Laurie Buck named UIS Interim Director of Financial Assistance

Laurie Buck has been named the interim director of financial assistance at the University of Illinois Springfield. 

A New Orleans native, Buck has spent 30 years in higher education specifically in financial aid. "She began her professional career as a college work-study student and has not looked back," said Natalie Herring, UIS associate provost for enrollment management. "Laurie truly has the foundation to jump into any situation and positively affect change."

Over the years Buck has also worked in proprietary, public, private, and consulting institutions. She has developed, hired, and trained staff while successfully launching a Financial Aid service center and Collections/Cohort Default Rate (CDR) departments for a proprietary institution.​

"She is an expert in clock-hour, credit hour, non-term, non-standard term, and standard term structures," said Herring.

Buck earned a master's degree in organizational leadership from Colorado State University and a bachelor's degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.

She is currently a consultant with the Higher Education Assistance Group and the owner and consultant with LABuck Educational Consulting.

Buck began in the position on March 31, 2021.