Posted February 3, 2016 by
Tags: My Wheaton Financial Aid
Discovering Financial Aid
Until the beginning of my junior year, I had never interacted with anyone from Wheaton's Student Financial Services office. When circumstances in my family jeopardized my ability to continue my Wheaton education, I entered the Student Financial Services office with trepidation.
A kind receptionist set up an appointment for me with my adviser, Ben Grey. Due to my situation, I had no idea how financial aid at Wheaton worked, and I feared I would have to navigate the murky waters of taxes and the daunting “FAFSA” all on my own. However, I quickly realized that was not the case. Ben explained to me in detail how the system worked, and he patiently answered my numerous questions.
At first, I felt as though my questions were ignorant, the answers obvious to everyone but me. However, Ben always encouraged me, assuring me we could figure it out together. Even after that meeting when I had more difficult and specific questions, Karen Belling, the Director of Student Financial Services, talked with me on the phone for an hour and expressed a genuine desire to help me.
It continues to amaze me how Wheaton’s motto “For Christ and His Kingdom,” permeates every aspect of the college, and the Student Financial Services office is no exception. They have been my advocates and mentors, and it’s through them that I’ve been able to stay at Wheaton. If it were not for Financial Aid, I would not have been able to complete my Wheaton College experience, and a hard time in my life would have been made much worse. I will never be able to thank them enough for their assistance and all the help they continue to provide. I am privileged to call them my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Travis Mercante ‘17 is a junior majoring in Business and Economics. Visit the Student Financial Services website to learn how financial aid can make your Wheaton experience possible, apply for aid, or discover FAQ's and tips.
Photo Captions: Travis and Titus Payne '18 in their dorm; learning to swing-dance; Travis rides a llama in Panama during Wheaton's Iron Sharpens Iron program this summer.