Iowa starts MASFAA 2015 Conference preparations with a big HAPPY bang!

(by Gisella Baker, MASFAA Local Arrangements Chair)

Financial Aid Administrators from the state of Iowa met in Davenport, IA last week for their annual conference, and had the honor of listening to MASFAA president, Aaron Steffens give a MASFAA Update.  During Aaron’s speech, he had the IASFAA Executive Council join a few of the 2015 MASFAA Local Arrangements committee members, to happily introduce to the state association the 2015 MASFAA Conference theme “Growing Connections For Success”.  As a couple of dozen individuals danced their way to the front stage singing how Iowa is so “Happy” to host next year’s MASFAA friends, the power point featuring Coralville, Iowa played through the projector.  It was announced the six working groups that have been identified as key components of this great task and their coordinators.  Many Iowans had already informally expressed their excitement and eagerness to start helping with the project, but more are needed and will be needed, especially from the local area, so this announcement was officially made.

The six working groups and corresponding volunteer coordinators are: Registration/Moderator Packets/Online Agenda (Renee Armentrout—Iowa Wesleyan); Audio/Video (Gary Adams—Iowa Student Loan); Guest Services (Cindy Seyfer—Univ. Of Iowa); Publicity/Communications (Erin Gjerde - Wells Fargo and Michelle Dunn—Grand View Univ.); Entertainment/Decorations/Charity (Shelly Brimeyer—Univ. Of Iowa) and Meals/Hotel Room/Vendor Relations (Sarah Harrington—Univ. of Iowa).

We were glad to see that quite a few people present had participated in the previous MASFAA Conference when Iowa was the host nine years ago, and got even better when most hands in the ballroom went up after being asked to do so if they were willing to help out.  We are definitely ready to showcase a great environment for the upcoming MASFAA conference, Growing Connections For Success, in Coralville-Iowa October 4-7, 2015!