Travels with Nick

Submitted by Nick Prewett, MASFAA Past President

Representing MASFAA on the state conference circuit has been a highlight of my service as president.  As you know, MASFAA consists of nine states and the MASFAA presidents split up the
states and visit three conferences per year.  I was even lucky enough to visit one state twice!  Through my travels, I drove 2,080 miles and flew 7,642 miles.  I had the distinct pleasure of attending four 50th anniversary parties and celebrating all things that are financial aid association related.  I thought I would share something that I will always treasure from my state visits.

Indiana (January 2017): I will recall Indiana as the first state that I visited.  The memory I will always treasure is cruising around greater Indy with Alex DeLonis in his sweet vanilla smelling car as fluffy flakes of snow fell from the sky.

Illinois (April 2017): This was an exciting conference in the suburbs of Chicago.  By far, Illinois had a unique set-up for snacks at a conference with different types of beef jerky.  A shout out to Michelle Trame for letting me ride in the third row (or torture row) of her SUV.  I am sure that my back and I will always remember that.

Minnesota (May 2017): When I think of Minnesota I think of lakes, so of course this was held at Madden’s on Gull Lake.  I am not sure you could get much more stereotypical Minnesota than having a conference on a lake, with pontoon boats, fried walleye, glow in the dark golf, bingo, and a buffet of hot dishes.

West Virginia (November 2017): Any visit to West Virginia is not complete without listening to some John Denver.  I will never forget attending the board meeting and someone saying that the board is just like Mayberry, where everyone has different hats and they trade them around the table each year.  What a fun place to visit is Charleston.  Who doesn’t love Karaoke at a conference?

Missouri (November 2017): This was by far the largest state conference that I attended and had pomp and circumstance associated more with the Academy Awards than a conference.  There was a red carpet walk, photographers, tuxedos, and stars of the past, present, and future.

Michigan (January 2018): The Henry Hotel in Dearborn overlooks the Ford offices and is in a great location.  This was the 2nd 50th that I was able to attend.  Professional casino games, great charities, and cool sessions.  I could even see Canada from my hotel room.

Iowa (April 2018): Iowa stands out for their 50th, not because they brought back their past presidents, but because they also brought back their first IASFAA president.  Dueling pianos led by the son of a former financial aid director lead you to one heck of a celebration.  I also learned that in Iowa adding a lime to Busch Light was a way to “make it a classy beer.”

Ohio (October 2018): 50th parties and casino themes seem to be a thing.  OASFAA threw a formal night and had their past presidents share some inspirational quotes and inside jokes that made a number of people blush.  As a first, the entertainment crew had so much fun that they stayed late at no charge.

Wisconsin (April 2019): When I heard that WASFAA was going to be held in Green Bay, I hoped there was one activity that we’d have, so of course, we were able to tour Lambeau field!  Financial aid folks at a football stadium is one heck of a party.  WASFAA had a number of new attendees and the future of their association looks bright.  If you were curious, there was a lot of cheese to be found at the conference.   

Iowa (April 2019): IASFAA was worth a second trip to discuss the finer points of financial aid.  I learned a great deal about Bacon, the maple kind, or as most people call it Bacon.

It was a great pleasure to serve MASFAA and meet so many great people throughout the MASFAA region.  I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity and become active in our association and you too may have a once in a lifetime experience.

MASFAA 2018-19 Planning and Event Updates

Submitted by Marvin Smith, MASFAA President, Executive Director of Student Financial Services, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Dear MASFAA Friends and Colleagues:

I hope all is well and you are ready for the holiday season.  Your MASFAA leadership has been busy since the wonderful conference in Minneapolis this past October. A lot of good work is occurring. Some of the highlights…

• MASFAA has a new “MASFAA Moments” YouTube Channel.

• MASFAA is planning a monthly training and development webinar series to begin in January, 2019. Members are encouraged to submit your ideas regarding our webinar series name. Stay tuned to your favorite MASFAA social media channel for more details.

• MASFAA is planning for the 2019 Summer Institute and Leadership Symposium to be held at Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI) June 3-7, 2019 around the theme “Soar to Your Future”.

• MASFAA’s 2019 Annual Conference will be held at the Chicago Lombard Westin on October 6-9, 2019. I encourage members to check out the inspiring 2019 MASFAA Annual Conference video built around our conference theme “Champions of Tomorrow”.

• Nick Prewett, Financial Aid Director at the University of Missouri and immediate past MASFAA president represented MASFAA at the Ohio fall conference in Columbus, OH where OASFAA celebrated their 50^th anniversary (!). OASFAA invited back all the past presidents and had them line up across the stage and give a bit of a background story for OASFAA.  Nick noted that he won thousands of dollars at their casino night. If anyone needs any money contact Nick Prewett.

• Michele Trame, Financial Aid Director at the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana and MASFAA president-elect represented MASFAA at the Missouri fall conference. MASFAP was held at the Lodge of the Four Seasons Resort in Lake Ozark, MO where apparently Missouri folks go to get re-energized. Michele got to hang out with Nick Prewett since Nick never misses a conference opportunity to play games of skill and chance like BINGO and have fun with colleagues.

• I had the pleasure of representing MASFAA at the West Virginia fall conference. Note this conference was actually held as a joint conference at the Rocky Gap Resort in Flintstone, MD in combination with the Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, DC area financial aid associations (referred to as the “Tri-State” association). WVASFAA made me feel special and welcome. The combination conference worked nicely. I will always remember this conference fondly—it was great to connect with friends and colleagues.

• We’ve had more than fifty MASFAA members volunteer to serve on a committee or taskforce. If you volunteered and have not been plugged into a volunteer opportunity please send me an email (Marvin Smith, mlsiii@iupui.edu).

• Finally, I’m pleased to announce that MASFAA has begun to develop a new Strategic Plan that will be led by past MASFAA presidents Sara Beth Holman (Lawrence University in Wisconsin) and Dick Battig (Model College of Hair Design in Minnesota). Watch for your chance to provide input in the coming months.

I hope you all have a happy holiday and a great new year. Stay tuned to hear more about the good work that keeps getting done by and for MASFAA members.  

Leadership Spotlight - Gena Boling

Name, title, school, role in MASFAA

Gena Boling, Associate Director of Financial Aid, University of Missouri, Co-Chair of 2017 Conference Program

(You might know me as the one who turned lip-syncing into a contact sport)

How did you get started in financial aid?

I’d been working in higher education for several years but in Student Affairs, both in Student Life and Residence Life. I worked with student organizations, Greek Life, student conduct, student activities, and then I lived on campus as a Residence Hall Director doing all of that at once. I got married, my husband moved into my Residence Hall apartment with me, later we had a child. I decided when our son was two that I was finished taking 3am calls to deal with boys and their bodily functions and began to look for a change. I’d always been fascinated by federal regulations and conversations I had with students about Satisfactory Academic Progress and aid eligibility and thought I’d give financial aid a whirl. I had no idea I’d love it as much as I do! But, just know – you can take the girl out of Student Affairs but you can’t take the Student Affairs out the girl. Ice breakers, anyone??

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

I met with an Associate Member during their school visit and they suggested I get involved. I had no idea where to even get started, so he walked me through the state association’s website and showed me where to learn more about committees and how to fill out a volunteer form. But I didn’t hear anything! I wasn’t about to give up on getting involved, so when I went to my first conference I tracked down the committee chair for the committee I wanted to join and introduced myself. I also volunteered to work the registration table and moderate a session – I wasn’t waiting for anyone to discover me, I kind of pushed my way into it all! On our first conference call with my committee, I volunteered to take on a project. It wasn’t enough for me to just get my name on a committee list, I wanted to work. That eventually led to chairing a committee, running for office, and being elected as my state association’s President within five years of joining the profession. I set several goals for the association during my Presidency, two of which I’m particularly proud of: 1. to implement NASFAA Credentialing in the state (which we did and have been the leader in the country for the state with the greatest number of credentialed professionals…until the past month – dang you, Georgia! We’re coming after you!); and 2. To develop a leadership development program to identify potential future leaders of the state, regional or national associations and train them on association governance (we have now roughly 15 members who have graduated from the program, a number of them have run for office or are in committee chair positions within the state association). It’s so exciting to see a group of people work together to achieve goals for a common good! My regional involvement began when I volunteered for the MASFAA Awards committee. I then served as the Missouri representative during my year as President-Elect and I’m excited to be back on the board this year as the Conference Program Co-Chair with my good friend Laura Rogers! Dayton is going to rock! I’ve also served on the MASFAA Legislative committee, and have had the great opportunity to participate in two trips to DC to advocate for student aid – a true passion of mine. Additionally, I’ve assisted with the Professional Development committee by being an instructor at Summer Institute – one of the highlights of my involvement thus far!

  

What advice do you have for someone new to financial aid, and may be interested in becoming more involved in state and regional associations?

Find something you enjoy, volunteer, and then take an active role in your committee work! If you fill out a volunteer form and you don’t hear from anyone, reach out! Sometimes those can get lost in the shuffle of our everyday work lives, it definitely doesn’t mean you’re not wanted!

What financial aid issue is keeping you from falling asleep at night?

My major work projects have been the transition to PPY and Early FAFSA and the transition out of the Quality Assurance program. I’ll be lying in bed and have an idea. I need a dream book, except I’d like to call it my ‘Things to Implement to Avoid Nightmares’ book. Also, sort of related, I’ve had a fair amount of leg pain which stems from a financial aid issue – has been keeping me awake at night since MASFAA 2016. ;)

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

My son is a cub scout and I’m his den leader, so we spend a lot of time doing cub scout things, though I don’t enjoy camping in a tent. I’m an avid reader and enjoy participating in our financial aid book club, though no one took me seriously when I suggested the Federal Student Aid Handbook as our August book suggestion J. My family enjoys traveling so we try to do that as much as possible. We’re history and politics nerds, so wherever we go we try to find something to learn – we love visiting Presidential Libraries and enjoy seeing historic towns and thinking about life as it was for our ancestors.

If you could have lunch with someone living or dead, who would it be and why?

I just finished reading First Women: The Grace and Power of America’s Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower for our financial aid book club and found the backstories of Lady Bird Johnson, Jackie Kennedy, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, and Hillary Clinton particularly fascinating (sorry Pat Nixon and Michelle Obama – I’m sure you were/are both really cool, too). I’d love to have lunch with any of them, or all at once, to discuss their legacies, hear about all they were able to accomplish and dive into how they were impacted by society and social order of their given eras.

From Missouri to West Virginia: State Exchange Experience

Last week I had the privilege to travel to West Virginia for the WVASFAA Conference! Thank you, MASFAA and WVASFAA for making this a possibility through the state exchange program. I must say that West Virginia is gorgeous during this time of year. Many pretty fall colors and very fitting to the conference theme, Seasons of Change, something of which is all too familiar to a financial aid professional. 

The conference kicked off with a Financial Aid Trivia that incorporated many different game shows. I absolutely enjoyed the answer to the first question, ‘It Depends.’ So many times in our world, rightfully so, the first thought is it depends. Following this, Brian Weingart from the WV Higher Education Policy Commission gave the state update and I must admit that West Virginia has implemented a clever idea to encourage NASFAA Core training. Hey Missouri, they are making their way to the top in credentials! As of the conference, West Virginia was third however I know many of my new friends attended training two days prior to this conference. They may surprise us and take the lead soon.  

Many of the conference sessions were geared toward change. Working with Millennials, being the Gen Xer that I am, this is an ever important change for me. They also held a roundtable session for PPY and PJs. This is on the top of every financial aid professional’s mind currently and probably one of our biggest changes in recent history. Additionally many of us have seen an increase in veterans on our campuses. Sandy Corwin from Fairmont State University shared how their campus created a Green Zone for their veterans. Each faculty/staff person following training may post a Green Zone sticker outside their office door. This makes for a safe place for a veteran to go to someone for assistance or have someone to lean on or just talk with during tough times. I was in complete awe with how simple a program could be and yet make such a big impact for our veterans who are returning to a college campus.  

We heard from Special Agent, Erik Wolfson. He spoke about investigating student aid fraud and abuse and shared little things to be mindful of when processing student aid. We also had other sessions from which to choose regarding Student Loan Repayment Plans, Program Reviews, Title IX, and Easy Fixes to Crisis Proof Your Retirement to name a few.  

All in all, my visit was wonderful. I have many new ideas to take back to my state association. Being an introvert, it was difficult knowing that I was attending a conference and knew no one in advance. I thank you West Virginia for welcoming me and being very friendly. I have made many knew friends with whom I hope to see at future MASFAA conferences!  

Thank you! 

Kerry Hallahan 

2017 MASFAP President-Elect 

PS: I must share the awesome gift in which the WVASFAA Executive Board gave to me. Each of them signed about where their institution is located in West Virginia. This is going on the wall in my office and is such a great memory of my exchange to West Virginia!

MASFAA 2016

 

Where will you be October 2nd through 5th in 2016?  Take a second, think about it………..hmmmmm???? 

Oh Yes!!!!  KANSAS CITY!!!  If that isn’t your answer yet it should be!  MASFAA 2016 will be held in the 29th largest metropolitan area in the U.S., in the city with the most barbecue restaurants per capita, in the Home of the World Series Champion Royals, in “The Paris of the Plains” according to one journalist, in my home town, KANSAS CITY! 

 

The program committee is hard at work gathering session topics, planning for presentations and lining up some great speakers.  The site committee is starting to figure out where we will eat and where we will play and all the fun things in between.  Now it’s your turn.  Open your calendar, mark it with an out of office for early October and come join us in Kansas City for what is sure to be an educational, motivational and memorable time! 

 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, KC is home to the largest maker of boxed chocolates in the world…….Russell Stover Candies! 

  

See you in October! 

 

Crystal Bruntz 

2016 Local Arrangement Co-Chair