Not only has the weather been heating up, but our members have been burning up the regional and national financial aid scene!

First, several of TASFAA’s own attended the SASFAA transition meeting in St. Pete Beach, Fl. Tennessee will have several members on our southern regional association board this year. TSAC’s Terri Parchment will be serving as SASFAA Budget and Finance Chair, Marian Dill from Lee University is the new SASFAA Vice President and I will be taking over for Jeff Gerkin as the state president representative from Tennessee.


Next, TASFAA was proud to send our FIRST Clyde Walker Professional Development Scholarship recipient to the SASFAA New Aid Officers Workshop, Destini Burns from Tennessee State University. Destini reported that it was a great experience and “a blast”! David Haggard from Bryan College also represented Tennessee as one of the NAOW presenters.

Most recently, Tennessee played host to our national conference. Brent Tener from Vanderbilt served as the conference chair for NASFAA and helped provide a wonderful training opportunity for approximately 2500 financial aid officers from across the United States. Vandy’s Karen Hauser served as local arrangements chair, with TASFAA members Charles Harper (Belmont), Melissa Smith (Vanderbilt), Tanaka Vercher (TSU), Cara Suhr (TCAT Nashville) and me (UT Knoxville) serving on the committee. Many, many, more TASFAA members stepped up as volunteers at registration, the information booth, packet stuffing and the hospitality suite. Thank you to everyone who helped to show the NASFAA folks why we are known as the volunteer state!!

 

Last but not least, we would like to congratulate Deidra Cummings from Lipscomb University for serving on the NASFAA Graduate & Professional Issues Caucus.

We will soon have our first official 2014-2015 TASFAA Executive Board Meeting. I look forward to a great year as President and I welcome your comments and suggestions. Many of you have completed the volunteer form online and have been contacted by one of our committees. If you are interested in serving, it’s not too late! Volunteer online or contact any member of the TASFAA board. As you will hear me say many times throughout this year:
TASFAA, We Are Family!!


Respectfully Yours,
Celena Tulloss
TASFAA President 2014-2015

Members of the 2014-15 TASFAA Board:

Elected Officers/Executive Board
President Celena Tulloss, University of Tennessee
President Elect Dick Smelser, Pellissippi State Community College
Past President Jeff Gerkin, University of Tennessee
Treasurer Lester McKenzie, Tennessee Tech University
Secretary Melissa Smith, Vanderbilt University
4 Yr Public Tanaka Vercher, Tennessee State University
4 Yr Private Tiffany Summers, Lipscomb University
2 Yr Public Joe Myers, Motlow State Community College
Proprietary Debra Stratman, Miller Motte Technical College
TCAT Kara Vanhoy, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Crossville
At Large Karen Hauser, Vanderbilt University

Committee Chairs
Association Governance Jeff Gerkin, University of Tennessee
Awards Cherry Johnson, Columbia State Community College
Budget/Finance Cara Suhr, Tennessee Technology Center – Nashville
Conference/Fin Aid Awareness Leah Louallen, TSAC
Diversity Willie Thomas, Chattanooga State Community College
Electronic Services Wes Armstrong, Northeast State Community College
Mentorship Charles Harper, Belmont University
Governmental Relations Ron Gambill, Edsouth
Historical Jan Lassiter, Edsouth
Long Range Strategic Plan Brent Tener, Vanderbilt University
Membership Terri Parchment, TSAC
Newsletter/Public Relations Bryan Erslan, Lincoln Memorial University
Nominations Jeff Gerkin, University of Tennessee (as Past President)
Site Selection Sonja McMullen, Sallie Mae
Sponsorship Development Sandra Rockett, Dyersburg State Community College
State Programs Liaison Tim Phelps, TSAC
TASFAA Advisory Cmte TSAC Jeff Gerkin, University of Tennessee (as Past President)
Training Larry Rector, Johnson University