SASFAA's Swoonpies and Money

An hour-and-forty-five-minute episode? Seriously? Before you panic, remember the beauty of a podcast: you can stop, start, take a break, and pick it up tomorrow or next week. We're not going anywhere! This is one episode you'll want to stick with! We're bringing you an abridged version of last week's SASFAA Management Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, taking you through the agenda...

It's the Weekend Edition of  Swoonpies and Money , and this week, we're trading financial aid stress for a little sweat, science, and splat points! Dr. Happy, Samantha Dunman, welcomes one of her favorite Orangetheory coaches, Jeremiah Monaghan, for a conversation about fitness, motivation, and the power of showing up for yourself. With members ranging from age 15 to 84, Jeremiah explains...

Today is our  Teaser Tuesday  edition, even though you may not be listening on Tuesday. We've got a lot packed into today's episode!   First up is Audrey Price, president of KASFAA, the KentuckyAssociation. There's a lot happening in Kentucky over the next couple of weeks, and Audrey gives us a preview of what's coming up, along with some of the exciting things KASFAA has planned f...

What do true crime, chocolate chili, and financial aid professionals have in common? Absolutely nothing. Which makes them perfect topics for this week's What Keeps You Up at Night? with Sam Hicks! First, Carrie Short from Baldwin Wallace University joins Sam to dissect Netflix's The Crash, exploring a tragic Ohio car crash, the justice system, social media, and why everyone with a Netflix...

Season Four is rolling with another guest-loaded week of Swoonpies and Money. For our Teaser Tuesday, we preview the October 20 SASFAA webinar, “OB3 Legacy Deep Dive,” with Brad Barnett and Nick Pruitt from EASFAA. Then Emily Baldwin returns with How I Got Here, featuring Emily Mitchell and Emma Stitch from Mercer University. And on this Friday’s Weekend Edition, Sam Hicks is back with What Keeps...

Welcome to the first Weekend Edition of Swoonpies and Money. In this Swoonpies Health & Wellness segment, our own Samantha Dunman aka Dr. Happy, speaks with fellow yogi, licensed massage therapist, and breast cancer survivor Dawn Coury for an uplifting and deeply personal conversation about healing, resilience, and learning to listen to your body. Dawn shares how her cancer journey reshaped he...

Today, with the premiere of Season Four, we are announcing a momentous change to Swoonpies and Money. Starting this week, we’re moving to a twice-a-week schedule—with our regular professional edition earlier in the week and a new Entertainment Edition every Friday. Earlier in the week, we’ll get down to business—SASFAA news and Association highlights, government and legislative developments, profe...

As Season 3 of Swoonpies and Money comes to a close, we’re cleaning out the virtual podcast studio and sharing a few summer moments we left behind. One last look back at summer, and I think it’s safe to say, we’re all pretty happy to put this one in the rearview mirror. First, we roll out the velvet rope and revisit the fabulously over-the-top NASFAA 60th Anniversary red carpet, where some of the...

Today, we’re joined by two SASFAA leaders that we're especially excited to hear from: Helen Faith from the University of Virginia and Jackie Copeland from UNC Chapel Hill. And this time, Sam Hicks is taking a little break from asking  What’s Keeps You Up At Night  to turn the conversation in a more professional direction. Sam sits down with Helen and Jackie to talk about a very timely theme th...

Why compare OB3 to a hurricane? Because after months of preparation, anticipation, and the intensity of the first year of implementation, it feels as though we’ve withstood the fury of the storm’s first wall and may now be sitting in the eye. It’s a chance to assess what happened and what we’ve learned, while knowing the next wall of the storm is still to come. In this episode of Swoonpies and Mon...

Some milestones deserve balloons, cake, confetti, and maybe even a little fanfare. Our 50th episode probably deserved all of that. Unfortunately, we forgot. In this episode of SASFAA’s Swoonpies and Money, Bill reflects on the podcast’s recently passed 50-episode milestone and looks ahead to the close of Season Three and the upcoming launch of Season Four. There’s plenty ahead. The podcast is expa...

Today’s episode features Emily Baldwin’s "How I Got Here" segment, highlighting the mentor-mentee relationship between Alison Rabil and Jonathan Ibarra of Appalachian State University. They share their perspectives on mentorship, professional growth, and the relationships that help shape a career in financial aid. Also, in her role as co-chair of the SASFAA Webinar Series alongside Brad...

Did you miss us? The Swoonies took a well-deserved break in July. We’ve all been working hard, and candidly, several of us needed time to focus on important matters back in our respective offices. Today’s episode is all about NOAW. To set the stage, we’re kicking things off with a clip from one of the workshop instructors that perfectly captures the energy and joie de vivre of the entire week. If...

Today we're bringing you Day Two of our Florida Association Conference coverage. The conference was held last month in beautiful Daytona Beach, Florida, and we're picking up right where we left off in our previous episode covering the first half of the conference. In this episode, you'll hear: Jody Walker and Kim Gordon discussing the LEAP Program Lou Murray and Tim Young sharing their...

We're kicking off our two-part coverage of the 2026 FASFAA Conference from Daytona Beach! There was simply too much great content to fit into a single episode, so we're bringing you the highlights from FASFAA’s annual celebration across two shows. On Day One, you'll hear from Lindsay Elliott of Family Renew Community, this year's conference charity partner, along with two outstandi...

While waiting for final regulations, we decided to create a few of our own. In today's episode, we're putting our own spin on NPRM. No, it's not the final regulations; it's the Swoonpie version: Notice, Pause, Reset, Move. Join Swoonie colleagues Sam Dunman (Dr. Happy) and Lou Murray as they explore a mindful and practical approach to navigating the challenges we face in financial...

Welcome back to the podcast! Spring conference season is buzzing louder than a ballroom before the opening session, and today we’ve got two SASFAA state heavyweights. First, you’ll hear from Nadine Bailey, Conference Co-Chair for the upcoming FASFAA Conference. Nadine shares the story behind this year’s conference charity partner, Family Renew Community. It is a lifeline for families with children...

Welcome to a special weekend edition of  Swoonpies and Money . This episode is devoted entirely to a powerful message: sobriety is not a weakness or a sacrifice; it is a bold, life-affirming choice that requires courage, honesty, and daily commitment. Host Sam Dunman sits down with guest Christine Harvey for a candid and reflective conversation on healing, and the importance of having a strong com...

To open the show, we’re joined by Emily Baldwin, who’s here to preview the upcoming New Aid Officer’s Workshop, SASFAA’s annual training opportunity designed to help new financial aid professionals build their knowledge, confidence, and sense of community. Emily also highlights GASFAA’s featured conference charity, Open Paws Food Pantry. It is dedicated to supportingstudents at Augusta University...

In today’s episode, Bill is thrilled (and maybe a little relieved!) to welcome back co-host Michelle Gunnin, formerly Michelle Hemmer, returning from leave after welcoming baby Hana into the world in February. We’re so glad to have her back. Our featured segment is last week’s conversation with Aaron Lemon-Strauss, Executive Director of the FAFSA program, recorded live on the SASFAA YouTube channe...

In this episode, we take you inside the recent Virginia Association conference held in Norfolk, highlighting the shared experiences that connect members across the SASFAA region. Even if you’re from Florida, South Carolina, or Tennessee, no matter where you are, the challenges are basically the same. Different states but same OB3, same deadlines, and same whiplash announcements. This conference ha...

Today’s episode is all about community, connection, and the energy that makes this profession so special. We’re taking you inside the recent Alabama Financial Aid Association Conference, held just a couple of weeks ago in Huntsville. AASFAA may be small, but it punches well above its weight; you can feel it in the leadership, hear it in the conversations, and see it in the camaraderie that carries...

We’ve got breaking news and an important programming note—this is a Swoonpies and Money exclusive. Following our recent live coverage of the FSA Conference on SASFAA’s YouTube channel, we’re bringing you another can’t miss conversation. Mark your calendars for April 22nd at 4:00 PM , when we’ll be joined by FAFSA Program Executive Director Aaron Lemon-Strauss . Along with Daniel Barkowitz, he’ll d...

This deeply moving episode returns to a theme we first introduced Swoonpies and Money last year: sharing perspectives that reach beyond financial aid and the rhythms of our daily routines. It centers on the human experience of living with cancer, told through one person's extraordinary and transformative journey. Samantha Dunman (aka Dr. Happy) sits down with a three-time cancer survivor whose...

We’re wrapping up our SASFAA conference coverage. In this final episode, you’ll hear one of our favorite moments: walking through breakfast, chatting with attendees, getting their takeaways, and shoutouts back at the office. You also hear from Dr. Happy and what’s ahead with the podcast. And then Katie’s acceptance speech and a few final thoughts from Joan. And to wrap it all up, there’s a short e...