The mission of the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators shall be to ensure access to higher education through the promotion of financial aid awareness.

Further, the mission of the Association is to affect public policy initiatives, to promote ethical administration of student aid programs, and to encourage an environment of cooperation among individuals, agencies, organizations and educational institutions to better serve all student populations.

Dear Colleagues,

I am honored and excited to serve as your OASFAA President for the 2011-2012 Academic Year! We have a wonderful association that we can all be so proud of with a dedicated membership that simply outshines other like associations!

As we move into the New Year, I would like to continue to carry out the good work of the Presidents that served before me. I plan to do this through collaboration, communication, and connection! We are not in this alone and will continue to collaborate with other organizations whose goals are to further student participation in higher education like the Ohio College Access Network, the Ohio Board of Regents, the United States Department of Education, the Ohio Association for College Admissions Counseling, and the Ohio School Counselor Association. I will continue to communicate with you through the OASFAA Newsletter, Facebook, emails, and the website! I look forward to connecting with each of you at our Regional Meetings, Conferences, and other OASFAA events.

OASFAA offers great opportunities for training, networking, and to enjoy the camaraderie of those who do the good work day in and day out in the Financial Aid Offices throughout the State of Ohio. If you're already a member, we certainly appreciate you and would encourage your involvement in a committee! If you are not a member, we would encourage you to join and become part of the OASFAA family! As a profession,you do make a difference in the lives of our students through your daily work but also in the involvement you have in OASFAA, and we need to spread the word.

Some of the goals that are established for the year include:

• Increasing the Regional Meetings to 4
• Increasing the number of Guidance Counselor Workshops across the state and including a "beginners track" at some of our largest attended locations
• Offering state wide financial aid night opportunities in collaboration with Senator Sherrod Brown's Office
• Maintaining the high quality training opportunities OASFAA is known for

As OASFAA continues to operate in a challenging economic climate, it is imperative that we continue to embrace our core mission ensuring that it meets the needs of all our members and constituents as effectively as possible. We will continue the collaboration with the Ohio College Access Network to offer a joint conference in December and will also offer a limited number of "scholarships" to OASFAA members who may be facing tight budget constraints at their individual institutions. More information on this scholarship program will be available to the membership in late Fall.

I look forward to sharing the activities and accomplishments of the association with each of you and look forward to your input as the year progresses. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions, suggestions and comments.

Sincerely,

Stephanie M. Sutton, 2011-2012 OASFAA President
Dean, Enrollment & Financial Services
Lorain County Community College
440-213-2854
ssutton@lorainccc.edu

OASFAA stands for the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. OASFAA is a non-profit, professional organization for individuals actively engaged in the administration of financial aid within the State of Ohio for higher education.

As an educational organization, OASFAA strives to offer resources to students, families and high school advisors to promote higher education and increase awareness of financial aid opportunities.

As a professional development organization, OASFAA offers state-wide opportunities for training, through state conferences held twice a year and regional meetings and individuals sessions conducted throughout the year. These opportunities cover current topics, research and many other areas ranging from counseling techniques to the fundamentals of student aid delivery. As an organization representing over 600 members from over 250 institutions operating within the State of Ohio, OASFAA serves a diverse group of practitioners. As a unified voice for these individuals, OASFAA strives work to work with organizations across the State to address concerns relating to its mission and to promote the use of financial assistance to students and families facing the expenses of higher education.