MASFAA Leadership Spotlight - Emily Haynam

How did you get started in financial aid?

My first gig in financial aid started at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) in 2013 as an Assistant Director of Compliance.  They were in need of a person with Division I athletic aid experience, and I had previously worked in athletics compliance at Youngstown State University, Saint Peter’s University, and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). 

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

In my new financial aid role at IPFW, I knew athletic aid but I needed to get a crash course and learn financial aid regulations to do the other half of my role of financial aid compliance.  So… I went to the MASFAA Summer Institute.  I had amazing faculty that ended up becoming unofficial mentors for me.  The collegiality of financial aid professionals is unparalleled and I just knew I wanted to be part of it in any way that I could.  So, I followed the advice of filing out volunteer forms and making sure my new unofficial mentors knew I wanted to be involved.  From there, I was asked to participate on a few committees and it just grew from there.  I’ve been fortunate to serve. 

Why were you interested in a MASFAA leadership role?

I love to be part of teams.  I love to help contribute in any way I can to the success of a team.  Initially, MASFAA was the next team to play for, so that is why I wanted to be part of the leadership team.  As time went on, I kept signing up because of all the growth I was (and still am) experiencing by being involved.  I cannot say enough, how invaluable the relationships I have made have become to helping me be a better financial aid professional, and I just hope that I can return that favor as time goes on.

What have you learned through your state or regional association that you were not expecting?

Credit card fees cause a lot of drama…

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

Take initiative to seek out training and just as important, build your network.   Outline to your boss why you want to go to trainings, and what the ROI will be for the office as a result of you going.  Building your network can be a vital part of building your financial aid knowledge and resources.

What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming more involved in MASFAA?

Don’t take yourself too seriously… be willing to put yourself out there and talk to new people.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no one knows everything in this business.  Also, you don’t have to have 800 years of experience before getting involved.  Involvement will advance your experience faster than just working in your office.  When you do get involved, make sure you have the time and live up to your commitments. 

What are you looking forward to learning during your leadership term? Or what did you learn during your leadership term?

I enjoy puzzles, and I enjoy seeing how all of the pieces fit together.  I hope to continue to learn more of the details of how MASFAA works, how and why decisions are made, and how I can contribute to help MASFAA continue to grow as an association in serving our members.

Have you ever presented at a MASFAA Conference? What did you present about and how did you get involved in presenting?

I initially let some of the MASFAA leaders know that I was interested in being involved with the MASFAA Summer Institute in any way that they would need me.  From there, I was asked to be faculty, and I taught four credential sessions.  Since then I have done pre-conference NASFAA credential training presentations for student eligibility, and cash management.  I typically let the folks who are organizing the event know that I am available if they need me, and then sometimes have been asked to present.  I’ve also done presentations on professional development, and athletic aid at an annual conference.  The MASFAA conference program committee will send out a call for proposed conference sessions and at that time I proposed the session ideas and indicated I would be involved in presenting. 

What advice do you have for someone interested in presenting at a conference?

Be a moderator first where you will introduce a presenter so you can get a feel for it without doing any presenting.  Then, go for it!   Several topics I agreed to present, I am not an expert in and perhaps don’t necessarily have a ton of experience in.  I look at presenting more of leading a conversation about a topic.  By agreeing to present, I got to work researching and it forced me to learn a lot about something new so I could have an educated conversation.  Learning by presenting is effective. 

What do you enjoy doing when you are outside the aid office?

I love being an Aunt!!! I also love to float in my Kayak, bike, grill out, be outside, and spend time with friends.  Pyrography (or wood burning) is my hobby.  My dad taught me how to do this when I was a little girl with sunlight and a magnifying glass.  Now I have a big-girl tool, and do projects as gifts as well as I have started doing some commission pieces.  Visit Keeper Krafts on Facebook or Instagram for all your wood burning needs!

Leadership Spotlight with Jayme Jarrett

Jayme Jarrett, Assistant Director of Financial Aid, Ohio Northern University, Communications/Electronic Initiatives Chair

How did you get started in financial aid? 

I actually started in higher education in admissions once I graduated from college.  During the Great Recession in 2009, my position was eliminated, but since I had a family I started looking for other roles in higher ed.  Financial aid was a natural fit for me, since I love solving problems and learning something new every day.

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

In Ohio, a coworker got me involved with the Needs Analysis committee that she was co-chairing way back in 2011. I’ve remained on that committee to this day, as well as served on the board as the Membership Chair, Northwest Regional Rep, and Vice-President for Training.  In MASFAA, I was at my first conference in 2011 and found the Program chair for the next year’s conference and said “I want to help!” and that’s how I became a member of the Program committee, which has evolved into numerous committee roles.

Why were you interested in a MASFAA leadership role? 

To be honest, I was quite shocked to be called and asked to be the Membership Services chair, which was my first MASFAA leadership role a few years ago.  I’d only been in MASFAA for a couple of years, and the leadership was all director-level types.  I was just a financial aid counselor, though you should never say you're "just" a whatever.  That made it all the more important for me to be at the table, in my opinion.  My involvement that year actually led to the formation of this committee – and it’s changed so much in the past 4 years.

What have you learned through your state or regional association that you were not expecting? 

I’ve definitely gained a lot of skills in areas that I didn’t expect to in the way of webmastering. I know lots about security certificates and email domains and I’ve brushed up on my coding…

What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming more involved in MASFAA? 

Ask how you can be involved! If you’re going to conference, working the registration table or moderating a session are 2 small, simple ways to help MASFAA, show that you’re eager to be involved, and meet people.  If you’re not attending conference, volunteer for a committee! MY committee (Communications and Electronic Initiatives) ALWAYS needs people.

What did you learn during your leadership term? 

Always expect the unexpected and to never judge a book by its cover.  I know those things seem cliché, but really, they’re true.

Have you ever presented at a MASFAA Conference? What did you present about and how did you get involved in presenting? 

Several times. The first time, a session was proposed about how different schools handled verification processes (back when QA was still a thing), and I volunteered to present on that panel as the small, private school representative.  I’ve also presented some social media sessions.

Have you ever volunteered with NASFAA? Could you tell us about the experience? 

I have been involved with the Angoff studies for 3 of the NASFAA Credential tests.  It’s a small way to be involved, but know that you’re helping improve things for colleagues nationally. 

What do you enjoy doing when you are outside the aid office? 

Hanging out with my son, of course, usually at one of his soccer games or scout events.  I’m a huge baseball fan, so if it’s baseball season, you’ll probably find me watching a game. Bucket list is to go to all 30 MLB parks, and I’m at 15 right now. (If any of my MSFAA friends want to host me in Detroit, that’s one I’m missing…)

Any final thoughts? 

Final thoughts makes it seem like I’m headed off into the great unknown…I love this profession, love my colleagues in MASFAA. If you see me at a conference or event, say hi!  I think everyone that knows me knows that I like to talk to people (and you’ll get a kick out of the southern accent).

Leadership Spotlight - Aesha Engeldinger

Aesha Engeldinger, Assistant Director at Illinois Tech. Co-chair of the MASFAA professional development committee. I’m also a member of several committees for the Illinois association, and am a member of a NASFAA working group to help students affected by school closures.

How did you get started in financial aid?

After I graduated from college, I found myself working in campus housing. After a few years, the vice provost of admission and financial aid invited me to transfer over to his team, so I accepted. That was seven years ago; the rest, as they say, is history!

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

I joined as soon as possible once I transferred to financial aid. I’ve been involved in some sort of organization since I was 11 years old, but during my time in housing that has fallen by the wayside, so I missed it. I was very nervous and shy when I attended ILASFAA for the first time, so I decided I would ask people what committees they’d been involved with, and which were their favorites, both as a way to come out of my shell and to learn more about where I might become involved. From that I joined the diversity issues committee right away, and have been actively involved since.

Why were you interested in a MASFAA leadership role?

I like to be of service when and where I can, and it certainly helps to be surrounded by a group of folks who work so diligently to help students on their journey through college. By volunteering I can help to keep our association strong. I also really enjoy hearing about what is happening in other states or institutions, understanding the differences, and also how each of our institutions fulfills their commitment to students.

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

Be patient with yourself. There is a learning curve to financial aid, and lots of intricacies (which is why one of the most consistent answers you’ll hear from a FAA is “it depends”). Ask questions. Familiarize yourself with ethical conduct in financial aid, and endeavor to conduct yourself in a manner that is beyond reproach. Understand difference and implicit bias—remember that not everyone’s situation is the same, and that no two students’ journey to where they are now will ever be identical.

Be patient with families as well. I was very involved in music while in school, and a choral conductor once reminded us that although we’ve been rehearsing a program for the entire semester, the audience will only hear it once. I try to apply that when working with students and families—though I’ve answered this question a thousand times (maybe even just that day), it may well be the first time the other person has heard the answer.

What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming more involved in MASFAA?

Identify a committee or two you might be interested in participating in, and reach out to the chair to find out more about what they do. Are you interested in helping in an area you already have a good foundation in, or do you wish to contribute in a new way? If you have a supervisor who is reluctant to your participation, consider how being involved might help you in your day to day work.

Have you ever presented at a MASFAA Conference? What did you present about and how did you get involved in presenting?

I have not, but presenting at MASFAA and eventually NASFAA is one of many of my career goals!

Have you ever volunteered with NASFAA? Could you tell us about the experience?

I’m currently on the Assisting Displaced Students Working Group, and have been involved with that since March 2017. This group of financial aid administrators has been assisting students from Corinthians, ITT Tech, and other closed institutions to help them figure out next steps. When the Department stopped reviewing borrower defense claims, it became more frustrating for both the students and some of us volunteering, but it has been very rewarding to help folks make sense of what options they have in the aftermath of their school’s closing. I’ve also met a great group of people as a result!

What keeps you motivated when you are having a difficult day at the office?

Helping students get the information that will help them be successful and make informed decisions is a great feeling. If I’ve been able to make a student or parent feel at ease, or completed an appeal, or advocated for a policy change that might reduce the burden on a student, it’s helps to put things into perspective.

What do you enjoy doing when you are outside the aid office?

I love to travel—my sense of wanderlust never seems quite satiated, and hoping to hop over to Europe again by the end of the year—if you ever need a travel buddy, I’m your gal! I also often have a book at the ready or a podcast playing (any other podcast lovers out there?). I volunteer as an usher at theaters in and around Chicago because I love to take in a good play. And I’m usually up for a tabletop game or two!

Any final thoughts?

My involvement in both ILASFAA and MASFAA has been more satisfying than I would have guessed, and has made my career more enjoyable than I would have imagined. I have met one of my besties through financial aid, too (shout out to Laura at St. Xavier!), and some of my faves are folks I’ve met through MASFAA (hey roomie, hey Cubbie!) I encourage anyone, regardless of how long you’ve been working in financial aid, to volunteer—these organizations are stronger for your input and perspective, and I’m happy to be a resource to anyone with questions!