SASFAA's Swoonpies and Money

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...

In this episode, we’re bringing you something special, the 2026 Swoonie Award ceremony. Recorded live during day 2 of the SASFAA conference luncheon, this is our association’s version of the Oscars, but better; the Oscars don’t have name badges, conference chicken, and OB3 updates. We start this episode with Bill and Sam Hicks breaking down how the awards came together and then you’ll hear a recor...

Welcome to  Swoon Pies and Money, Season 3.  That’s right, we’re starting our third season. Why? Because we can.  The Swoonpies team has been on the road for the last month, covering the NASFAA Leadership and Legislative Conference, the SASFAA Annual Conference, and our live coverage of the FSA Conference. Many of you completed the trifecta along with us, so you know that being out of the office t...

We did it! Three days of live stream coverage of the FSA conference. Today, we were joined by two well-known financial aid veterans: Helen Faith, University of Virginia, and Art Young, a SASFAA adoptee from the University of Arizona. Together with Daniel, they shared insights from the conference including leadership strategies, technical updates, and the value of community engagement.

The obscure show tune is Daniel's attempt at pop culture relevance. That, combined with our "RAP" up from FSA day 2, is worth sticking around for the next 58 minutes.  Today, we were joined by two SASFAA luminaries and Swoonpies favorites, Katie Conrad and Brad Barnett. Guided by Daniel, they gave a thoughtful and detailed review of today's program.  Grab some popcorn and enjoy F...

"I wanna be in the room where it happens"...well we were. You are about to hear our live coverage from the FSA conference. Daniel and a couple of special guests, new friends of Swoonpies and Money, break down everything from Day 1 of the FSA Conference. It’s our first-ever livestream. It’s unfiltered and a little tech-adventurous. Thanks for joining us in the FSA room where it happens wi...

The FSA Conference is happening in Washington D.C. from March 4-6, 2026. Swoonpies and Money will be broadcasting every day from the conference. In this short episode hear from Daniel and Bill on what you can expect from our coverage.

This is Part 2 of our NASFAA Leadership and Legislative Conference coverage. Hopefully you caught Part 1 last week. We rolled the dice and tried something different at the conference. Instead of just hearing me report, we handed microphones to our Swoon Pies regulars — Sam Hicks, Emily Baldwin, and Daniel Barkowitz— and sent them straight into the crowd. No script. No safety net. Just real convers...

The Swoonpies crew has been on the road for the past couple of weeks at the NASFAA Leadership & Legislative Conference, held somewhere just south of the Arctic Circle… also known as Washington, D.C., and then straight on to our own annual conference, which just wrapped in Charlotte. We’re kicking off our LLC coverage today with Part 1 of a two-part series. In this episode, you’ll hear conversa...

Over the past two episodes, we’ve spent significant timediscussing how institutions across the SASFAA community are preparing for OB3, sharing practical perspectives as we move toward the July 1 implementation date. We’ll continue to highlight insights on the legislation in the weeksahead. This week, however, we’re stepping away from OB3and returning to one of our core segments, “How I Got Here,”...

As we unpack the NPRM, the countdown to OB3 and the need for preparation is getting real. In this episode, Kate Brabandt of College Aid Services led a candid panel discussion focused on what institutions should be doing now to get ready. Kate is joined by a group of seasoned financial aid leaders: Dr. Heather Boutell (Vanderbilt University), Brenda Hicks (Southwestern College), and Audra Main (Moo...

Today’s episode is about the elephant in the room, OB3. And let’s be clear: this isn’t a subtle elephant. It’s enormous, standing on the table, demanding the attention of everyone in higher education. No one can pretend they don’t see it. Emily Baldwin  moderates a powerhouse panel on how medical schools are managing the rollout of OB3, and what it means for incoming classes and institutions. She’...

Today, we share another of our "How I Got Here" segments led by Emily Baldwin. This series features experienced and upcoming SASFAA leaders as they provide insights into their career journeys to help other SASFAA members uncovertheirs. In this episode, Emily is joined by two outstanding financial aid professionals and SASFAA members, Jernitha Smith, Director of Financial Aid and Veteran Affairs at...

We’re kicking off the new year with a reset, a little transparency, and a lot to talk about. Before we dive in, a fun fact from our listener survey: most likely you’re listening to Swoonpies & Money right now from your office. Your productivity is not our responsibility! This episode starts with you. We’re sharing the results of our recent listener survey and giving an up-to-date snapshot of w...