1. Developing Highly Competent Financial Aid Professionals
Eric K Cooper
Clifton Jones
Bridgette Ingram
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

2. Get Out Your Cell Phones
What are the characteristics of a Highly Competent FA Professionals?
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

3. Agenda Characteristics of a Highly Competent Financial Professionals
Texas A&M University- San Antonio
Texas A&M University- Central Texas
Texas A&M University
Resources
What we have heard from others
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

4. Characteristics of a Highly Competent Financial Professionals
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

5. What we heard Listener Hard worker Dedication
Inquisitive (question everything)
Accept new challenges
Solution oriented
Time manager
Lead by example
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

6. Competence What do you consider competence?
Detail Oriented?
Accuracy?
Ability to follow direction?
Leadership?
Sometimes, it may come naturally.
Use your True Colors, StrengthsQuest or DiSC characteristics to get people in the right spots on the team.
Other times, it has to be taught.
And there are plenty of resources for teaching what you need!
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

7. Texas A&M University- San Antonio
Leadership and Assessment
Two of the most important; in my opinion.
You’re the Director: A Guide to Leadership in Student Financial Aid
Start with good staff with those characteristics you desire!
Look for those qualities necessary for competence!
Don’t settle!
And then assess what is going on – training, data, service.
knowledge, etc.
Communicate and then push for success.
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

8. Texas A&M University- Central Texas
Personalized Development Plans
Go beyond performance evaluations
Interests
Goals (Short and Long Term)
Training needs
Cross Training
Aligned with function or interests
Internal or External
Promotion
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

9. Texas A&M University Training specialist Leadership Development
3 day orientation, 6 day basic advisor training, specific training in team
Leadership Development
Lunch and learn for supervisors
Supervisor training
Cross training/ shadowing
Job aids, resources drive
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

10. Resources
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

11. Resources NASFAA online resources SWASFAA TASFAA IFAP
Online courses
Ask Regs
SWASFAA
Boot Camp
TASFAA
Regional trainings
ABC
IFAP
Handbook
Dear Colleague letters
Internal policies and procedures
Conferences
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

12. What Others Are Saying
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

13. Get Out Your Cell Phones
What is the one thing you learned today that you will implement?
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

14. Thank you! Eric Cooper: eric.cooper@tamusa.edu
Clifton Jones:
Bridgette Ingram: