SWASFAA President’s Welcome 2024

Welcome SWASFAA!

I am very thrilled to be your 2024 SWASFAA President.  I am ready to hit the ground running and leading SWASFAA this year as we navigate this crazy and ever-changing profession of financial aid.

I know that Financial Aid Administrators are resilient and can succeed this year.  Currently, 2024 may not seem magical, but we can make it if we all stick together and support each other like the family we are.

We have felt like we were Home Alone while trying to navigate through the new, complicated FAFSA Simplification process. However, I believe that together we can successfully complete the process before the end of the year, just like in the movie It's A Wonderful Life. Along the way, we can have some fun by getting excited like Buddy the Elf or going on a couple of Christmas Vacations (since we all have a little bit of Griswold in us.) We may also encounter some difficult situations like the Grinch, but let's not forget that even his heart grew, and he saw the magic of the holidays. We can all get through this together and make it a memorable experience.

We will continue to strive to provide pieces of training for more credentials, FAAC® certifications, and keep our members informed by having monthly interest sessions to get us all through this challenging year.  I hope this year is full of learning, fun, and full of networking opportunities.

I am excited to visit every state and witness my financial aid family expanding, providing support to one another, and knowing that we are all on this journey together. We will all reach our ultimate goal no matter what comes our way, as we are stronger together. My goal this year is to ensure that each one of us feels supported and connected to the SWASFAA family. Many changes are expected of us, but as professionals, we keep smiling and remember that the future of our students is what matters the most. There may be times when it's difficult to keep smiling, but let's make it a little easier by leaning on one another and appreciating the fact that we are fortunate to have such a wonderful family.

Keep those smiles, keep the year magical, and keep that holiday spirit in your heart even when things don’t look so magical.

Audra Main, FAAC^®

2024 SWASFAA President