Student-centered Edmonds College Financial Aid department is lowering barriers, driving successful outcomes
11/12/25
The financial aid office at a community college is often considered the "front door" of education. Yet, for many students, that door has traditionally felt like a barrier, guarded by red tape and intimidating forms. If you can't navigate it, you can't go to school. At Edmonds College, that narrative is being powerfully rewritten.
Through a focused commitment to student support, strategic community outreach, and innovative processing, the Financial Aid department has not only overcome historic challenges but is now directly fueling student success and degree completion.
The Triple Whammy and the Core Philosophy
Executive Director of Financial Aid, Alicia Mallahan, and Associate Director, Dane Olaso, stepped into their leadership roles just as the college was hit by what they call the "triple whammy": the seismic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the complex implementation of the new ctcLink software (the system used by all 34 community and technical colleges in Washington state to manage student information, finance, and human resources), and the chaotic national rollout of FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) simplification.
Instead of shrinking back, the team centered its operation on three core principles: supporting students, ensuring compliance, and disbursing funds. They believed that by building trust and rapport with students during times of extreme uncertainty, they could overcome technical failures. This foundational commitment to individualized, student-centered service is the secret behind their impressive turnaround.
“Our service model prioritizes the student’s experience and treats them as individuals,” said Edmonds President Dr. Amit B. Singh. “The success of our Financial Aid department stems from strong leadership and support from so many on campus. We are fortunate to have a team in place that is eager to serve students and distribute financial aid with fewer barriers.”
Olaso told the College Board of Trustees at a recent meeting in October that giving money to students is the fun part of the job. “Helping them pay for college, their textbooks, and perhaps unexpected things that come up mid-year, our team is very proud as we move forward to help all of our students,” he said.
Expanding Access: From Campus to Community
According to the National College Attainment Network tracker, 45.6% of 2025 seniors in Washington state completed a FAFSA, ranking 47th among all US states and falling below the national average of 59.8%. As noted in a recent Seattle Times article, this trend has worried Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, as the state faces projected shortfalls in skilled workers with jobs requiring postsecondary education by 2032. The Financial Aid team at Edmonds understood that to help more students, they couldn't wait for students to walk through the door. They took their expertise into the community, fundamentally improving access to critical aid.
They targeted internal partnerships by establishing bi-weekly financial aid workshops with the Pre-College department and quarterly workshops with the Workforce department, proactively reaching students who need funding the most. In a significant equity initiative, the team began conducting financial aid workshops directly at the Monroe Correctional Facility to counsel incarcerated individuals on the Second Chance Pell program, which extends educational opportunities to an underserved population.
Driven by a partnership with the Edmonds School District, the financial aid team has worked to enhance high school and community integration, regularly offering multilingual (English, Spanish, Urdu, and Hindi) financial aid workshops at local high schools, including Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace High Schools.
This outreach means Edmonds College is now known throughout the community as the go-to expert, helping students apply for financial aid regardless of which institution they ultimately choose. This strategic outreach is already paying off: the Edmonds School District's FAFSA completion rate is 4 percentage points higher than that of other districts in the area.
This concerted effort has resulted in a significant increase in financial aid applications. By mid-October, the college had processed 6,569 FAFSA applications, representing an over 50% increase from the previous year —a counter-trend to the national decline seen after the dysfunctional FAFSA simplification rollout.
“Last year, FAFSA was delayed 2 to 3 months,” said Olaso. “When it came out, students were unable to include their parents, which led to numerous roadblocks. Many students nationwide just said, ‘I’m not going to bother with it.’ This led to a nationwide drop of 30 to 40% in applications.
“We were actually above the curve because we continued to support students throughout the year,” Olaso continued. “We were encouraging students to fill out the WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) while the Department of Education was trying to figure out how to get the FAFSA to work.”
The $20 Million Difference: Funding Student Success
The true measure of the department’s success is the sheer volume of support it delivers to students. For the last academic year, the Financial Aid office, in partnership with the Business Office, dispersed an impressive $19.2 million in total financial aid. This funding, which includes Pell Grants, Washington College Grant, workforce funds, scholarships, and VA benefits, provides critical support for tuition, textbooks, housing, and rent.
To ensure students have these funds when they need them most, the team has implemented an innovative disbursement system. Unlike many schools that disperse aid only twice a week, at Edmonds, the team disperses funds Monday through Thursday during the first two weeks of every quarter. They also implemented batch processing in ctcLink, which allows the team to deliver financial aid offers approximately 20% faster than neighboring institutions. This efficiency has resulted in a $1.5 million increase in total aid dispersed compared to the prior year, a number that continues to grow daily.
While increasing grant aid is a priority, the team also successfully implemented policies to protect students from unnecessary debt. Alarmed by a noticeable rise in loan requests, the department enacted a policy requiring any student seeking a federal loan to meet with staff or provide a photo ID. This personal counseling approach has been highly effective in reducing the total number of loan recipients. Staff counsel students on what’s best for them financially and what they realistically need to borrow to make it through the year. The school is on track to stay below last year's total of 350 loan recipients, at a cost of $2.3 million.
“We love to see students coming to our campus, but we love to see them being able to leave as debt-free as possible,” said Mallahan. “We’re encouraging students to use grant funding instead, and we’re promoting available scholarships through our Foundation.”
The Ultimate Achievement: Persistence and Completion
The Financial Aid team doesn't just process paperwork; it removes financial anxiety, enabling students to focus on learning, persist through challenges, and confidently complete their education. Student outcomes show the most compelling evidence of the Financial Aid department's impact. By consistently removing financial barriers, the team has directly contributed to the academic success of its students.
Pell Grant recipients at Edmonds College are showing a slight but consistent improvement in their course-pass rates each year, reaching 84% this past year, compared to 80% for all students. Pell students are more likely to achieve completion rates than the general population, meaning they are returning for subsequent quarters and staying enrolled long enough to reach graduation.
In a significant achievement, Pell recipients—students who often face the most substantial financial and life challenges, requiring them to balance school, work, and family—are now completing their degrees at the same rate as the general student population. The number of Pell recipients earning a degree jumped from 302 to 386 in the most recent academic year.
“Pell students are those who have to work an extra job so they can go to school. They’re worried about ‘Where am I getting money for housing?’” said Mallahan. “For these students to be able to complete their degree at the same rate as our general population is a significant achievement for us.”
For students looking to continue (or start!) their academic journey at Edmonds College, enrollment for the winter quarter begins Nov. 13, and the financial aid priority deadline is Nov. 15. For more information, visit edmonds.edu/financial-aid or drop by the Financial Aid department located on the first floor of Lynnwood Hall. A friendly staff member is waiting to help you cut through the red tape and get your foot in the door.
Edmonds College does not discriminate on the basis of race; color; national origin; sex; disability; age; religion; sexual orientation; citizenship, marital, or veteran status; or genetic information in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Kathy Smith (Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator/Investigator); Clearview Building, Room 122B; kathy.smith@edmonds.edu, 425.640.1814.