Why We Love Webinars

Submitted by the Professional Development Committee 

When Marvin approached Dr. Keyimani (Yes, you should call him that 🙂) and me last year with an interest in starting a MASFAA webinar series – we couldn’t say no.  With our shared interest in professional development and helping to keep our peers “in the know,” it was a challenge that was right up our alley.  MASFAA Matters went live this past January and has had four successful webinars on a range of topics from what it means to be a MASFAA member to how to simply our communications to students to knowing what works and what doesn’t in financial literacy interventions and of course – PELL GRANT!!

But why webinars, you ask?  Why not?!  Here are just a few of the reasons webinars are an incredible way to learn and network:

• Our webinars are all FREE for MASFAA members – no added costs.
• There is ZERO travel required.  From the office, from home, from a sunny beach (good gracious I’m ready for summer…) – you can participate in the MASFAA Matters webinars from anywhere you can get an internet connection.
• Speaking of which, connecting is easy.  You’ll need a computer and internet access.
• Have a watch party with colleagues in your office so you can share and discuss the topic even more.
• It’s an easy opportunity to keep learning and improving the work we do.  And you’ll be learning from your peers and incredible professionals.
• It’s multi-tasking friendly.  Shhhh…we won’t tattle if you’re not active on the webinar – and yes, our system tells us who’s active or not 😃.  You can always go back and finish it later.
• Can’t join us live?  Or had to leave early and want to watch the rest? Each MASFAA Matters episode is recorded and available to all MASFAA members for viewing when it works best for your schedule.  Visit the MASFAA Matters webpage to see all of our upcoming and past webinars - https://masfaaweb.org/Webinars (remember to log in for access).

We’re not done yet – we’ve still got three more to go!

On May 20^th at 3 pm Eastern (2 pm Central) – Jo Levine from Case Western Reserve University will moderate The Ins and Outs of Scholarship Awarding with a panel of experts.

Then on June 17^th, Cori Splain from the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be teaching us about trauma, toxic stress, and how to work with our students (and each other!) through a trauma-informed lens.

And to wrap out our year, save the date for July 22^nd - more details coming soon!

We’ll be starting to fill our 2019-20 webinar calendar soon.  Is there a topic you’d like to present on?  Or you’re not interested in presenting, but would love to see a specific subject or topic covered?  Is there interesting research happening on your campus that others would like to hear about?   Did you see a great presentation through another organization that you think would be beneficial to share with MASFAA members? Think outside of the “financial aid” box!

The options are boundless and we’d LOVE to hear from you.