Student - Office Assistant, Financial Aid & Peer Counselor

Title: Student - Office Assistant, Financial Aid & Peer Counselor Location: Mechanicsburg, PA, United States Posted Date: 2026-04-28 Employment Type: Part time

Description This position is responsible for general office duties and higher level functions related to basic levels of financial aid counseling and assisting full-time staff with the processing of various financial transactions and critical processes. See the Primary Duties section for more details. $9.50/hour

Messiah University’s commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence draws inspiration from its mission “to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in church and society.” The university has pursued this vision through a strategic planning process that encourages diversity through employee and student composition, campus climate, and an educational program that seeks to equip and enable educators and students to embrace diversity. Candidates should clearly articulate why diversity and inclusive excellence matter to them as persons of faith as well as in their profession. Candidates will speak to how as a potential employee, they will contribute to the advancement of this vision through their teaching-learning, research, institutional service, and public engagement.

This position is responsible for general office duties and higher level functions related to basic levels of financial aid counseling and assisting full-time staff with the processing of various financial transactions and critical processes.

$9.50/hour

2026-27 Academic Year

Education Required   Education Preferred   Experience Required Must have general computer knowledge including MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint Experience Preferred Experience working with Banner or a similar Financial Aid Management computer system.Deeper knowledge of Excel.Experience/ability in editing webpages. Skills, Characteristics Required Must be detail oriented, have good organizational skills, and enjoy working with numbers. Must feel comfortable spending a significant amount of time communicating with students and parents on the telephone or via email. Must be able to clearly explain complex processes and procedures.Must be able to maintain composure and pleasant personality even during stressful conversations. Students filling this position must practice extreme confidentiality, as almost every part of this position involves access to the highest level of sensitive documents and data for Messiah University students. Special Working Conditions N/A Dress Code Requirements Office/business casual during summer work hours Student attire - acceptable during the school year.  

Primary Duties

1. Act as a first level financial aid counselor answering telephone calls, emails, and handling in-person front counter visits in order to provide students and parents with first level advising on not only general financial aid information, but also specifics related to financial aid programs, processing, and details related to the specific student’s financial aid award. 2.Assist financial aid staff members in managing several critical processes including, but not limited to: Processing outside scholarships from the point of receipt through transmission to the Finance Office. The student employee must demonstrate extreme maturity in being responsible for the handling and proper processing of numerous large checks, and in representing Messiah University while communicating with outside scholarship organizations when funds must be refunded to the organization. Course and Program of Study Processing: Student employee must demonstrate extreme discretion and detail orientation in dealing with academic records of other students, including adjustments which need to be made to those records to support the student’s financial aid eligibility

2. Processing of incoming forms required to complete the student’s financial aid package. This process involves: Opening incoming mail and processing documents received through the secure upload system.  Scanning and indexing these documents into student records in order to allow the student to continue on through the financial aid process. This full process requires the use of multiple interacting software systems including Oracle,  Banner, Dynamic Forms, and the Secure Upload system. It is also necessary to update several spreadsheets used in communicating the check process to other offices. It is critical that extreme detail to attention be used in order to ensure that the proper documents and data are attached to the correct student.

3. Assist with basic edits to the Financial Aid Office webpages using the Cascade content management system.

4. Assist staff members with numerous special projects as assigned. Must demonstrate flexibility and initiative in completing projects while following provided instructions.

5. Prepare various financial aid mailings, under the direction of full-time Financial Aid Office staff.

6. Maintain consistent and reliable attendance Secondary Duties

7. Assist staff members with special projects.

8. Other duties as assigned.

Education Required   Education Preferred   Experience Required Must have general computer knowledge including MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint Experience Preferred Experience working with Banner or a similar Financial Aid Management computer system.Deeper knowledge of Excel.Experience/ability in editing webpages. Skills, Characteristics Required Must be detail oriented, have good organizational skills, and enjoy working with numbers. Must feel comfortable spending a significant amount of time communicating with students and parents on the telephone or via email. Must be able to clearly explain complex processes and procedures.Must be able to maintain composure and pleasant personality even during stressful conversations. Students filling this position must practice extreme confidentiality, as almost every part of this position involves access to the highest level of sensitive documents and data for Messiah University students. Special Working Conditions N/A Dress Code Requirements Office/business casual during summer work hours Student attire - acceptable during the school year.  

Primary Duties

1. Act as a first level financial aid counselor answering telephone calls, emails, and handling in-person front counter visits in order to provide students and parents with first level advising on not only general financial aid information, but also specifics related to financial aid programs, processing, and details related to the specific student’s financial aid award. 2.Assist financial aid staff members in managing several critical processes including, but not limited to: Processing outside scholarships from the point of receipt through transmission to the Finance Office. The student employee must demonstrate extreme maturity in being responsible for the handling and proper processing of numerous large checks, and in representing Messiah University while communicating with outside scholarship organizations when funds must be refunded to the organization. Course and Program of Study Processing: Student employee must demonstrate extreme discretion and detail orientation in dealing with academic records of other students, including adjustments which need to be made to those records to support the student’s financial aid eligibility

2. Processing of incoming forms required to complete the student’s financial aid package. This process involves: Opening incoming mail and processing documents received through the secure upload system.  Scanning and indexing these documents into student records in order to allow the student to continue on through the financial aid process. This full process requires the use of multiple interacting software systems including Oracle,  Banner, Dynamic Forms, and the Secure Upload system. It is also necessary to update several spreadsheets used in communicating the check process to other offices. It is critical that extreme detail to attention be used in order to ensure that the proper documents and data are attached to the correct student.

3. Assist with basic edits to the Financial Aid Office webpages using the Cascade content management system.

4. Assist staff members with numerous special projects as assigned. Must demonstrate flexibility and initiative in completing projects while following provided instructions.

5. Prepare various financial aid mailings, under the direction of full-time Financial Aid Office staff.

6. Maintain consistent and reliable attendance Secondary Duties

7. Assist staff members with special projects.

8. Other duties as assigned.