Annual Awards

WASFAA supports the recognition of persons who have made significant contributions to the Association or to the financial aid profession. Nominations are received from the members. Recipients are selected by the Executive Council. Awards are presented at the annual conference and the Awards and Scholarship Committee selects appropriate mementos or certificates.

Nomination Form

Distinguished Service (This award was previously the Certification of Appreciation): Presented in recognition of outstanding contributions by an individual to the field of financial aid through leadership, research, scholarship and/or exemplary service to the Association’s activities, at the highest level, over a sustained period of time.The recipient does not have to be a WASFAA member. The award is approved and granted by a 2/3 majority vote of the executive council.

Lifetime Membership: This award is presented to an individual who has made continued and significant contributions to the financial aid profession and WASFAA. These individuals become members of WASFAA for life and will have WASFAA dues for individual membership waived for all future years.Lifetime members are entitled to a conference registration rate reduced by 50% of the current rate.

Outstanding New Professional:This award recognizes the outstanding contribution of a new professional to the financial aid profession. The recipient must have been in the profession for less than five years and made outstanding contributions at the institutional, state, regional and/or national levels. The recipient must be a current member of WASFAA.

Outstanding New Volunteer: This award recognizes new volunteers with a WASFAA committee for the accomplishments and contributions to the Association in the first year he or she volunteers