Paul Watson - Director

Two of the hardest things any of us have to do are:

• ask for help, and
• talk about money.

This is especially true when it is your money that we are talking about, and you do not have enough! Let us try to help you meet your college expenses. The financial aid office wants to help you, “Make It Happen!” Paul has personal knowledge of financial aid opportunities as a student and parent. He would have never made it or finished college without the financial aid. Yes, college was expensive. He was not a scholar so a lot of the aid he received was as a loan. Paul believes it was the best investment he has made in himself. When he got married, his wife also had student loans to repay. It was tough, but it was worth it. Paul has always been grateful for the support and financial aid he received.

As a parent, Paul was also fortunate to have two daughters go to college. He wishes he could have saved more to help them with their college expenses, but he didn’t. His daughters had to take some student loans and he took some PLUS (an educational loan to the parent) loans to help them out. Once again, they made it, and it was worth it.

Carol Scipior - Assistant Director

As Assistant Director of Student Financial Aid, Carol’s responsibilities include assisting students and/or parents resolve their financial aid concerns via in-person, telephone and group presentations. She also represents the Financial Aid Office at various professional functions and provides backup assistance for the Director when the occasion warrants.

Carol’s administrative duties include coordination of consortium agreements, entrance and exit loan counseling, unofficial withdrawals, overpayment, delinquency and default issues and data discrepancy resolution. She also oversees office operations, including budgetary activities, equipment/supply/printing requisitions, staff hiring, training and supervisor, as well as internal and external communication.

As a member of the UW-Stevens Point’s Financial Aid Office, Carol’s contributions are notable in both quality and quantity. Her personality, acquaintances across campus and knowledge of the University structure are unparalleled in the Financial Aid Office.

Leone Pierce - Assistant Director

Leone position provides analytical and technical services to keep the overall computerized management system functioning and enhanced where needed and assists in managerial areas that affect workflow and production. The continuance of a smooth aid delivery system for our students is the special purview of this assistant directorship. Many of the tasks assigned to this position assure that automated processing systems function properly. In addition, this is where we expect system management developmental design work to be done, under the guidance of the Financial Aid Director.

General counseling is one of the best ways to get feedback on how the system is operating, and students and parents help us in counseling sessions to monitor our management system for maximum efficiency while solving financial problems for students. Part of this position is therefore devoted to general counseling to assist financial aid applicant’s work through any problems they may be having with the application process.

Maggie Kuhl - Financial Aid Advisor

As an Advisor in the Student Financial Aid Office, Maggie’s responsibilities include assisting students and/or parents to resolve their financial aid concerns through individual counseling, by telephone or via mail. She also is responsible for verifying federal financial aid applications, reviewing dependency override requests, and monitoring satisfactory academic progress concerns. Maggie also responds to non-routine inquiries from our students, parents and other correspondents.
 
Maggie enjoys working in UWSP’s Office of Student Financial Aid because it provides myriad opportunities where she can help students and their families. Whether it is assisting them in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or walking them through the verification process, she finds great satisfaction in knowing that she may be of assistance. Being the mother of two and from a large family (she’s one of seven children), she knows firsthand the trials and tribulations of paying for an education.

Mandy Slowinski - Financial Aid Advisor

As an Advisor in the Student Financial Aid Office, Mandy’s responsibilities include advising students, parents, and the community at large regarding Financial Aid programs. Mandy is responsible for making award adjustments to financial aid packages from students’ requests, International Program and Treehaven revisions, unusual circumstances and/or professional judgment cases. Mandy also oversees the office reception desk area and serves as the office liaison between Veterans, the Registration and Records Office, and the Veterans Administration.

With her office responsibilities, administrative and advisory workload, Mandy’s undivided attention and focus on the task at hand is exemplary, as she assists students and/or parents in individual meetings, communicating on the telephone, or corresponding through email.

Charlotte Harvath - Office Coordinator

Charlotte provides critical front-end counseling and management services for the Financial Aid Office. She supervises student employees that assist with the handling of inquiries, either by telephone, email or in person from students, parents, outside agencies and/or university personal. She finds it rewarding when she can assist a student. She feels that trying to help students is the reason we are here in Financial Aid.

Federal regulations mandate that all resources received by the student be considered in the analysis of the student’s need. This is scholarships/grants etc. From recording these awards she has noticed the academic accomplishment the students have made in order to receive them. Charlotte says this is great!

Lynn Dubay - Verification Assistant

Lynn Dubay has experience working with UW-SP students in the Career Services Office, the Student Academic Advising Center, Orientation, and now Financial Aid. Her goal to be of service to others has been realized through all of these positions, and she truly loves being helpful, as well as empowering students to help themselves, through the financial aid process.

Whether it is directing students to our website and the links used to access various resources, such as the FAFSA, or helping students to understand their particular aid package, such as grants, loans or work-study, Lynn is always ready to inform as well as to provide guidance regarding the financial aid process. She particularly enjoys seeing how the students affect their financial aid future by working with them on getting through the federal government’s verification process (required of 30% of our student aid recipients to complete). Each student and situation is unique, and it is a joy for her to learn something new every day!

Student Workers

These students will be your first contact with the office. All general incoming telephone calls are answered here, all mail is opened here, and this is where students turn in forms and get their basic questions answered. Each year these students greet over 17,000 people and answer over 26,000 telephone calls!

This is also where you can make appointments to see a counselor   (if one is not immediately available) -- you don't need to come in to make an appointment; you can simply call in and handle that over the telephone (715-346-4771).