Consultants

Senior Principal Consultant 

Steven J. McDowell, MBA, FAAC®

Associate Vice President for Financial Aid Services & Title IV Compliance

Connecticut State Community College

Mr. Steven J. McDowell is the Associate Vice President for Financial Aid Services & Title IV Compliance for Connecticut State Community College. In this role, he has led all activities for the Connecticut State Community College merger between the US Department of Education and all 12 legacy institutions, including the creation and implementation of a multi-campus organizational structure for a staff of over 55 financial aid and veterans affairs staff serving a student body of over 40,000. He has presented locally, regionally, and nationally on topics including satisfactory academic progress, verification, gainful employment, strategic enrollment management in financial aid, policy construction, free college programming, and organizational change in the Financial Aid Office. 

Mr. McDowell is a leader in the field with over 20 years of experience, with an extensive passion for bridging financial aid and strategic enrollment management. His affinity for higher education public policy tied to financial aid administration has afforded him the opportunity to serve the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in volunteer capacities supporting the public policy agendas of their respective government relations teams. He is a passionate writer, with publications in College & University Journal, SEM Quarterly, and multiple chapters in Financial Aid Leadership in Strategic Enrollment Management. He is the author of Basic Guide to Financial Aid, a national award-winning publication that provides a roadmap to ensure enrollment professionals understand the fundamentals of financial aid administration and compliance.

Mr. McDowell’s dedication to the field has been recognized on both a local and national level. He is a past president of the Connecticut Association of Professional Financial Aid Administrators (CAPFAA) and is one of only three individuals nationwide holding certifications from both AACRAO in Strategic Enrollment Management and NASFAA as a Certified Financial Aid Administrator®. He received CAPFAA’s Henry L. Miller Emerging Leader Award in 2017 and P. Jerome Cunningham Distinguished Service Award in 2023, as well as AACRAO’s Emerging Leader Award in 2020. In 2023, Steve received NASFAA’s Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award.

Mr. McDowell received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Bentley University and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Hartford. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from the University of Hartford.