My MASFAA Board Meeting Experience

Submitted by Alex DeLonis, Director of Financial Aid Processing at Ivy Tech Community College and MASFAA Delegate-at-Large

One of my favorite parts of being involved in MASFAA and serving on the Executive Board is attending the board meetings with my colleagues throughout the year.  Here are some of the highlights of my experience at the meeting held last week:

How Did You Get There?

This Board Meeting experience got started with a road trip with two of my favs President Marvin Smith and Executive Vice President Heidi Carl.  The 3 hour journey from Indianapolis to Lombard, Illinois was a wonderful opportunity for us to catch up.  Our meeting took place at the Westin Lombard which is also the site for the MASFAA 2019 Champions for Tomorrow conference in October.

What Were the Hot Topics?

We had a long agenda but our President Marvin Smith kept the meeting moving.  The agenda items that stood out to me were the strategic plan task force update, conference planning, financial updates, diversity and inclusion, summer institute, professional development, and hearing what issues our State Presidents were dealing with.  In my role as Delegate-at-Large I have the opportunity to work with the Conference Program, Local Arrangements, and Advocacy and Legislative Issues Committees, so it was a great opportunity to connect with them to hear about the great work they are doing.

What Did You Eat?

You can’t go to the Chicagoland area without eating deep dish pizza, right? And Reese’s Cups…Lot’s of Reese’s Cups. 

What Was the Area Like?

This is going to be an amazing place to have our conference!  The venue itself is spacious and easy to get to.  The location is a short drive from both O’Hare and Midway airports.  There is plenty to do in the area including great shopping and endless restaurant options!

How Did Nick Injure His Thumb?

After a long day’s work we had the opportunity to kick back with our colleagues and relax.  The competitive MASFAA members engaged in a few round of the card game Spot It.  For those who have not played it’s a game that requires being the quickest to find the matching symbol between two cards.  This is how our Past President Nick Prewett nearly lost his thumb.   In the end, I think the table won the game after Nick was forced to retire from Spot It to ice his injury.

  

When is the Next Meeting?

The next Board Meeting will take place in early June at Western Michigan University and will overlap with the Summer Institute and Leadership Symposium.  Heal up, Nick!  I’ll be sure to bring Spot It again!