P&P Builder.
- Pitzer College (CA) - Pitzer College wanted to move its current Professional Judgment policies and procedures into the NASFAA P&P Builder, perform a gap analysis, and evaluate the language for compliance.
- Boston College - Boston College wanted assistance uploading its entire policies and procedures manual into the NASFAA P&P Builder.
Program Review Response Team
Blue Icon Advisors has a dedicated Program Review Response Team ready to help with your next federal program review.
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Columbia Basin College (WA) - Ben Beus, director of financial aid at Columbia Basin College, approached Blue Icon Advisors to receive assistance in preparing for a federal program review.
Standards of Excellence (SOE) Peer Review Program
NASFAA's Standards of Excellence (SOE) Review Program, administered by Blue Icon Advisors, offers objective, confidential, peer reviews that assess your institution's delivery of student financial aid. Reviews are designed to highlight strengths, identify compliance exceptions, and recommend improvements.
- Cabrillo College (CA) - Cabrillo College approached Blue Icon Advisors to verify the institution is compliant with Title IV Federal Student Aid rules and regulations and operating efficiently.
- Clarkson College (NE) - Laura Thayer-Mencke had been the director of financial aid at Clarkson College for less than a year when she had a NASFAA Standards of Excellence (SOE) Review.
- East Tennessee State University - ETSU requested a SOE review becuase their financial aid office had been struggling to meet processing and student service demands during peak times for several years and wanted to identify the problem and implement solutions.
- Foothill College (CA)- Kevin Harral, financial aid director, called in Blue Icon after too many competing priorities prevented him from performing a self assessment after suspescting the office may have deficiencies in meeting consumer information requirements.
- Motlow State Community College - In 2019, the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) signed a multi-year contract with NASFAA's SOE Review Program to perform peer reviews at its 13 community colleges.
- Palo Alto University (CA) - Jessica Ayres, director of financial aid at PAU, thoroughly prepared her staff and colleagues for the SOE review by explaining the purpose and benefits of the evaluation.
- St. Louis University (MO) - Blue Icon's SOE peer review team provided a comprehensive, external review to ensure SLU did not have any compliance risks and is operating effectively.
- Tennessee Technological University - Mary McCaskey, Director of Financial Aid & Veterans Affairs, requested a SOE review to identify compliance concerns and improve office operations and automation.
- University of Western States (OR) - Kim Lamborn, director of financial aid, was continually raising concerns about complying with consumer information regulations, but did not feel her points were being met with the appropriate level of attention.
- Wichita State University (KS) - WSU's new financial aid directors knew that having outside experts come in to both identify areas for improvement and pinpoint the office's strengths would be a great asset to the financial aid office.
System Optimization, Utilization, Training
Blue Icon helps financial aid offices have access to technically-proficient staff who can maximize their system utilization, help achieve efficiencies through automation, and assist with technical glitches.
- Pace University (NY) - Pace University requested an external review of their Ellucian Banner financial aid management system.
- University of La Verne (CA) - Blue Icon provided consultation and implementation assistance to automate routine tasks via TDClient.
- Pomona College (CA) - Blue Icon consultants successfully trained staff to perform PowerFAIDS system setup functions, established policies & procedures for institutional aid professional judgments, and increased staff efficiency through automation.
Training
Using NASFAA training materials, provides training to award, process, and disburse federal Title IV aid, while maintaining compliance with the rules and regulations.
- Glendale Community College (AZ) - Blue Icon developed a robust training program that included an overview of financial aid, nine NASFAA U training topics, and a newly developed and customized session dedicated to customer service.
- Massachusetts Bay Community College - Massachusetts Bay Community College contacted Blue Icon Advisors for assistance with customized training for the financial aid team.
Consulting
Blue Icon consulting services encompass everything else we haven't mentioned already. From scholarship awarding rubrics to communicating with institutional leadership, our consultants can assist your school with your specific needs.
- Regional Public University in the Midwest - Blue Icon was asked to develop a new scholarship awarding rubric that meets stated enrollment goals while allowing the institution to evaluate scholarship eligibility without using ACT scores and limiting the time spent reading narratives.
- Fielding Graduate University (CA) - Blue Icon was contacted to assist with developing expertise and comfort in managing financial aid delivery for modular and subscription-based programs at the institution.
- Ellucian PATH - Ellucian approached Blue Icon Advisors for assistance in developing a scholarship program with a goal of distributing $500,000 to two-year public institutions for the fall of 2020.
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Blue Icon was asked to explore options for evaluating the financial aid office's compliance, operations, and customer service, and improving each as quickly as possible.
- Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - This client saw a Blue Icon ad and reached out, expressing a need to explore strategies for effective communication with institutional leaders and effectively directing the decentralized financial aid staff across the system.
- Presentation College (SD) - The school asked Blue Icon to work with the financial aid office, the business office, and the school's external vendor to determine the cause of FISAP reporting errors.
- Rhode Island School of Design - RISD contacted Blue Icon Advisors to discuss a review of the school's student employment program, which has grown considerably in recent years.
- Loyola University Maryland - After the school's long-time financial aid director retired, Loyola University Maryland approached Blue Icon Advisors for a customized operational review of the undergraduate Office of Financial Aid.
- Erikson Institute (IL) - Erikson Institute wanted to ensure its scholarship awarding process was compliant with federal financial aid rules regarding need-based aid & estimated financial assistance.
- University of Nebraska at Kearney - The office of financial aid at the University of Nebraska at Kearney wanted to improve student service and operational efficiency.
- Montclair State University (NJ) - Montclair State University wanted a review of its compliance with the Clery Act provisions.
- Howard Community College (MD) - The director of financial aid at Howard Community College contacted Blue Icon Advisors seeking recurring targeted audit services.
- Sam Houston State University (TX) - Sam Houston State University's director of financial aid requested help with entry-level staff onboarding and retention.
- Union College (NE) - Union College contacted Blue Icon Advisors expressing concerns about bottlenecks they were experiencing, including financial aid processing and verification.