How to Save a Life...

We can sometimes save a life and never have to leave our desks.

On a Friday a few weeks ago, some of my co-workers and I were in our cafeteria.  We were exhausted and on mental overload, but we were eating lunch and talking—mainly about how crazy this fall has been.  Two of our four were talking about retirement because "it had been the worst ever" in their history of financial aid.  A couple of my co-workers went to get something, and a lady came up to me and said, “I remember you. You saved my life.”  Needless to say, I stood there speechless.  For those of you who know me, I am sure that you cannot imagine me ever being speechless, but I was.

As I stood there, she continued to say that a couple of years ago she had to go through the SAP appeal process. At that time, we had met face to face. She said that I saved her and the lives of her children because I gave her back her financial aid. When I started to speak, she said, “You don’t understand where I was.  I was beaten. I was bruised, and I was mentally whipped.  The only things that would keep me going were my children.  Because of you, I was able to leave my abusive husband and change the pattern.  I never realized that I could be someone.  I graduated a couple of years ago, and I was recently laid off from work which is why I am working here in the cafeteria. I plan to start graduate school if I am not hired full-time soon.  You changed me. You changed my children, and our lives will never be the same.”  After fighting some gnats in my eyes (or maybe some tears), I looked at her and said, “I didn't save your lives. You did. You chose to not repeat a cycle. You chose to make a better life.  You chose to take the opportunity that you were given. I only gave you a glimmer of hope. You chose to give yourself and your family a lifetime of respect and accomplishment.”

As she walked away, I realized that I didn't even remember her name, but I will be ever grateful to this former student as she reminded me of one reason why I love this profession. Financial Aid is not glamorous, glorious, or money-making, but it is life changing—both for those who we touch and for us who do the work each day.  Each of us has a daily choice to make.  We can get up in the morning and choose to have a great day.  We can choose to be nice. We can choose to be helpful. We can choose to be friendly. We can choose…any mood or mindset.

Who knows, one day the life you save may be the one that steps in to save yours.

Submitted by Stephanie Miller, Assistant Director of Student Financial Services at Jacksonville State University (AL) and AASFAA President.

In our thoughts and prayers...

Dear SASFAA Members & Friends:

It is with sadness that I provide you the following update from a fellow financial aid colleague:

Teriann Wright, Senior Manager, Orange County Public Schools (FL), lost her mother on September 8, 2014 after battling an extended illness. The service was held on September 13, 2014.   

Thoughts and prayers for her family during this time would be greatly appreciated. 

Nathan R. Basford, Jr.

SASFAA President

2014 Leadership Symposium - Registration Information

As publicized in the “Save the Date” message sent to the listserv on 09/09/2014, registration is now open.

2014 SASFAA Leadership Symposium

November 20-22, 2014

Birmingham, AL - Hyatt Regency

Registration and other information related to the Symposium can be found at http://www.sasfaa.org/leadershipsymposium2014.

The Leadership Symposium is a training event that you don’t want to miss.  With many years of leadership and aid experience, SASFAA’s esteemed Lisanne Masterson, Ron Day, and Billie Jo Hamilton are leading this event, so it is certain to be well worth your attendance!

Reminder:  There are only 20 open slots in addition to the 2 participants per state who are sponsored by the respective state.  The open slots are expected to fill quickly. Register today!

For more information, you may contact either Marian Dill (mdill@leeuniversity.edu) or Lisanne Masterson (l_masterson@blueridge.edu).

Listserv message from 09/09/2014:

Are you are interested in obtaining personal and practical skills associated with being a good leader?  If so, we have the event for you!  Save the date! SASFAA's 2014 Leadership Symposium will be held in November! Registration will be open soon.  Space is limited! More detailed information is below.

When:  November 20-22, 2014

Where:  Birmingham, AL - Hyatt Regency

This symposium, utilizing a solid core of faculty with the assistance of an outside speaker, will explore what it takes to be an effective leader as well as the responsibilities that go along with it.  Good leadership requires a certain level of managerial skills. We will explore developing your individual leadership style, as well as highlighting practical applications for planning and goal-setting, building a winning team, and conducting effective meetings.  This will be a very hands-on symposium and will require some reading prior to the actual event, but seating is limited (each state may sponsor two participants and there are 20 additional slots available).

SASFAA Awards Committee is Accepting Nominations

As SASFAA Past President, I have the privilege of serving as the Chair of the Awards Committee.  The committee’s members are the elected officers of the Association and we are charged with recommending award recipients to the SASFAA Board for its approval.  Because our next Board meeting is scheduled for November 3 – 4, 2014 and the Awards Committee will need time to consider all nominations and finalize our recommendations to the Board prior to November 3^rd, I am asking that any nominations for the awards listed below should be sent to me by no later than Tuesday, October 14, 2014.   

Distinguished Service Award

This is the highest honor bestowed by SASFAA.  Individuals honored with a SASFAA Distinguished Service Award shall have made outstanding, significant, and meritorious contributions to the advancement of student financial aid or the profession.  The awards committee, comprised of the elected officers of the Association, shall be charged to consider nominees and recommend them for consideration to the Board.  Nominees must be approved by a two-thirds vote of Board members present and voting.

Each recipient shall be presented an appropriate plaque at the annual conference of the Association and shall be entitled to honorary membership in the Association when the recipient ceases to meet active membership eligibility requirements.

Honorary Membership

Honorary membership shall be awarded to persons who have demonstrated outstanding service to SASFAA and to the student aid profession.  Practicing financial aid administrators are not eligible to receive this award.   

All SASFAA past presidents and Distinguished Service recipients who are no longer directly involved in the administration of financial aid shall be automatically granted honorary membership.  Unless otherwise eligible, individuals nominated for honorary membership must be approved by a majority vote of the Board members present and voting.

Please send me your nomination and a description of the service(s) the individual has contributed to SASFAA.  You can send the information to Zita Barree at zbarree@hsc.edu by no later than October 14th.

Thank You!!

Zita Barree

SASFAA Past President 2014-15

SASFAA Awards Committee Chair

SASFAA... Did you know? A Noteworthy September.

Here are just a few of the noteworthy events that happened in the month of September.

September 2, 1789 - The third Presidential cabinet department, the U.S. Treasury, was established by Congress.

September 2, 1963 - Alabama Governor George Wallace forcibly halted public school integration by encircling Tuskegee High School with state troopers.

September 5, 1997 - Mother Teresa died in Calcutta at age 87, after a life of good works spent aiding the sick and poor in India through her Missionaries of Charity order.

September 9, 1776 - The United States came into existence as the Continental Congress changed the name of the new American nation from the United Colonies.

September 14, 1741 - Composer George Frederick Handel finished Messiah after working on it nonstop for 23 days.

September 16, 1620 - The Mayflower departed from England, bound for America with 102 passengers and a small crew. The ship weathered dangerous Atlantic storms and reached Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 21st. The Pilgrims disembarked at Plymouth on December 26th.

September 26, 1960 - The first-ever televised presidential debate occurred between presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. Many who watched were inclined to say Kennedy 'won' the debate, while those who listened only to the radio thought Nixon did better. Nixon, who declined to use makeup, appeared somewhat haggard looking on TV in contrast to Kennedy.

September 29, 1789 - Congress created the United States Army, consisting of 1,000 enlisted men and officers.

Holidays and/or Other Events/Distinctions for September:

Labor Day – September 1
Grandparents’ Day – September 7
Patriot Day – September 11
Constitution Day (Citizenship Day) and Week – September 17
Talk Like a Pirate Day – September 19

Rosh Hashanah – September 24-26
National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 15 through Oct 15)
National Potato Month
National Chicken Month
National Piano Month
National Biscuit Month

Happy birthday to all of our members with birthdays in the months of July, August, and September. We hope this birthday was the best yet and that you have many, many more.

Going forward, we plan to make this a monthly SASFAA Nine News article published near the beginning of each month.

Jody Darby

Communications and Outreach Committee Chair

SASFAA, 2014-2015

Jody.Darby@chattahoocheetech.edu

You're Invited - FASFAA Clock Hour Workshop

FASFAA has extended its invitation to the below workshop to SASFAA.

Registration is now open for the FASFAA Clock Hour Workshop.  This year’s workshop is being held November 19 – 21 at the beautiful Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort and Spa, Fort Myers, FL.

Register here!

If you have questions, please contact Mary Nell Stokes, FASFAA Clock Hour Chair, stokesm@citrus.k12.fl.us, phone 352-726-2430 ext. 4371.  

Congratulations, Tarik!

Congrats, Tarik!

Constitution Day - September 17

Constitution Day is September 17. The Federal Register notes in part, "...educational institutions receiving Federal funding are required to hold an educational program pertaining to the United States Constitution on September 17 of each year." 

More information can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/constitutionday.html and http://www.loc.gov/law/help/commemorative-observations/constitution-day.php. 

How does your school meet this requirement? Share with your SASFAA colleagues on our Facebook page, or you may e-mail me with ideas.

Jody Darby
Communications and Outreach Chair
SASFAA, 2014-2015

Save the Date - SASFAA's 2014 Leadership Symposium

Are you are interested in obtaining personal and practical skills associated with being a good leader?  If so, we have the event for you!  Save the date! SASFAA's 2014 Leadership Symposium will be held in November! Registration will be open soon.  Space is limited! More detailed information is below.

When:  November 20-22, 2014

Where:  Birmingham, AL - Hyatt Regency

This symposium, utilizing a solid core of faculty with the assistance of an outside speaker, will explore what it takes to be an effective leader as well as the responsibilities that go along with it.  Good leadership requires a certain level of managerial skills. We will explore developing your individual leadership style, as well as highlighting practical applications for planning and goal-setting, building a winning team, and conducting effective meetings.  This will be a very hands-on symposium and will require some reading prior to the actual event, but seating is limited (each state may sponsor two participants and there are 20 additional slots available).

Due to the date of event quickly approaching, we are duplicating this same information to the listserv and to SASFAA's Facebook page. We are trying, however, to reduce duplication as much as possible with most information.

Reaching Generation Hashtag

Reaching Generation Hashtag: Leveraging Social Media to Support Student Success

In the first of our two part social media webinar series, join us as we hear from Dr. Reynol Junco, author of the recently released book, “Engaging Students Through Social Media.” Drawing upon his years of research and data collection regarding student technology use, Dr. Junco will explain how social networks can be used to not only disseminate general institution information, but can also provide a platform for colleges and universities to improve engagement, academic performance, and persistence amongst students.

You will learn about the impact of social media within higher education , role of social media in predictive analytics and relationship between social media and student identity. Participants are able to send questions prior to the webinar via #reytalks and webinars@inceptia.org.

Date: September 18, 2014

Time: 12:00 p.m. (PT)/1:00 p.m. (MT)/2:00 p.m. (CT)/3:00 p.m. (ET)

Cost: Complimentary

Speakers: Dr. Reynol Junco, Associate Professor of Education and Human Computer Interaction, Iowa State University

Carissa Uhlman, Vice President of Student Success, Inceptia

Register here: http://tinyurl.com/qf3c9qf\

If you have questions, you may contact Lenny Akins, Inceptia, Lenny Akins, lennya@inceptia.org.