January’s #BeAGrad Chat: Declassifying FAFSA This month we continue our #BeAGrad chat series with more tips for college students. In “Declassifying FAFSA,” we will discuss how to understand your financial aid package, online tools to keep track your student loans, other ways to finance your education, and more ! This month’s guest hosts are Jodi Okun, Mark Kantrowitz, Danielle Lichliter, and Estefany Aragon. Join us Thursday, January 29th at 4pmEST/1pmPST and follow @collegesummit to join in the conversation.
Jodi Okun, Founder of College Financial Aid Advisors
Jodi Okun is the founder of College Financial Aid Advisors. She has successfully helped thousands of families navigate the financial aid process. Her expertise parallels her passion and has made her a top influencer in the financial aid industry. Jodi’s background includes over ten years in the financial aid industry. She is a former Sr. Asst. Director of Financial Aid at Occidental College and previously worked at Pitzer.
Through Jodi’s large and loyal Twitter following, she has organically incorporated philanthropy into her brand. Every Thursday at 5pm PST, Jodi hosts #CollegeCash: a Twitter chat devoted to connecting college-bound families with higher education professionals. On average, #CollegeCash receives more than ten million impressions per week, making it a top resource for parents and students.
Jodi is the brand ambassador for Discover Student Loans. Together, they believe in the value of a college education and empowering families with the financial resources they need. As an entrepreneur, Jodi has expanded the CFAA brand to introduce the Training Institute. This is an 8-week, online certification program designed to help other entrepreneurs open a new small business or add to their existing business. With more and more students enrolling in colleges each year, the competition for financial aid is fierce and the need for solid and reputable advisors is at an all time high.
Jodi is the About.com Money Expert and was recently featured as one of the ‘Top 30 Social Influencers in Personal Finance & Wealth.’ She is a social media strategist, speaker, consultant and small business advocate. Follow Jodi at @JodiOkun.
Mark Kantrowitz, Senior Vice President and Publisher of Edvisors
Mark Kantrowitz is Senior Vice President and Publisher of Edvisors. His mission is to deliver practical information, advice and tools to students and their families so they can make informed decisions about planning and paying for college. Mark is a nationally-recognized expert on financial aid, scholarships and student loans.
Mark has testified before Congress about student aid policy on several occasions and is frequently interviewed by news outlets. He has been quoted in more than 5,000 newspaper and magazine articles in the last five years. He has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Reuters, Huffington Post, US News & World Report, Newsweek, Forbes and Time Magazine. Mark is the author of two bestselling books about scholarships and financial aid and holds seven patents.
Prior to joining Edvisors, Mark was Publisher of the Fastweb and FinAid web sites. Mark has also worked for Justsystem Pittsburgh Research Center (“Just Research”), the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Bitstream Inc., and the Planning Research Corporation. Mark is a member of the board of directors of the National Scholarship Providers Association and the board of trustees of the Center for Excellence in Education. Mark serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Student Financial Aid and the editorial advisory board of Bottom Line/Personal.
Mark’s work in financial aid has been recognized by many awards, including a Meritorious Achievement Award from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, a Special Award from the College Board, the Creative Leadership Award from the California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the President’s Award from the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students, and the Jefferson Medal from the American Institute for Public Service. He was also the Pennsylvania state finalist for the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Above & Beyond Citizen Honors and was named a Money Hero by Money Magazine.
Mark is ABD on a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), has a Masters degree in computer science from CMU, Bachelor of Science degrees in mathematics and philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and is an alumnus of the Research Science Institute program established by Admiral H.G. Rickover. Not surprisingly, Mark was able to pay for his undergraduate education through scholarships and summer employment and his graduate education entirely through fellowships and grants. Some of the major scholarships, fellowships and education awards.
Mark has been awarded include: National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, Hertz Foundation Research Fellowship Grant, MIT Karl Taylor Compton Prize, MIT William L. Stewart Jr. Award, Courant Institute Prize for Mathematical Talent, Westinghouse Science Talent Search, Massachusetts State Science Fair First Award (four-time winner), USA Mathematical Olympiad, Massachusetts State Math Olympiad, New England Math League and Continental Math League.
Mark has two children (one biological and one adopted), six cats and two dogs. He shows and breeds Peterbald cats, a rare breed of hairless cat. In his spare time, Mark also folds origami models, repairs antique battery-operated toys and creates stained glass windows. He is a cancer survivor. You can follow Mark Kantrowitz on Twitter at @mkant.
Estefany Aragon, AmeriCorps Vista at College Summit Florida
Estefany Aragon is a College Summit Florida alumnae. She’s a senior criminology major at Barry University. College Summit Florida is working to increase the number of high school students entering and succeeding in college. In the Miami-Dade County Public School District, we work in 11 of the most challenging schools in the poorest communities where all of our partner schools are School Improvement Grantees under the supervision of the Florida Department of Education’s Education Transformation Office. Many of the students who attend our partner schools are the first in their families to attend college. They and all students require supportive, college and career going cultures so they can understand and fulfill their potential. College Summit Florida works with administrators, teachers, counselors and student Peer Leaders to create an environment where all high school students can succeed. Follow her at @CollegeSummitFl.