President's Welcome
Dear AASFAA Family, Welcome to the 2026–2027 AASFAA year! I am absolutely bursting with excitement, and I am profoundly honored to step into the role of your AASFAA President for the upcoming year. Financial aid administrators are a truly special brood, aren't we? We are a fiercely resilient bunch who show up every single day, navigating the storms, completely driven by our love for our students. I am incredibly proud to be part of this profession and this organization because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the work we do changes lives. As we look ahead to the year, we have so many exciting initiatives in store to deliver even more value to your AASFAA membership. Let’s be honest: with the constant wave of federal regulatory changes and the impossibly short timelines we are given to implement them, we need each other now more than ever. To help us get through it together, we are focusing heavily on peer-to-peer connection. Building on the wild success of our newly implemented AZ Director’s listserv, our goal this year is to expand these spaces for all members. We want to create new opportunities for you to connect, talk through the issues of the day, share best practices, and lean on each other for support. Specifically, we want to bridge the gap by connecting people who use the same software systems, so you have a direct lifeline to a peer troubleshooting the same screen you are! This is where you come in. If you are feeling inclined, we would absolutely love to have you join us as a volunteer. Sign up here: https://www.aasfaa.org/volunteer When you volunteer for AASFAA, you automatically become part of something so much bigger than yourself, your office, or your individual institution. You become part of a collective solution and a massive, statewide support network. Your peers across this great state need your unique perspective and talents—but just as importantly, you might need them, too. AASFAA is your safety net, giving you a powerful team of people to reach out to when you need an answer, an idea, or just some moral support. We are already a mighty team, but we would be so much better with you in it. I highly encourage you to take that next step toward your own leadership and professional development—we would be absolutely thrilled to have you. Whether you want to take on a project or just help out in some small way, please reach out to me! I fully and deeply believe that together we are better, and I cannot wait to experience everything this year has in store alongside all of you. Thank you for everything you do. Let's make this an unforgettable year! With deep gratitude and excitement, Aurie Clifford |
