Let’s get together, PASFAA friends!
Summer is on the horizon and Mother Nature seems to agree, which in my opinion, is a grand improvement over her recent interpretation of proper spring weather. I hope you are busy planning or preparing for vacations, picnics, family reunions, and other outdoor activities…in general, enjoying the warm weather and the company of others in being together once again!
Where PASFAA is concerned, we’ve just wrapped up one of our most successful Spring Training events ever, this time using our new virtual platform and event app, Cvent. Kudos and thanks to chair Dan Weigle and the entire planning committee: Fiona Davenport, Kat Delgrosso, Evelyn Disla-Hernandez, Erin Dixon, Heather Ledezma, Cheri Lindsay, Linda Pacewicz, LeRoy Spicer, Melissa Walsh, and Dan Wray. A wide array of informative sessions, lots of networking opportunities, and a good dose of giveaways/fun was offered for all in attendance. It was great to be together, even though it was in a virtual format!
As we move into summer, the Don Raley Institute for newer financial aid professionals is next on the training docket, with the live, virtual event scheduled June 13-17. A recorded version of this training will also be available for a limited time following the live sessions. An experienced and stellar group of faculty has been assembled by chair (& faculty member, too) Melissa Ibanez, which includes Tim Bush, Steph Schrift, Amy Hooper, and Melissa Walsh, as well as tech guru Dan Wray. Many of us know that the Don Raley Institute is considered a rite of passage within the Pennsylvania financial aid administrators’ community and something our new-to-aid colleagues won’t want to miss, as learning together can be an epic experience! To register and receive more information, please visit https://www.pasfaa.org/committees/pfat/don-raley-institute/.
While I don’t want to turn the clock ahead too fast, there is an announcement regarding the fall Conference. Due to staffing issues that are expected to continue through the end of the year at the Penn Stater, we will be moving the 2022 conference to the Seven Springs Mountain Resort. The dates remain the same, October 9-12, and the conference committee is working diligently to produce “one for the record books” since this will be the first time in several years that we’ll be back together in-person! Please feel free to reach out to me or one of the conference chairs, Brian Beighley bjb74@pitt.edu or Steph Schrift sschrift@francis.edu, with any suggestions for sessions, speakers, or events.
In mentioning the conference, I’d be remiss if I didn’t put two critical things on your radar. First is the continuation of the NextPAGE initiative, with PAGE = PASFAA’s Advancement of Generations Exchange. Through this program, experienced members of our profession serve as mentors to newer folks, known as protégés and resources are shared so that continuity is ensured for future generations’ success. A special social networking event will be held at this year’s conference, so make plans to attend! Watch for additional information coming from the committee about other NextPAGE opportunities. In the meantime, if you have questions, comments, or want to participate in any role, please contact one of our dynamic NextPAGE co-chairs: Michelle Pretopapa pretopam@lafayette.edu or Carrie Wilson c.wilson@pagunsmith.edu. The second item is nominations for PASFAA awards. Please visit this link https://www.pasfaa.org/award-nomination-form/ to easily put forth nominees and review the details for the following areas of recognition: Life Membership (Honorary Life Membership), Leadership Award, Emerging Leader Award, Team Award, Hero Award, and Retirement Recognition Program. Please take a few minutes to consider your experiences working together with PASFAA members and/or noting the efforts of your colleagues in serving in various capacities. Your impressions are important to this process, and we need your feedback to ensure that we acknowledge the outstanding service of our dedicated members during this past year.
While our tagline for the 2021-22 PASFAA year has been, “Together we are stronger,” I also realized that “Together is my favorite place to be”! As noted above, in the coming months we’ll have several opportunities to come together and make our association stronger, so please mark your calendars. I can’t wait to see you all there…wherever that is!
Best wishes,
Colleen Coudriet
