EASFAA Friends & Colleagues,

I am truly honored to serve as EASFAA President for 2018-19 and look forward to an exciting year ahead! Like my predecessor and good friend, Past President Kristi Jovell, I am focused on continuing to advance three important goals of the association: enhance the excellent training and professional development opportunities that have highlighted our most recent membership year, expand volunteer opportunities, and increase collaboration with our states and members.

I personally invite each of you to get involved and volunteer. There are so many reasons to get involved: personal growth and networking, learning something new, challenging yourself, taking your state volunteer efforts to the regional level, or simply making new financial aid friends! Complete the EASFAA Volunteer Form on our website and let us know what interests you and how you would like to get involved.

EASFAA’s vision is to aspire to be the leader in the development of empowered financial aid professionals. Our mission is to promote and support the advancement of our members in higher education utilizing training, advocacy and leadership development opportunities. In other words, our priority is you – the membership!

Watch for a multitude of training opportunities through our EASFAA Leads webinars, Tuesdays @ 2 webinars, NASFAA credential opportunities, and annual training topic. In addition, the annual conference will be May 5-8, 2019 in Portland, Maine at the Westin Portland Harborview.

Please take a moment to review the list of this year's Council and committee members. These colleagues are giving their time and energy to support EASFAA, our profession, and the students we serve. I am very grateful to work with each of them.

Thank you for the honor to serve as EASFAA President. The most valuable and enjoyable part of my 26+ year career in financial aid has been my volunteer involvement, first in NYSFAAA, now in EASFAA and all of the friends I have made along my journey. I believe in our profession and what we do and the students we serve. I believe in the importance of being able to gather with colleagues – and friends - to discuss, commiserate, plan and vision. I believe in EASFAA and look forward to working with all of you!

Sincerely,
Sam Veeder
EASFAA President
University of Rochester