MASFAA Leadership Spotlight

Submitted by Faith Phillips, OASFAA President

1. What is your name, job title, school, state, and MASFAA position (please provide a description of your position)

Faith Phillips, Director of Financial Aid at Central Ohio Technical College and The Ohio State University at Newark.  I am the current President-Elect of the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. While the gavel was passed to me by our current President at our state conference the first week of May, I assume full responsibility as President July 1^st.

2. How did you get started in financial aid?

I got started in financial like many of you, by working as a Federal Work Study student. Little did I know that not only was I earning money to help pay for college, I was developing what would become a lifelong career.

3. How did you first become involved in your state and regional associations?

Shortly after I moved back to Ohio and took my current position, I attended my first OASFAA conference. Following that conference, the OASFAA President asked me to chair the Need Analysis Committee.  From that point I have always been involved in OASFAA in a variety of roles.  While I have attended many MASFAA conference, serving as the State Representative for Ohio this year is my first direct involvement with MASFAA.

4. Why were you interested in a MASFAA leadership role?

I am glad that a ‘benefit’ of being a state representative is serving on the MASFAA Board. I am not sure I would have taken what felt like a big leap to become involved otherwise.  I learned more about the management of MASFAA and am not as ‘afraid’ of becoming more involved.  I learned so much and am looking forward to getting more involved with the MASFAA Leadership a few years down the road. Not to mention, all the great people I got to meet and the friendships I made during this past year.

5. What advice do you have for someone new to financial aid?

As soon as you are comfortable in your new role in financial aid, (attend state and regional conferences to enhance your training) find a committee you have an interest in becoming involved with. When you feel you are ready, volunteer to chair that committee.  The more you get involved the more comfortable you will become. One day you may be surprised to find you are ready to run for an elected position.

6. What are you looking forward to learning during your leadership term?

(Or what did you learn during your leadership term?)

I learned more about association management and how useful all connections made can be whether in my office or as I serve as the OASFAA President.  I have to say the State Exchange program was one of my favorite activities while serving this year. What a great opportunity I had to attend not only the West Virginia conference but also participate in one of their board meetings. It was good to see how other organizations run their meetings and hold their conferences.  In addition, we had fun hosting Amy Hager, MASFAP President-Elect from Moberly Area Community College at our spring conference the first week of May!

7. What do you enjoy doing outside the aid office?

In the spring and summer, when not working, you can usually find me at the baseball or softball fields watching my 13 year old son and my 16 year old daughter play ball.  When the weather is colder, you are likely going to find me scrapbooking!

8. Any final thoughts?

I am excited to begin my year as the OASFAA President.  We have a lot of decisions to be made while also preparing for MASFAA in Ohio in 2017.  OASFAA will celebrate 50 years in 2018 so the celebration planning has begun with the involvement of our past presidents.  It is going to be a fun filled challenging and educational year for me. It’s all good!

MASFAA Awards Committee Update

Submitted by Janice Barnes

Graduation festivities have come to a close and Memorial Day BBQ's are over but never fear, Kansas City BBQ is in your future at the 2016 MASFAA Conference October 2-5, at the Kansas City Marriott, in Kansas City MO.  The annual MASFAA conference also provides us the opportunity to celebrate our own with a variety of MASFAA awards.  While the 2016 MASFAA conference is still a few months away, you have the opportunity NOW to start thinking about the colleagues you would like to nominate so don't delay and visit the MASFAA website for award descriptions: http://www.masfaaweb.org/docs/associnfo/awards.html  

The nomination form is live and ready to take your nominations:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MASFAA-Awards-2016

MASFAA Missouri Members - Do not forget to submit your Student Success Story of the Year nominations to barnesjk@slu.edu by July 1, 2016.

MASFAA Conference Update – It’s Getting Hot in Here!

Submitted by Crystal Bruntz, Conference Local Arrangements Co-Chair

It’s starting to heat up in Kansas City as temperatures are approaching 90 and will be hitting the triple digits before we know it.  It’s also starting to heat up in MASFAA Conference planning.  The program committee is on fire and has a tentative agenda ready for your viewing soon!  Along with the breakout sessions listed the speaker lineup is burning up with special guests:  NASFAA’s own Justin Draeger, Jeff Baker from the Department of Ed, NASFAA Chair Lisa Blazer and maybe some not so familiar names, Adam Carroll presenting Winning the Money Game, Katie Broton presenting on Wisconsin’s Hope Lab and many more!

And to get your fire burning the Local Arrangements Committee is excited to let you in on a little secret that is in the works for Sunday night at the conference.  Let’s just say Jimmy Fallon has nothing on MASFAA!!!!  ;)  Stay tuned for more details on what is sure to be a memorable show!

Registration will be live soon!  For now mark your calendar Oct 2-5 for MASFAA 2016 in Kansas City, MO.  The theme is Fountains of Knowledge and as the summer heat approaches the fountains will be a great place to cool down and soak in the anticipation of MASFAA 2016!

Congratulations to the 2016 CashCourse Educator of the Year: Kristin Bhaumik

The CashCourse Financial Educator of the Year award honors an educator going above and beyond to promote financial literacy on their campus. This year’s inaugural award goes to Kristin Bhaumik, the assistant director for special programs at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Bhaumik leads the charge on financial literacy at Michigan. She developed a for-credit financial literacy course called “The Financial Savvy Student.” Her course syllabus uses expert resources from the campus, local community, NEFE and CashCourse. A leader beyond her own campus, she serves as the Michigan Student Financial Aid Association President and on the Executive Board for the Midwest Association of Financial Aid Administrators. The CashCourse team is thrilled to honor Bhaumik’s work as the 2016 CashCourse Financial Educator of the Year. Kristin Bhaumik shared her insights and more about her work in a Q&A with the CashCourse Team, which you can read by clicking here.

Iowa Update

Submitted by Julie Haack, State Representative
 

Summer is here and even though the halls are quiet, we are plugging away preparing for fall and what early FAFSA may bring to our campuses! 

There has been a lot going on here in Iowa over the winter and spring.  Our Community Outreach committee organized Governor Terry Branstad’s signing of a proclamation making February Financial Aid Awareness Month.  Fourteen IASFAA members attended the signing ceremony which was held at the Capitol Building in Des Moines.

Jennifer Schroeder, Chair of Professional Development, organized the Director’s Drive-in Workshop, an event held each February.  This year’s event was held in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University.  The event brings together Directors from around the state to discuss current events and issues.  

Elections were held in January and those slated to serve under new President Chris Ditter (Drake University) for the 16-17 term are:  Gisella Baker (Hawkeye Community College)– President-Elect; Ean Freels (DMACC)– Vice President; Jennifer Schroeder (Iowa State) – Secretary; Chad Peters (DMACC) – Treasurer Elect; and Tristan Lynn (Iowa College Aid Commission), Delegate at Large.  We thank each and every one that agreed to run for these elected positions and give their time to IASFAA!

Gisella Baker began her role as President-Elect by attending the NASFSAA Leadership conference in Washington D.C. at the end of February. Chris Ditter attended the Michigan state conference January 31-February 3 as part of the MASFAA State Exchange program.

Our spring conference was held in April in Johnston, Iowa and we hosted Thomas Ratliff, our MASFAA President-Elect, and had the benefit of having Megan McClean Coval representing NASFAA, and Zack Goodwin from the DOE as our spring federal trainer.  All three sat on a town hall panel and answered questions from our membership.  Zack Goodwin also held a one-on-one session that was very informative.  

Pre-conference programming was a NASFAA Credential Opportunity on Cost of Attendance.  Another NASFAA credential training was held on May 17^th on Direct Loans.  

In June, Chris Ditter will hold her Summer Retreat as incoming President.

Planning for our fall IASFAA conference is underway.  It will be held in Sioux City, Iowa October 26-28.

My two terms of representing Iowa as MASFAA State Rep will come to an end in October as Past President Kristi Fuller takes the reins.  I have enjoyed my time serving IASFAA and MASFAA as part of the Executive Council and will stay involved at the state level as current co-chair of our Program Committee.  

Have a great summer!