Meisha Wangerin

Experience

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  Capella University

  Sept 2006 - Mar 2008

  Learner Support Associate

  ⭐ Advised and mentored students on financial aid policies, enhancing their understanding and ensuring they could navigate the system effectively.⭐ Successfully resolved complex student issues using de-escalation techniques, improving overall student satisfaction and retention.⭐ Enhanced operational efficiency by coordinating with lenders, servicers, and guarantors to expedite requests and ensure timely completion.

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  Everest College

  May 2008 - Aug 2011

  Campus Student Loan Specialist

  ⭐ Reduced the number of students on the default list from 100+ to less than 10 and decreased the cohort default rate from 31% to 6% in 12 months by teaching Money Management Skills class to approximately 100 students over 3 years.⭐ Minimized outstanding bad debt from $33,825 to less than $4,700 in less than 60 days through successful debt management strategies.⭐ Decreased training time for new staff members from 3 months to 3 weeks by developing and implementing an effective training curriculum. Show less

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  Bastyr University

  Mar 2012 - Jul 2016

  Senior Financial Aid Advisor

  ⭐ Counseled approximately 1,200 current students and +/-500 prospective students on financial aid policies and procedures.⭐ Fostered a well-trained and efficient team by leading and training four Work-Study Students, creating weekly schedules, and conducting interviews.⭐ Reduced processing time for financial aid requests by 60% (3 days) by implementing a new submission process for students.⭐ Optimized efficiency by implementing a new financial aid request submission process for students, reducing processing time by 60% (3 days).⭐ Developed new verification documents and PowerPoint presentations for Open House events attended by up to 100 prospective students.⭐ Secured $10K in scholarships for 4 international students by researching, identifying, and applying for outside scholarship opportunities.⭐ Initiated the recommendation to create a version of the “Human Library,” which was adopted and provided a safe space for students, staff, and faculty to ask questions and engage in meaningful dialogue on sensitive topics. Show less

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  Seattle University

  Jul 2016 - Jan 2018

  Financial Aid Counselor-Outreach Coordinator

  ⭐ Presented admissions and financial aid application process to local regional high school students with 200+ attendees.⭐ Increased enrollment 4% YoY by building strategic partnerships with Seattle Public Schools.⭐ Enabled equitable access to resources through personalized counseling and support to first-time-in-college students, underrepresented students, LGBTQ+ students, and students from minoritized groups.⭐ Served as a panelist on the Connections Leadership Program (CLP) Panel, offering guidance to first-time college and transfer students of color.⭐ Empowered underrepresented students as the Staff Co-Chair on the Black Student Union. Show less

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  Lake Washington Institute of Technology

  Jan 2018 - Jul 2020

  Outreach & Recruitment Manager

  ⭐ Expanded outreach efforts by executing up to 10 monthly events and reaching approximately 300 prospective students and their families per event.⭐ Generated significant community engagement and prospective student interest by successfully planning and facilitating the 18/19 annual Open House event with a budget responsibility of $30K, attracting over 500 attendees.⭐ Promoted post-secondary education options by identifying at-risk youth using data analysis techniques and planning in-classroom workshops, reaching 20-50 students per workshop.⭐ Fostered partnerships with the National Diversity Council to host the ‘Young Women’s Leadership Symposium’ in Fall 2019, promoting the development of future women leaders and showcasing LWTech’s STEM programs to a diverse audience.⭐ Targeted and visited alternative high schools to reach low-income and economically challenged students, offering resources and services presented by LWTech.⭐ Demonstrated a commitment to diversity and inclusion by partnering with the National Diversity Council to host the ‘Young Women’s Leadership Symposium’ in Fall 2019, promoting the development of future women leaders and highlighting LWTech’s STEM programs.⭐ Contributed to the college’s commitment to social equity by creating and executing Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) on campus as the Chair for the Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Council.⭐ Partnered with the National Diversity Council to host the ‘Young Women’s Leadership Symposium’ in Fall 2019, promoting LWTech’s STEM programs and empowering future women leaders in the community.⭐ Acted as a vital member of the Bias Response Team, conducting community conversations, workshops, and trainings on understanding implicit bias and micro-aggressions and in response to ‘bias incidents’ on campus reaching up to 30 attendees per event. Show less

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  Year Up

  Jul 2020 - Apr 2024

  ⭐ Elevated to a dual role overseeing the Bay Area Enrollment Team, fostering professional growth in team members through coaching, modeling, collaboration, and trust.⭐ Formulated and executed a comprehensive recruitment and enrollment strategy resulting in the successful admission of 900+ young adults annually across the Western Region, spanning Washington, California, and Arizona.⭐ Consistently met and surpassed enrollment targets, ensuring fulfillment of internship staffing agreements with corporate partners and enabling expansion to support more internships.⭐ Oversaw 3 top-performing teams across three states and multiple sites, overseeing 25 direct reports to ensure operational efficiency and goal achievement.⭐ Implemented intentional team-building activities and facilitated open discussions to foster unity and enhance productivity within the enrollment team.⭐ Streamline enrollment processes and enhance operational efficiency by leveraging Microsoft Office and Salesforce technologies. Show less ⭐ Spearheaded the strategic planning and execution of overall admissions processes, resulting in the engagement of a robust recruitment pipeline of young adults possessing best-fit attributes for Year Up’s program.⭐ Successfully admitted a full class 4X per year, ensuring a steady influx of qualified candidates into the program.⭐ Optimized admissions procedures and enhanced efficiency by developing and implementing processes, policies, and training initiatives.⭐ Led a dedicated team of 7 direct reports, providing leadership, guidance, and support to drive team performance and achieve organizational goals.⭐ Enrolled 60+ referrals over each of the last 5 recruitment cycles by engaging current students, interns, and alumni to refer prospects.⭐ Built strategies to create a diverse portfolio of key stakeholders, including local community-based organizations, resulting in meeting enrollment goal 2-3-weeks ahead of goal with an average 108% of goal vs. failure to meet prior to hire.⭐ Reversed decline in applicant pipeline for a learning track by activating staff to create series of virtual events, resulting in 20 attendees and 11 enrollments (55% enrollment rate).⭐ Eliminated departmental silos across Enrollment, Student Services, and Academics, introduced touchpoints for department heads, and created a cohesive and transparent environment. Show less

  • Regional Director of Enrollment- National

    Nov 2022 - Apr 2024

  • Interim Director of Enrollment Year Up (Bay Area)

    Aug 2022 - Nov 2022

  • Director of Recruitment & Admissions (Puget Sound)

    Jul 2020 - Aug 2022
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  Young Women Empowered (Y-WE)

  Sept 2024 - now

  Program Director