2020 MASFAA Conference needs you!

Submitted by the 2020 MASFAA Conference Program Committee

As the fall semester winds down at many of our organizations, take advantage of fewer meetings and a quiet campus to submit a session proposal for the 2020 MASFAA Conference!

As a reminder, the theme for our 2020 Conference is People, Purpose & Passion – A PATHWAY TO SUCCESS and we’re looking forward to meeting new people and providing sessions to support the purpose and passion we all have for serving our students.  However, to ensure we bring you a fantastic lineup of sessions and keynote speakers, we need your help! The Conference Program Committee is seeking session proposals now, so please take a moment and think of ways in which you can contribute to our conference.  We invite you to submit interest session proposals now through January 31, 2020 for consideration.

Please visit this link to complete your session proposal: https://forms.gle/jszSJU42WnsTvAPR8

One thing to note, please do not use this form to submit your Business Solution sessions – we’ll be collecting those separately in conjunction with Jayne Dinse, Chair of Donor Development.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your Conference Program Co-Chairs:
Betsy Johnson:     betsyj@bgsu.edu
Susan Swisher:     swisher@sxu.edu

Reflecting on the Past, Preparing for the Future

Submitted by Marvin Smith, Executive Director of Student Financial Services at IUPUI and 2018-2019 MASFAA President

This picture is from a MASFAA planning retreat held at IUPUI on July 31, 2018. I’m reflecting on some great work that has occurred over the past year by our volunteer organization—and is still occurring as we head toward our annual conference in Chicago October 6-9, 2019. 

As I look at the group I’m struck by how much change occurred over the past year. Some of the MASFAA leaders in our group have left the profession (Chandra Owen), left the region (Gena Boling), left for other career opportunities (Crystal Bruntz, Sara Beth Holman, Nick Prewett), changed schools (Laura Rogers, Emily Haynam, Heidi Carl, Alex DeLonis, Dick Battig), and even changed names (Marcus Szymanoski is now Marcus San Marino). That’s 11 changes, not even counting promotions for Michelle Trame, Nathan Lohr, Marcus San Marino, and maybe some folks I’m forgetting. Whew!

But we kept up with change because that’s what financial aid professionals are good at! I am so thankful for folks that stepped up and filled roles when asked. Roberta Johnson took over Advocacy and Legislative Affairs, Keyimani Alford and Chad Olson took on Delegate-at-Large roles, Dena Norris became Missouri state representative. Not to mention Sue Swisher is now in the past president role for the third time! We also had some late committee chair assignments. Ginny Washington agreed to co-chair the Access Committee; Stephanie Petsch and Jennifer Schroeder agreed to co-chair Summer Institute and Leadership Symposium.

Given all the changes that have occurred, our group of dedicated volunteers have accomplished so much. A few highlights…

• Stephanie Petsch and Jen Schroeder and an experienced group of outstanding faculty conducted a well-attended and well-received Summer Institute and Leadership Symposium at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI; special thanks to the state of Michigan for great attendance and Shashanta James for her work coordinating some logistics at her wonderful university. 
• Nick Prewett put together a strong ballot of volunteers and we held a successful election for our 2019-20. 
• Heidi Carl, Kathy Bialk, Kerry Gilbert, and Laura Rogers made sure our bills were paid, contracts reviewed and signed, and minutes and records were kept in order—no small task in a volunteer organization. 
• Nathan Lohr and Emily Haynam have helped deliver timely MASFAA communications via our website and various social media channels all year long. 
• Michelle Trame worked with membership chair Matthew Kearney to develop some membership change ideas to be discussed at the Chicago conference. 
• Keyimani Alford and Karla Weber put together an outstanding series of professional development webinars while overseeing our taskforce efforts; many of these taskforce leaders will be involved in Chicago conference interest sessions.
• Dick Battig helped coordinate a review of Michigan conference sites and the Board selected The Henry in Dearborn, Michigan for our 2020 conference location. In addition, Dick co-chaired a MASFAA strategic plan committee with Sara Beth Holman; a new MASFAA Strategic Plan will be rolled out at the Chicago conference. 
• Chad Olson worked with webmaster Nathan Lohr to enhance our online vendor support options; we are expecting strong vendor support at the Chicago conference. 
• Roberta Johnson and a team of MASFAA leaders helped put together a MASFAA Advocacy Toolkit (now available on the MASFAA website) that will be highlighted at the Chicago conference. 
• Jackie Kennedy-Fletcher and Derek Kindle have put together the first-ever Diversity and Inclusion statement to be adopted by MASFAA and will be discussing the potential implementation of NASFAA Diversity Toolkit initiatives for states and our region at the Chicago conference. 
• The state presidents continued to filter important MASFAA messages to our nine states and support MASFAA initiatives.
• Finally, Betsy Johnson, Susan Teerink, Sue Swisher, Amanda Fijal, and teams of MASFAA’s finest have put together an outstanding conference program, speakers, and activities that are sure to make the 2019 MASFAA Conference in Chicago an event folks will not want to miss!

This is just a short list of MASFAA activities this past year. I know I’ve left out some names and accomplishments, but I look forward to celebrating all that is MASFAA with my fellow Champions of Tomorrow at the Chicago conference. Register now at www.masfaaweb.org/conference.
 
Regards,
Marvin Smith
MASFAA President 2018-19 and Executive Director of Student Financial Services, IUPUI

Pre-Conference Sessions at the 2019 Annual Conference

Submitted by the Conference Program Committee

Greetings!

The MASFAA Conference Program committee is looking forward to a great MASFAA Conference in October 2019 at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center. Our committee has worked hard to build a conference program that offers the training you need to keep up on financial aid regulations and more.

This year we have a couple of great pre-conference sessions that we know you will enjoy.

“Financial Wellness Programs” is one of our sessions. This session is presented by our MASFAA Financial Literacy Task Force and will provide not only resources and advice for those looking to start a financial literacy program on their campus but will also discuss current research that can be used to solicit support for this initiative on your campus.

The other pre-conference session is “Women Leadership in the Financial Aid Profession: Success in the Face of Resistance and Challenge.” Come to this session to hear a panel of female Chief Financial Aid Officers from diverse backgrounds and institutions talk about how they have worked toward overcoming obstacles and used their leadership and management styles to succeed.

Registration will be open soon! Please check your email and the MASFAA website for updates on registration.

We hope that each of you will attend the conference and walk away with newly acquired knowledge to perform your jobs. But more importantly, we hope that each of you will meet a new MASFAA colleague.


MASFAA Conference Program Committee:

Betsy Johnson (Chair),  Bowling Green State University
Susan Teerink (Chair), Marquette University
Terri Hare, Western Illinois
Donette Cassman, Sallie Mae
Renae Armentrout, Southeastern Community College
Antonio Junior-Robins, University of Michigan
Anne Dahlen, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Charles "Buddy" Mayfield, Northwest Missouri State
Melissa Van Meter, Ohio University
James Buchanan, West Virginia State
Sue Minzlaff, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Meet our Keynote Speaker

Submitted by the Conference Program Committee

The 2019 MASFAA Annual Conference at the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center is fast approaching. The Conference Program Committee is excited to announce this year's keynote speaker: EJ Carrion. What should you know about EJ Carrion?


1) EJ is relatable.

"I understand your students because I was once in their shoes." EJ grew up in low-income communities and a single-parent home. He quickly began falling behind academically, but after a powerful life-changing event, EJ used the wake up call to transform his trajectory and future. He eventually graduated from high school and went to receive a prestigious Bill Gates Scholarship that he used to become the first college graduate in his family.

2) EJ has a world-class reputation.

EJ has spoken to over hundred thousand people in audiences all over the world and more than 33 US states…all while still in his mid-twenties. Here is EJ speaking at the Bill Gates Millennium Scholars Conference to 500 college freshmen who received the award.

3) EJ is a #1 best-selling author.

EJ is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Accelerate Your Success: How to Create a Future and Stand Out When College is Not Enough. This book teaches students how to market and brand themselves when everyone is going to college but no one is hiring.

4) EJ is an award-winning social entrepreneur.

EJ is the cofounder and CEO of Student Success Agency, a premier academic training organization that pairs teens with near-peer advisors to help improve their high school-to-college transitional skills and help them succeed in the real world. The Student Success Agency serves students across the US, and was awarded the Impact Award.

5) EJ has presented at the White House.

At the 2014 Educational Datapalooza Second Annual Event hosted by the White House EJ’s company Student Success Agency was highlighted for being an innovative and impactful solution that can help students get to and through college.

Look for more information about the conference in the coming weeks at https://masfaaweb.org/conference. In the meantime, keep up with EJ via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat (@EJCarrion).

Advocacy & Legislative Issues Tool Kit

Submitted by the Advocacy and Legislative Initiatives Committee

When we hear legislative issues or advocacy, many of us think “no, thank you.” But what you may not realize is that by virtue of working in financial aid, you’re likely advocating for your students every single day.

No matter your role within a financial aid office, the primary goal is to assist students in securing funds to enable them to enroll and complete their educational endeavors.  For most students, this entails helping them to understand the financial aid process — from completing the FASFA, navigating verification, understanding their award letter, completing a master promissory note and entrance counseling if borrowing, paying their university charges, and managing any refunds.  It may also involve helping them to apply for scholarships and secure a work-study position.  Lastly, when they complete their education, it involves making sure those who have borrowed have the information necessary to repay any loans.

Aside from helping students and their parents understand the sometimes changing landscape of financial aid, another important piece in assisting students is advocating for financial aid programs that assist them while enrolled.  Sometimes advocacy involves internal conversations within the office to determine the most efficient way to award available funds.  Sometimes it involves educating those in other offices on the requirements needed to maintain compliance.  Other times, meetings with an institution’s administration to advocate for student-friendly policies or additional funds are required.  But as everyone who works within the sphere of financial aid is aware, most of the daily work is a result of laws and regulations enacted at the state and federal levels.

No matter which realm your job description fits into, YOU are an advocate for the students you serve at your institution.  But how do you do this?  Where do you start?  What if you don’t consider yourself a political expert?  Can you still make a difference?  The answer is YES.

Feel like you might be ready to take your work to the next level? The Tool Kit is to assist you in getting started.  You know the challenges you face in doing your job and you hear the challenges your students express when navigating the financial aid journey.  Advocacy is nothing more than sharing the story of how to make things better.

Coming later this year, our committee will offer a “toolkit” to help you navigate the advocacy process. Depending on what institution you serve and your role in that institution, advocacy might look different for each one of us. Watch for our session at the MASFAA conference this year to talk through our toolkit and hear tips from some of our experiences.

Update from the Access Committee

Submitted by Ginny Washington, Senior Assistant Director of Student Financial Services at IUPUI and co-chair of the Access Committee

The Access Committee plays a crucial role in helping MASFAA members prepare students and families for success at our institutions. Its purpose and goal is to highlight proven methods for access to higher education.  To achieve this goal, we focus on two key areas. First, we work to create networking and best practice opportunities with partners or agencies who are focused on similar work as MASFAA, such as access to higher education, connecting with students, and barriers to access. We also research best practices that exist with partnerships, including researching the interest in organizations that may want to partner with us for this purpose.

The committee is currently working on gathering data to help define best practices in this area.  Each committee member is reaching out to their community to find those best proven methods and what partnerships already exist. We also surveyed the nine MASFAA states and gained some information about what some states are doing in the area of access and how some states have formed partnerships with community groups.  We would love to have more examples. If you would like to share your school or state’s partnerships, please email Ginny Washington.

As we move forward with the rest of the board year, our goal is to continue gathering data about access programs and possibly coordinating pre-conference session or interest session at the annual conference regarding our research, sharing best practices, and demonstrating how MASFAA members can form a collaborative relationship or partnership with local or state groups.

How can you help the Access Committee reach these lofty goals? We would be delighted to have other MASFAA members join us in our efforts. We would appreciate your input on successful strategies that you see in your area. Just sharing your knowledge about your community partners and your working relationships that have a proven method for access to higher education would be great.  And, if you have a passion for this work, consider serving on the committee. To share your feedback or to join the committee, please send your information to Ginny Washington. 

Thank you for all you do to help prepare students and their families for success!

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!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR MASFAA!

Submitted by Emily Haynam, Assistant Director of Compliance, The Ohio State University, co-chair of the MASFAA Communications and Electronic Initiatives Committee, and MASFAA Delegate-at-Large

Hello MASFAA! I hope your 2019 year has started out well and everyone is enjoying the recent announcement of changes to the verification requirements… can we just say, wooohooo!!!!  

I’m today excited to announce the first live MASFAA webinar will be held on Monday, January 28 from 3:00pm-4:00pm ET (2pm-3pm CT). The first webinar topic “This Is MASFAA” will be presented by MASFAA President Marvin Smith (from IUPUI) and MASFAA Membership Chair Matthew Kearney (from Southeast Missouri State). Marvin and Matthew will be talking about the value of MASFAA membership and opportunities for involvement.

Speaking of opportunities for MASFAA involvement, we need the membership to “step up” and submit conference ideas by the end of January. Conference program co-chairs Betsy Johnson (from Bowling Green) and Susan Teerink (from Marquette) are planning for the MASFAA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL from October 6-9, 2019.

The theme for our 2019 Conference is Champions of Tomorrow and we’re looking forward to being in a great city while helping develop champions of tomorrow in all of you and also learning about ways to make our students champions as they strive to reach their goals.  However, to ensure we bring you a fantastic lineup of sessions and keynote speakers, we need your help!

The Conference Program Committee is seeking session proposals NOW, so please take a moment and think of ways in which you can contribute to our conference.  We invite you to submit interest session proposals now through January 31, 2019 for consideration.

Please visit https://goo.gl/forms/71ff3xQ2HZbhhpxJ3 to complete your session proposal. One thing to note - please do not use this form to submit your Business Solutions sessions. We'll be collecting those separately in conjunction with Chad Olson, Chair of the Donor Development Committee.

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.  

Conference Ceynotes…or, ummm Keynotes…

If you think Christina looks excited, than you can image how PUMPED your 2018 MASFAA Program Committee is to be able share a bit about our special guests and tentative schedule.

Colin Ryan

Confirmed! Colin will be joining us on Sunday evening to help solve the strategic issue facing every financial institution today: how to reach young people. By linking comedy and financial advice together, he offers a new and different way to reach the young people who are both in our schools and our workforce.  His trainings offer advice on creating dynamic, personalized, and creative financial literacy that decreases student debt and increases retention and job placement.  Colin’s sense of humor and passion for helping people empower themselves through great financial understanding leads to a conversation that is funny, memorable, and accessible no matter your background.

Collin’s book, A Comedic Guide to Money, is a funny, engaging, and practical guide to the financial skills that allow us to build the life we want. Through relevant and memorable examples, success stories, and cutting-edge behavioral research, his book gets young people and adults talking about money.

KiKi D’Itailien

Confirmed!  KiKi L'Italien will be joining us Monday afternoon to talk about design thinking for better engagement.   Later that afternoon attendees will have the opportunity to find out why weird is better during KiKi’s networking interest session.  KiKi is the CEO and founder of Amplified Growth, a digital marketing firm specializing in digital transformation projects. She also hosts the popular Association Chat live-streamed podcast, a weekly association-centric news and education outlet which has run since 2009.

KiKi serves as faculty for Mediabistro's online courses in social media and influencer marketing and was a contributing author to the book Social Networking for Nonprofits: Increasing Engagement in a Mobile and Web 2.0 World (ASAE, 2010).

Justin Draeger

Confirmed!  President and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Justin Draeger will be joining us to give both an update from NASFAA as well as answer questions during our open forum on Wednesday.  Justin serves as the primary voice of NASFAA and as the liaison between association members, the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and the media.  Most of his career has been devoted to assisting disadvantaged populations achieve their educational goals and better their communities.

Craig Munier & Zack Goodwin

Tentative…  But – we’re on their calendars and just need to cross our fingers that the federal fiscal year or other budget problems don’t get in our way.  Worse case, we’ve been promised virtual presentations.

FREE PreConference Workshops

Confirmed!  We’re bringing back the FREE PreConference workshops to MASFAA 2018 – choose from 1 of 3 topics:

·         Implicit Bias w/ Steven Foster from the University of Michigan

·         How to Advocate w/ Keri Gilbert from University of Missouri and Will Shaffner from MOHELA

·         How to Make Management Look Easy w/ David Peterson from University of Cincinnati

And last, but definitely not least, keep your eyes peeled for an email on June 1^st.  Not only will we be sending out the tentative schedule with some session descriptions, conference registration will be LIVE!  With registration available a bit earlier, we’re hopeful it gives you additional flexibility in your conference/travel budget.

As always, keep up to date with 2018 MASFAA Conference information on the website as we continue to add additional details - https://masfaaweb.org/conference

MASFAA Fall Conference in Minnesota is coming soon – October 14-17, 2018!!

In less than 6 months you will be able to attend a MASFAA Conference in Minneapolis Minnesota that will offer what few other can!! Start talking about attendance in your office. Some things to think about:

1. Pre-Conference Workshops:

• Implicit Bias
• Leadership and Team Building
• How to Advocate

2. Interest Sessions:

• Federal Updates
• NASFAA Updates – Justin Draeger – NASFAA CEO
• KiKi L’Italien – CEO, Amplified Growth – A digital marketing firm
• Imposter Syndrome – When are people going to find out about me?
• Why weird is better? – A networking session like no other
•  Retaining students of color at primarily white institutions
• Elevate Financial Aid – 3 Ways to get more respect in office
• Competency Based Programs
• What happens after a program review?
• Could there be a better way?
• Connecting SAP to Retention
• Data in Financial Aid
• Communication – It’s a Way of Life
• Trends in Higher Education
• Bringing Financial Education to Everyone
• AND LOT’S MORE

3. Conference Charity

• Believet – Training Service Dogs for Vets

4. Accommodations:

• Marriott City Center in Downtown Minneapolis
• Standard Room is $149 a night
• Conveniently located in the heart of Minneapolis skyway system

5. Conference Rates:

• Early Bird Full Conference Rate – June 1 to Sept 1 - $325
• Regular Full Conference Rate – Sept 1 – Sept 26 - $365
• Registration will open June 1

6. Conference Entertainment

• Deuces Wild – Dueling Piano Event – http://wildpianos.com/
• More to come

7. Fun in Minneapolis

• Minnesota Vikings Home Game against Arizona Cardinals – Sunday October 14^th at Noon – Blocks away from hotel
• Mall of America
• Skyway System to many shops and eateries
• Lightrail System to St. Paul and other close cities
• Amazing Candy Store across the street from hotel
• More information to come in later updates

Get Ready to Come to Minneapolis in October!!!

There's an app for that!

The 2017 MASFAA Conference has gone mobile!

We're excited to announce we have a brand new mobile guide for you to use on Guidebook! Get the guide to access the most up-to-date information about our event, including schedules, maps, and much more. Get our guide by following the step-by-step instructions below!

1.       Visit https://guidebook.com/g/masfaa2017/

2.    Enter your cell phone number – a link will be texted to you which will take you directly to your app store to download Guidebook

3.    Follow the link in your text

4.    Download Guidebook

5.    Enter the conference passcode to connect to MASFAA 2017 content. The passcode is masfaa2017

Android and iOS users can download the Guidebook app from their app store and access MASFAA conference content by using the passcode masfaa2017

Need some additional help? Check out the Guidebook Tutorial and Instructions online: https://support.guidebook.com/hc/en-us/articles/202891364-End-User-Tutorial-Using-the-Guidebook-App

See you in Dayton!

It's Raining Feds! (At the MASFAA conference!)

The MASFAA Conference is fewer than TWO WEEKS AWAY! Hold back some of that excitement we know you're feeling until the conference. Although the early bird registration came to a close last week, we hope you will still consider joining us even if you missed the deadline. You can register at the conference mini-site. 

We are fortunate to have two presenters from FSA joining us for our Conference. Want to make the most out of this time with the feds? Read on to learn more about what they'll be presenting! Have a question but are hesitant to ask it in person? Email your question to bolingg@missouri.edu (subject line: MASFAA Question for the Feds) and your question will be presented to the FSA reps anonymously!

Who: Craig Munier, Assistant Director of Policy Liaison and Implementation, Federal Student Aid
What: Federal Update
When: Wednesday, October 11 from 8:30-9:30am
Why:  Mr. Munier will provide us with all of the need-to-know updates from the US Department of Education and Federal Student Aid. Expect to hear about Year Round Pell, 399 Codes, the 2018-2019 FAFSA, Identity Protection, and other topics on which we're all waiting to receive more information and guidance. You get to hear it straight from the person who is now writing our favorite Electronic Announcements and Dear Colleague Letters.

Who: Craig Munier, Assistant Director of Policy Liaison and Implementation, Federal Student Aid
What: Federal Town Hall
When: Wednesday, October 11 from 9:30-10:00am
Why: Mr. Munier will shift gears from providing information to you to receiving information from you. Have consistent issues and you need the ear of someone at Federal Student Aid? Want to voice a suggestion for policy implementation improvement? Want to share your frustrations? This is the time to do it. 

Who: Zack Goodwin, Training Officer
What: Various FSA Training Sessions
When: Nearly every session time available to you Monday and Tuesday
Why: Take the opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty details of Pell Recalculations, Compliance Concerns, C-Flags, Academic Calendars, Conflicting Information and Verification in hour-long training sessions. Zack provides information and takes the time to consider and answer your questions!

Who: Zack Goodwin, Training Officer
What: Ask-A-Fed
When: Tuesday, October 10th from 5:10-5:45pm
Why: Now's your time to ask the specific questions about regulations you haven't had answered over the past two days of training with Zack. Do you have weird scenarios you're not sure how to handle? Random situations pop up and the handbook isn't quite clear? This general session will provide you with an opportunity to ask what you want to ask - without necessarily having to identify yourself (unless you want to!).

(Note: The Consumer Information Credentialing Session has been moved to Tuesday morning, 8-10am to accommodate our FSA guests.)

Financial Aid and Mushing

Two words I never, ever, EVER would expect to see together - Financial Aid and Mushing.

Well, first I had to look up “Mushing”.

Go ahead and look it up – I’ll wait…….

Attending the upcoming MASFAA Conference in Dayton, OH in October will give attendees the opportunity to hear how Jodi has learned to “…Lead From Behind…”.

We have attended many session on management and interpersonal relationship building as well as working together on teams.  Let me tell you, this will be the first time you will hear about leading as Jodi has had to learn to lead – from behind.

We are excited to bring you Jodi’s unique and at times humorous perspective and adventures all while learning together – we look forward to seeing you soon in Dayton!

A brief Look at Jodi ~

Jodi Bailey, 48, grew up on the island of Marthas Vineyard MA. She earned her BA in Theater Studies and Anthropology at Emory University in Atlanta GA. While at Emory she made her first summer trip to Alaska to study storytelling. “Since my first summer here I knew in my heart Alaska was the place for me”. After graduating in 1991 she moved to Fairbanks and never looked back. In addition to mushing Jodi enjoys yoga, running, gardening, and cooking. Jodi and her husband, Yukon Quest and Iditarod veteran, Dan Kaduce, call Dew Claw Kennel in Chatanika Alaska home; along with Opal & Jasper (the house dogs) their team of racing Alaskan huskies, and Chopper (the cat who is cool enough to live with this many dogs).

Jodi began mushing in 1995 and has focused on distance races including the Copper Basin 300, Tustumena 200, Denali Doubles, Kobuk 440, and Yukon Quest. In 2011 Jodi made history when she became the first rookie to successfully complete both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod in the same year. “One of my favorite things about distance racing is the relationship you develop with your team over the hours and miles.” Jodi explains, “We are running dogs that were born in our living room, the descendants of our original race dogs. It is exciting to see them grow from wiggly fur balls to world class athletes”

Register Today

Register Today!

Your 2017 MASFAA Conference flight beckons you with:

35 Concurrent Sessions

NASFAA Credentialing Session

6 Business Solutions options

    In-Flight General Sessions featuring:

Justin Draeger, NASFAA President and CEO

Billie Jo Hamilton, NASFAA National Chair

Eve Rips, Director of Regional Strategy, Young Invincibles

Jodi Bailey, An Iditarod racer, Co-Owner of Dew Claw Kennel

Lena Tenney and Robin Wright, Kirwan Institute Researchers

MASFAA, the oldest regional Financial Aid assocation, is celebrating our 55^th year by Making Every Moment Count.  As recorded in our 25^th year history book, MASFAA – Pioneer and Leader by Stephen A. Morris, “The primary role of the regional association is to meet both the individual needs of its members and the collective concerns of the financial aid profession.”  Our 2017 MASFAA Conference is designed to effectively fulfill both of these goals.

For you as an individual, MASFAA is your chance to really connect with peers from throughout our region.  Sharing perspectives, ideas and encouragement, you can learn from peer experiences to better serve your institutions.  You can also share; others need to benefit from what you can give!  We connect you to both national and federal trainers at an extremely reasonable cost point.  MASFAA professional development is also your step towards involvement at the national level.  MASFAA members have a very strong presence in leading national policy discussions benefiting our students and profession.

Professional service vendors. Over 20 companies who help with a variety of Financial Aid services will be available to speak with you about options on ways to improve your operations.  These companies strengthen our ability to help make student’s dreams come true. 

Dayton!  Host to several cultural experiences the weekend we are there like The Ohio Renaissance Festival, Dayton River Corredor Classic Half Marathon, and Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire.  Home to the National Museum of the US Air Force and great aviation history giants Orville and Wilber Wright.  We will be experiencing an amazing piece of this history as we dine at Carillon Historical Park, home to the original Wright Flyer III.  Based at the fully renovated Marriott at the University of Dayton we have outstanding accomodations ready for us to enjoy.  It’s worth considering coming in early.  The hotel registration deadline is coming right up next week, so do not delay!  Register now!

It’s time to fly!  Get your ticket, come find your seat and get ready to enjoy the view.

MASFAA – Your Regional Financial Aid Conference.  Your High Flying Experience Awaits!

Access Committee Partnership with Sinclair Community College

Submitted by Angela Johnson, MASFAA Access Chair

The Access Committee is excited to announce that in partnership with Sinclair Community College, MASFAA will host a FAFSA completion event to assist students and families complete the 2018-2019 FAFSA during the MASFAA Conference. 

This FAFSA workshtop will be held on Sunday, October 8, 2017 - 12pm - 2pm at Sinclair Community College-Dayton Campus, Sifferlen Health Sciences Center-Building 14, Dayton, OH 45402. Sinclair Community College is a short 5-minute drive from the MASFAA conference hotel (Dayton Marriott).

We need your help at this event:  FAFSA completion volunteers are need to help students/families complete the FAFSA. Volunteers should plan to meet at Sinclair CC by 10:30am to receive assignments and instructions to prepare for the event. The event will conclude at 2pm and volunteers should plan to stay until the event ends. The first conference breakout sessions begin at 3:15pm.
Please wear your school (or alumni) spirit shirts to the event. Sign up to volunteer on SignUp Genius using the link below.

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4EA5A62AA7FD0-masfaa1
For questions about volunteering for the event, please contact Angela Johnson, MASFAA Access Chair - angela.johnson@tri-c.edu or (216)987-4213.

For questions about the site or specific info about Sinclair Community College, especially for students/families attending the event, please contact Matt Moore, Director of Financial Aid - Sinclair Community College - Matthew.moore157@sinclair.edu or (937)512-2960.

OHIO COLLEAGUES - FOR STUDENTS/FAMILIES ATTENDING:  Participants who need help completing the FAFSA are encouraged to register for this event at FAFSA Help Ohio - www.FAFSAHelpOH.org ; Click on the event date for this event - October 8, 2017 and follow the sign up instructions.


Thank you for considering adding this event to your MASFAA Conference experience.

Justification for Attendance - MASFAA Conference 2017

Submitted by MASFAA 2017 Conference Committee

Last week we sent out information to the listserve in which we suggested that it was vital that we stay up-to-date and learn how to implement any changes to the student aid programs.

We even provided language to help you justify your attendance at the MASFAA conference. That language is provided below as well.

To that end we are pleased to announce that Zack Goodwin, Regional Training Officer for the Department of Education will be presenting at the MASFAA conference.  Along with the Federal Update, Zack will be leading SIX interest sessions including favorites like Resolving Conflicting Information and the Top Ten Compliance

Concerns as well as breaking news – Verification 2018-19.

Make Every Moment Count and join us for the MASFAA Conference October 8-11, 2017 in Dayton Ohio.

Leading From Behind

Submitted by: Thomas Ratliff, MASFAA President

Are you that amazing leader who loves to be in the spotlight, always seem to know exactly what to do and you’re constantly sure that everyone is following along behind you?  If so, WOW you’re amazing.  Congratulations on being that awesome!

Now, if you happen to be like the rest of us where you have a leadership role (or hope to in the future) and although you’re giving it your best and having some good results, you occasionally feel like you are following everyone else, as if you are trying to develop and herd cats in a reactive mode… then we have just the thing to help you! 

Jodi Bailey, our Sunday evening speaker at the 2017 MASFAA Conference, knows how to effectively lead from behind and how to tame a wild ride.  She is a competitive Alaskan Husky sled dog musher.  By competitive we mean she was the first rookie in history to complete both the Yukon Quest and Iditarod races in the same year!  That’s nearly 2,000 miles of obstacles, cold, snow, wind, dogs, adrenaline and success!  She and her husband raise, train and race their dogs to win as teams.  Come hear how the principles of their success are directly applicable to our professional leadership roles.  They can help you lead your team to success in unique ways!

Register now for the 2017 MASFAA Conference in beautiful Dayton, Ohio being held on October 8 – 11, 2017.