Benjamin Howard-Williams
Educator, Administrator, & College Advisor
Who is this guy?
Benjamin is an award-winning higher education professional with years of experience supporting student success in the greater Kansas City area. His work has been published in the Journal of College Orientation & Transition and he's presented on topics related to financial aid, admissions, student privacy, and college career planning throughout the region.
He is proud to be a member of the the Global Community for Academic Advising (NACADA), the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the Alliance for Professional Counselors (APC).
Benjamin has served in multiple Student Development roles at Johnson County Community College and Metropolitan Community College as well as Assistant Director of Financial Aid at the University of Kansas. For his work at JCCC, he was awarded the Staff Extra Effort award in 2011 and the Rookie of the Year award in 2012. In 2016, he was honored with the MCC Staff Extra Mile award.
Currently, Benjamin serves at the University of Missouri Kansas-City as Transfer & Articulation Officer and is pursuing his second master's degree in Mental Health Counseling.
Making College Accessible, Understandable, & Relevant
Everyone deserves the opportunity of a great education.
Where are you going? How do you plan to get there?
Benjamin's favorite work revolves around helping students get into, and then get the most out of, their higher education journey. As a guest speaker to your Youth Group, PTO, Scout Troop, Networking Club, or Knitting Circle, he can help students of any age (and their parents, too!) answer questions like:
- How do I find the right school?
- How can I pay for my education?
- How important is my major?
- How do I make the most of my college experience?
- How do I leverage my education in the workplace?
Benjamin's day job is working with the nitty-gritty of student records, enrollment, and financial aid. He's happy to share both what he's learned as a student and a professional for FREE with the community as a way to give back in honor of those who helped him succeed through his educational journey.
Experienced, Educated,
Real-World Oriented
Bringing the Ivory Tower to Main Street
Formal Education
Benjamin has served and studied at institutions ranging from small, private liberal arts campuses (Residency Hall Advisor & Teaching Assistant for the University of Redlands) to urban community colleges (Student Services Supervisor Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City), and even flagship public research institutions (Assistant Director of Financial Aid at the University of Kansas).
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Summa Cum Laude, from Emporia State University, as well as a Master of Arts in Education degree from the University of Saint Mary. He is working towards his second master's degree, an Master of Arts in Counseling at UMKC.
"Real World" Experience
Before starting his higher education career with the Student Success & Engagement division at Johnson County Community College in 2011, Benjamin spent over half a decade in the Insurance & Financial Services industry working for independent agents as well as with industry giants including New York Life, Waddell & Reed, and MassMutual.
Having worked for both Corporate America and entrepreneurial start-ups, Benjamin brings his personal expertise and understanding of the 21st Century workforce to his student services role and academic coaching.
Tools & Resources
Tools to help you survive and thrive through your college experience.
**UPDATED for 2019-20** Financial Aid Basics, Tips, and Tricks...
An Honors History degree is worth more than a C-Average Business Degree...
Transitioning from High School to College...
Preparing Special Education Students to Transition to College...
Where to find him.
Email
LinkedIn
Copyright 2018