Farah Burnett

Director Of Financial Aid and Educational Opportunity Programs
New York, New York, United States

Professional Overview

Farah Burnett is an accomplished financial aid and educational opportunity program administrator with extensive experience in higher education. As the Director of Financial Aid and Educational Opportunity Programs at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, she oversees the strategic management and delivery of critical student support services.

Experience Summary

Current Role

Farah has served as the Director of Financial Aid and Educational Opportunity Programs at SUNY Downstate Medical Center since June 2017. In this role, she is responsible for managing the financial aid office and leading the implementation of educational opportunity initiatives that increase access and support for underrepresented student populations. Under her leadership, the financial aid department has streamlined processes, improved service levels, and secured additional funding to expand scholarship and grant opportunities.

Career Progression

Prior to her current position, Farah held the role of Associate Director of Financial Aid at Columbia University from 2005 to 2017. In this capacity, she played a key part in developing and refining the university's financial aid policies and procedures to ensure equitable distribution of aid. Earlier in her career, Farah served as the Assistant Director at Marymount Manhattan College from 2002 to 2005, where she contributed to the enhancement of the institution's financial aid programs.

Academic Background

Farah holds a Master's degree in Higher Education Administration from New York University, where she specialized in student support services and financial aid management. She also earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Areas of Expertise

• Financial aid administration and policy development

• Educational opportunity program design and implementation

• Student support service delivery and optimization

• Strategic planning and budgeting for student success initiatives

• Collaborative leadership and cross-functional team management

Professional Impact

Under Farah's leadership, the financial aid and educational opportunity programs at SUNY Downstate Medical Center have achieved notable successes, including:

• Increasing the number of scholarship recipients by 25% over the past three years

• Securing an additional $1.2 million in grant funding to expand access and support for underrepresented student groups

• Implementing a comprehensive financial literacy program that has improved student loan repayment rates by 15%

• Spearheading the development of a mentorship initiative that has led to a 20% improvement in student retention and graduation rates

Conclusion

With her deep expertise in financial aid management and educational opportunity program development, Farah Burnett is a respected leader in the higher education sector. Her commitment to expanding access and supporting student success continues to drive positive impact within the SUNY Downstate Medical Center community and beyond.