Brandi L. Miller

Brandi MillerBrandi L. Miller
Assistant Director of New Student Programs 
Drake University 
MASFAA

Brandi Miller believes that representation matters, as the only Black person leading her state association, the Iowa Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (IASFAA). Brandi has worked in financial aid at Drake University for over 20 years, but she says she’s often the only Black person in the room. To her, the lack of diversity and representation in the financial aid field can be daunting.

“I believe I bring representation for Black women and people of color to our profession in my state,” Brandi said. “Those who see me leading at the regional and national level may be inspired to do the same; just because I don’t see many people of color at our state conference, it doesn’t mean they are not working in financial aid in my state.”

Before Drake University, Brandi served as a financial aid coordinator at Grand View College, where she got her start in the financial aid field. She currently serves as the president of  IASFAA and previously was the Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA) state representativeve for Iowa. 

Beyond financial aid, Brandi is the co-founder and president of nonprofit Black Women 4 Healthy Living, “a Christ-centered wellness movement for Black women in the Greater Des Moines area.” Her nonprofit is focused on “God, wellness, community, and justice” and has multiple programs dedicated to Black women’s health. 

Learn more about Brandi in the brief Q&A below

Who is your favorite historical figure, and why?

I would say President Barack Obama. I'm very inspired by him and the way he carries himself, the way he deals with opposition and people. I've read a couple of his books, and just his approach to people who don't like him or are against him — he seeks to understand people. 

If you knew someone hated you, you typically wouldn't read a book written by them. But I remember reading that he read books by people with opposite views because he wanted to understand them more, and that just always struck me as extra special. Just the way he led, the way he interacted with people, his kindness, and his intelligence.

The other thing about Barack Obama being the first African American president, there are a lot of times where I'm the only one in spaces that I'm in as far as leading. So seeing Barack Obama carry himself in a culture where he is the first and maybe the only in situations, I look to him as an example —  things that he said, and how he said them, and because it's a delicate thing, especially when you're in a position of power, influence, and you're a minority in that role.

So how I carry myself has an impact. On not just me, but my family, and also others that look like me. And so when you're in that kind of position, you have to be careful, you just can't make the same kind of mistakes.

How have you seen diversity in higher education change since you began your career?

I've seen more language come that helps to explain things I've been experiencing for my whole life, such as microaggressions and systemic racism. Now there are words, terminology, and data. It's not just something I'm feeling, but something that is a fact. It's being identified and it's being documented. Other people of color are expressing the same sentiments and sharing similar experiences. So it's making things make more sense. 

I see higher education bringing up history to give context to what we're experiencing today, like the 1619 project and white privilege. I didn't even know that was a thing. Being in higher education helps me to have access to knowledge, data, and information that I don't know that I would necessarily have in certain spheres depending on where I worked. 

How does your perspective impact how you do your job and approach financial aid?

As far as how I do my job, I feel like I do my job the same as I've always done it, which is fair and equitable. But where I can have influence on my campus, that's where I feel like I have an impact. For example, I am a mentor for our Crew Scholars Program, which is a program for students of color that come to our campus to create a sense of community. I get to have an influence one-on-one with a student of color. I gave up my time for that program, and I followed a student for four years, and I'm getting ready for that student to graduate. And I have a new mentee this year.

I'm also the Black Faculty/Staff Affinity Group leader here on my campus. Being a part of that group, I get to help create spaces of support for faculty and staff of color on campus. We meet monthly and I coordinate those meetings. We also coordinate activities with students of color on campus just to create a sense of community and additional support work.

Any hidden talents?

I don't feel like I have a hidden talent, other than I have some unique interests. I rode my bike across the state of Iowa in one week as part of RAGBRAI. I had to train for it. I was new to cycling and fell in love with cycling. Through my training, I rode about 1,400 miles before getting on RAGBRAI. I rode RAGBRAI in 2017 and that year, I rode two centuries (100 miles in one day). That's not necessarily talent, but it's something that I feel that stands out in my lifetime that I've done. 

What do you do when you're not working?

When I'm not working, I have a nonprofit for Black women's health. It's called Black Women 4 Healthy Living. We are addressing health disparities in Black women in my community. I am the co-founder and president of that nonprofit. I’m also a Girl Scout troop leader. We have a troop for Black and brown girls so that way we can bring representation to Girl Scouts in our city. I sing in the choir at my church. I love Bible study. I love being with my family.

What advice do you have for those in financial aid?

Financial aid is not a job, it's a career — and a worthwhile one. Don't despise your role in the financial aid office as insignificant, because without financial aid, most students would not have a higher education.

Publication Date: 1/20/2023


Helen F | 1/23/2023 4:57:01 PM

Great feature on a great member of our community! Thank you for all you do, Brandi.

Tanya J | 1/23/2023 9:48:50 AM

Wonderful Article! Nice getting to know you Brandi! You inspire me to do join more groups and do more outside of the office.

You must be logged in to comment on this page.

Comments Disclaimer: NASFAA welcomes and encourages readers to comment and engage in respectful conversation about the content posted here. We value thoughtful, polite, and concise comments that reflect a variety of views. Comments are not moderated by NASFAA but are reviewed periodically by staff. Users should not expect real-time responses from NASFAA. To learn more, please view NASFAA’s complete Comments Policy.
View Desktop Version