February 25, 2016
Director of undergraduate admissions and director of student financial assistance promotions
The Division of Student Life at Kansas State University has promoted two seasoned staff members to the rank of director in their respective departments. Molly McGaughey has been named the director of undergraduate admissions. Robert Gamez has been named the director of student financial assistance.
McGaughey, who holds three educational credentials from K-State, including a bachelor's degree in history, a graduate certificate in public administration, and a master's degree in family studies and human services–youth development, will manage all aspects of admissions operations and staff. Undergraduate Admissions is responsible for tens of thousands of applications, transcripts and prospective student inquiries each year while outgoing communications number in the hundreds of thousands annually. McGaughey will maintain and strengthen strategic partnerships with all academic colleges, New Student Services, International Admissions and Recruiting, and the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus, Kansas State University Global Campus, and Kansas State University Olathe.
Advancing regularly since joining Kansas State University since 2006, McGaughey has proven that she is a collaborative and creative leader. Her previous experience with the implementation of a customer relations management system at AIB International had immediate positive impacts on our practices. During her nine-year tenure with the admissions office, McGaughey has presented in multiple settings, including the following conferences: the Kansas Board of Regents Data Quality and Planning, the Kansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and the Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling. McGaughey represents K-State admissions to the Big 12 Business and Enrollment Services collaborative, and is currently serving as a conference proposal reviewer for the National Association for College Admission Counseling 2016 conference.
Gamez will be responsible for the day-to-day operations in the Office of Student Financial Assistance including the development of K-State's awarding philosophy associated with federal, Title IV, aid, state aid programs and institutional grant programs. He began his career in student financial assistance at Iowa State University while working toward his master's degree in professional studies in education before joining K-State's office in 1995. During his tenure at Kansas State University, he has been active in student aid professional organizations at the state, regional and national level. Gamez served as the office's team lead in K-State's transition to the K-State Student Information System, or KSIS, in 2008-2009. In 2012, Gamez received the Hall of Fame award from the Kansas Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators. Most recently he served on the National Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators' Task Force on Campus-Based Aid Allocation from 2013-2014.
The Office of Student Financial Assistance plays a pivotal role in Kansas State University's strategic enrollment objectives. In 2014-2015 the office administered $150 million in federal, Title IV, assistance, $29 million in institutional scholarships, $9.5 million in veterans' benefits, and $3.3 million in institutional grants on behalf of the university and the Kansas State University Foundation. During that same time frame, the office processed 20,599 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, records as well as in excess of 21,000 K-State online scholarship applications.
Larry Moeder, associate vice president, will retain oversight for the two offices as well as the Office of the Registrar.