My name is Kelli Todd and I serve on the board of commissioners for the Iowa College Student Aid Commission. The Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) is the state agency that administers state-appropriated financial aid programs and provides college access, financial literacy, and outreach services to Iowa’s students and families as they plan, prepare and pay for college.
As a commissioner, I represent the postsecondary students in Iowa. My life as a college student in Iowa began following my graduation from Sioux City East High School, in Sioux City, Iowa. At that time in my life, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career or how I was going to pay for college.
I eventually decided to attend Iowa State University and applied for financial aid to help pay the bills. During my time at Iowa State, I changed majors, but was fortunate enough to still be able to graduate early with a degree in English Literature and minors in Spanish and fashion.
After graduation, I worked in North Carolina managing a medical clinic. This opportunity enabled me to realize my passion for health care and inspired me to return to Iowa to pursue a master’s in public health in health policy at the University of Iowa.
Along the way, I have had some amazing opportunities which have helped shape my academic and professional future. Some of these experiences include: studying abroad in Spain and internships at Vogue magazine in New York City and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.
In my role as a commissioner, my job is to serve as the voice of Iowa’s postsecondary students. My goal is to keep you informed on topics and issues that impact college students in Iowa. In turn, I hope you will provide me with feedback about how I can best represent you. I invite you to leave comments on the blog, or send me an email at kelli.todd@gmail.com, voicing your concerns about higher education in Iowa so that important issues can be addressed.
I look forward to working together to help Iowans achieve an education beyond high school.
