Alabama State Report (AASFAA)
Deborah Byrd, State President

AASFAA’s Fall Conference was held October 15-17, 2003 at the Auburn Conference Center, Auburn, Alabama. The conference theme was The Future is Now. The Fall conference committee, chaired by Andrew Weaver, did an excellent job planning the program sessions that were presented at the conference. Some of the program sessions were: Student Loan 101-103, International Students, COD Update, Personal & Professional Development: Preparing for Success and Planning for a Successful Financial Future: Wills and Estates.

Also at the conference, Ron Day, SASFAA President, brought greetings from SASFAA; Jay Powell, Sallie Mae won the AASFAA Over Award; Dr. Bill Wall, Program Director, ACHE and former SASFAA Secretary announced his retirement effective December 31, 2003; and our community services project collected $2,000 from the membership and gave to Children’s Harbor (a not-for-profit affiliate of Children’s Hospital of Birmingham).

NASFAA’s Decentralized Training will be conducted on December 10 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at RSA Building in Montgomery. Cindy Massey, Michael Reynolds and Andrew Weaver will conduct the training.

AASFAA is embarking on a special project chaired by Tommy Dismukes, KHEAA. The goal of this project is to provide financial aid information to at least 1 or 2 schools in every county (67) in the state of Alabama. Presentations will be done between now and January 31, 2004…just prior to Financial Aid Awareness in February 2004.

KHEAA and the Xap Corporation have announced Alabama Mentor, a comprehensive web-based system that will provide students and their families with the information and tools necessary to help them make informed decisions regarding higher education opportunities in the state. This Mentor system can assist students and families seeking information about education choices available to them.

Alabama Mentor (www.alabamamentor.org) currently represents the independent colleges and universities in the state. Expansion to a statewide Mentor system will include public, two-year and four-year colleges and universities. The expansion is scheduled to take place by April 2004.

Spring Conference, April 13 – 16, 2004, Perdido Beach Resort, Perdido Beach, Alabama.

Georgia State Report (GASFAA)
Lenora Jackson, President

GASFAA had a very successful fall conference in October. It was held at the Renaissance PineIsle Resort at Lake Lanier Island, October 16-17, 2003. We had a wonderful turn-out and could have used additional rooms. Everyone was very pleased with the location and I am sure that this will be a venue that will be used in years to come. Thomas Rebstock, Corporate Trainer for Texas Guarantee, was our opening guest speaker. Jenelle Handcox and her committee did an outstanding job presenting the entire conference entitled “Fishin for Financial Aid”. Robin Winston and her Professional Development Committee presented the new aid officers with a lot of valuable information they can use as they begin their new careers.

We are looking forward to another outstanding conference in May 2004. It will be held in Savannah, Georgia.

Julia Perreault and her committeee are planning their strategy to pull together our slate of candidates for our May ballot. We will have every office on the ballot this year as our Treasurer is finishing up her 2nd year.

Our congratulations to: Lenora Jackson, Spelman College, birth of granddaughter, Haley Bass, 7lbs. 7oz. born on October 24.

Our condolences to: Freida Jones, Georgia Southwestern University, on the passing of her father.