Derek Kindle named financial aid director

Derek Kindle has been named director of the Office of Student Financial Aid at UW–Madison.

Kindle has served since 2014 as executive director of student financial services at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Previously, he served for six years as director of financial aid and has held numerous other roles at Howard, including assistant director for compliance.

Kindle is expected to begin at UW–Madison in July.

“I am thrilled to have Derek Kindle join our team,” says Steve Hahn, vice provost for enrollment management. “His leadership, experience, and commitment to financial aid for students will be a great asset to our campus.”

“The University of Wisconsin at Madison is a great institution and I am humbled by the opportunity to serve and contribute to the excellent team assembled throughout the university and most especially, the students of UW- Madison,” says Kindle.

In his role at Howard, he oversaw the university’s $320 million annual financial aid, bursar, student accounting and cashiering portfolios as well as enrollment analytics.

He is a commissioner for the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training, and a member of the U.S. Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Advisory Group, and The College Board’s National College Planning Advisory Board.

“His leadership, experience, and commitment to financial aid for students will be a great asset to our campus.”

Steve Hahn

Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, Kindle received his master’s degree in organizational communication and his bachelor’s degree in legal communications, both from Howard University.

At UW–Madison, Kindle will succeed Susan Fischer and serve as the campus authority on federal, state and institutional aid programs and will assist the university’s strategic enrollment management planning.

The Office of Student Financial Aid has 38 full-time team members and manages federal, state, institutional and private aid sources totaling more than $478 million annually, including $198 million in scholarships and assistantships.

The financial aid director reports to Hahn in the Division of Enrollment Management in the Provost’s Office.