Access Committee recognizes MASFAP: Money Challenge First Place Access Award Recipient – 2015

Written by Shashanta James

The Missouri Association of Student Financial Aid Professionals (MASFAP) Early Awareness Committee ventured into charted territory that most Financial Aid Administrators often try…”why re-create the wheel.” Well, the Early Awareness Committee saw an opportunity to re-invigorate the long-standing Reality Store, which is a hands-on interactive budgeting program hosted by many states in our region.  The outcome of this re-created activity is MASFAP’s Money Challenge which provides a budgeting experience, exposing students to the cost of college, coaching and counseling through complex decisions and providing take-aways for use in the future.

The Money Challenge has two versions which targets youth and college students. The youth version addresses how students can learn to create and maintain a budget.  The college version explores the decisions that impact most college students; cost and scholarships, community college vs. universities or roommates or not.  MASFAP first worked with 23 McNair Scholars and will continue visiting college campuses throughout the state.  The second piloted event was held for the Emerging Leaders Conference where 93 high school students participated.

The Early Awareness Committee has been very intentional in utilizing feedback from the students in order to further enhance the foundation of the Reality Store to the growth of the Money Challenge that has been developed in Missouri. MASFAP implemented exactly what we should be doing as a profession – taking a program that was successful and modifying it for use in the future.

Let’s join together and offer MASFAP our kudos for delivering Money Challenge.  This program will be highlighted during MASFAA’s Conference in Kansas City, MO and look forward to you volunteering to help make this another successful event!

Congratulations to MASFAP on winning the First Place Access Award for 2015. MASFAP won $750 to continue to grow and develop the Money Challenge program.

To learn more about the MASFAA Money Challenge – contact the Early Awareness Chair at earlyawareness@masfap.org.

Interested in nominating your financial education program for the 2016 Access Award?

Check out the Access Award application at MASFAA website http://masfaaweb.org/docs/forms/pdf/2016MASFAAAccessAwardApplication.pdf and apply by September 9, 2016. Winners will for the 2016 Access Award will be announced at the MASFAA Conference in Kansas City, MO – October 2-5, 2016.

If you have questions, contact Angela Johnson, Access Chair at angela.johnson@tri-c.edu or (216) 987-4213.