SWASFAA President’s Welcome 2025

Welcome to a New Year!

Hello SWASFAA Friends,

Happy New Year! My name is Elizabeth Amador and I’m deeply honored to serve as your 2025 SWASFAA President.

The arrival of a new year is not just a passage of time; it is an invitation to embrace change and to navigate the future with courage, creativity, and collaboration amongst our community.

The world of financial aid, as we all know, is ever evolving, and it is imperative that we, as individuals and as a community, remain adaptable. Change should not be something we fear, but rather something we celebrate. It brings new opportunities, new challenges, and the chance to learn and grow. This year, let’s focus on the possibilities ahead of us, not the limitations or complications (oh, those complications!) of the past.

As we embrace the new, we can’t forget the importance of resilience and community. Navigating the future requires us to be open to new ideas, to be innovative, and to collaborate with each other to remove boundaries from the students we all strive to help. We have faced many challenges, but we’ve also discovered new ways of overcoming them.

I am excited to share with you a glimpse of the SWASFAA happenings that, we hope, are designed to inspire and equip us for success on our journey this year:

1. Management & Leadership Institute – February 25-26, 2025: An extraordinary experience designed for forward-thinking leaders ready to embark on a journey of growth and transformation. Join us for an intergalactic journey and opportunity to sharpen leadership skills, engage in networking and learn from some of the most inspiring leaders in the financial aid world. Registration is now open! Visit us online for details like hotel registration, corporate sponsorships, and draft agenda.
2. FAAC® Pre-Exam Workshops – February 25, 2025: An opportunity for motivated financial aid professionals to gain helpful insight about the knowledge exam. Workshops will be held at various locations throughout the year, starting with the DFW area on February 25^th. Registration and details will be forthcoming.
3. Tip-sy Tuesday Virtual Gatherings – 1^st Tuesday, monthly: A social hour dedicated to fostering meaningful connections and strengthening the bonds within our community. In this relaxed and interactive session, we’ll have the opportunity to share tips, insights, and advice on a variety of topics – whether it’s personal growth, professional development, wellness, or navigating challenges.
4. Fall Joint Boot Camp & Conference – November TBD, 2025: This year we partner with LASFAA for an exciting and meaningful SWASFAA/LASFAA joint conference in New Orleans! Planning is underway so you won’t want to miss this Super-Conference!

Over the course of the next few days, keep an eye out for event announcements, membership reminders, and more.

As we step forward into this year, trust that together, we will navigate the future, embrace the challenges ahead, and create a better tomorrow. Please reach out to me with any ideas, comments, questions, or just to chat :) 

I'm very excited to serve as your president. Thank you for all you do!