Tesha McMillon, BBA, MPA, JWMI Executive Leadership Certificate

I attribute my success to perseverance, adaptability, and a genuine commitment to helping others. My 20-year career in higher education began almost by accident when I accepted a temporary position as a loan servicer. What started as a job quickly became a calling and set me on a path of continuous growth, leadership, and service.

Over the years, I advanced into leadership roles, becoming a supervisor in the student loan department before transitioning into higher education as a Default Manager at a local HBCU. I later served as a Financial Aid Director and have since moved into my current role, where I continue to support students and families in achieving their educational goals.

One of my proudest accomplishments is founding HELP (Higher Education Literacy Provider), a nonprofit organization dedicated to financial literacy, student loan education, and borrower advocacy. Through HELP, I assist families and first-generation students in navigating the complexities of student loan debt while helping borrowers explore loan resolution and discharge options. The opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people's lives continues to inspire me every day.

Among the many individuals I have assisted, two experiences stand out. I helped a widow successfully resolve more than $200,000 in Parent PLUS loan debt, providing her with much-needed financial relief during a difficult time. In another case, I shared information that enabled a borrower to obtain Borrower Defense relief. The individual later reached out to thank me, explaining that the guidance I provided changed the trajectory of their young family for the better. Stories like these reaffirm why I do this work and fuel my passion for helping others.

Service and mentorship are also central to who I am. I am passionate about encouraging nontraditional students and young women to recognize that it is never too late to pursue a new direction, return to school, or redefine their future. Having returned to college myself at age 34 and earned multiple degrees, I understand firsthand the challenges and rewards that accompany reinvention and lifelong learning.

Ultimately, I measure success not by titles or professional achievements, but by the doors I have helped open, the individuals I have empowered, and the lasting impact I have been able to make in my community. My greatest accomplishment is knowing that I have helped others see possibilities for themselves that they may not have believed were within reach.

The best career advice I ever received came from a former colleague. I was feeling discouraged after receiving yet another job rejection, and I told her, "All I need is for one door to open. When it's my door, it will open."

She replied, "Maybe that's the problem. Maybe instead of looking for doors, you should look for windows of opportunity that can help you get in the door."

That completely changed my perspective.

Since then, I've made it a point to take advantage of every opportunity, whether big or small. I've learned that there is often more than one path into a room, and success doesn't always come through the door you expected. Sometimes, a window of opportunity can lead you exactly where you're meant to be.

I would encourage young women, especially non-traditional students, to remember that it is never too late to change direction, pursue a new opportunity, or take the next step toward your goals. I did not begin college until I was 34, when I earned my associate degree. Over the next 10 years, I continued my education, earning my bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and graduate certificate.

My journey taught me that there is no single path to success. You should never be afraid to move forward, embrace change, or pursue something new simply because your journey looks different from someone else's. You never truly know what you are capable of achieving until you take that first step and keep moving forward.

Financial aid offices are operating in an increasingly complex environment, tasked with balancing regulatory compliance, student support, enrollment goals, and operational efficiency. They face mounting pressures from staffing shortages and employee burnout, ongoing FAFSA rollout challenges and federal system disruptions, growing regulatory complexity, and rising expectations from students and families.

At the same time, borrowers are navigating their own set of challenges. Rising college costs, affordability concerns, evolving repayment programs, and administrative hurdles have made both accessing financial aid and successfully repaying student loans more difficult. Borrowers are also contending with changing federal policies, repayment uncertainty, and increased financial strain.

Together, these pressures create a compounding effect across the higher education ecosystem. As borrowers require more guidance and support to understand their options and meet their financial obligations, financial aid offices are being asked to do more with fewer resources. The result is increased strain on both institutions and borrowers, highlighting the need for streamlined processes, improved technology, and more effective support systems that can reduce administrative burden while improving the student financial experience.

The values I hold in both my personal and professional life guide my decisions, relationships, and actions every day. While these values are deeply personal, they also influence how I approach my work, collaborate with others, and contribute to the communities I serve.

My personal values are compassion, integrity, adaptability, and honesty. These principles shape how I interact with others, navigate challenges, and remain accountable to myself and those around me.

Professionally, I am guided by collaboration, respect, consistency, and transparency. These values help me build strong relationships, foster trust, and create an environment where individuals can work together effectively toward shared goals.

These personal and professional values are interconnected. When they are aligned, I experience a greater sense of purpose, fulfillment, and authenticity. They serve as a foundation for building meaningful relationships, making sound decisions, and contributing positively to both the workplace and the broader community.