The Time Is Now!

Submitted by the Awards Committee

It’s time to reward MASFAA colleagues who have done a great job – for students, for colleagues, for the financial aid profession – by nominating them for a MASFAA Award.

It’s time to highlight innovative ideas and outreach in financial literacy targeting K-12 or college students, whether from a state association, a school’s aid office, or an individual – by nominating them for the MASFAA Access Award.

It’s time to recognize retirees and colleagues celebrating milestone anniversaries in the profession – by nominating them for a MASFAA Recognition Certificate.

It’s time to celebrate an individual student who used financial aid to pursue and earn a credential from an institution of higher education -- by telling us about a Student Success Story from the state of Illinois.

The time is now!  The link is here!  Nominations will be accepted for the next two weeks.

Thank you for helping us laud, applaud, acknowledge and praise our MASFAA Colleagues!!!

Submit your nominations now at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MY5PLST.

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).