Is FAAC in Your Future?-Anthony's Journey
Full Circle: What FAAC® Means to MeAnthony Morrone, FAAC®
Associate Vice President for Student Financial Services at Nevada State University &
Former WASFAA President
When NASFAA invited me to participate in the inaugural beta group for what was then called the Certified Financial Aid Administrator, or CFAA, program, saying yes felt natural.
At the time, I had served on the WASFAA Training Committee and had spent years promoting training and professional certification. Through the committee, I had helped create opportunities for financial aid professionals to prepare for and earn NASFAA professional credentials. The invitation gave me an opportunity to act on the same advice I had been giving others.
It also gave me a chance to help establish something new for our profession.
Because no one had taken the exam before, I did not know exactly what to expect. I felt most confident in the subjects for which I had already earned NASFAA credentials. To prepare for the remaining areas, I reviewed the self-study guides, practice questions, and every other resource available to the beta group.
I was nervous about the proctored exam itself, including whether I could sit still and remain focused for the full testing period (without a bio-break). After taking the exam in March 2019, I had to wait nearly two months while NASFAA completed its analysis and established the final results.
Learning that I had passed was, first, a huge relief.
It was also a genuine accomplishment. Those of us in the beta group had helped NASFAA evaluate the exam and establish the standard for the professionals who would follow us. I was proud to be part of that inaugural group and to help set the curve, so to speak, for a certification that would become increasingly important to the financial aid profession.
Financial aid administration is often misunderstood. Even within higher education, many people do not fully recognize the expertise required to administer complex federal, state, institutional, and private aid programs. Outside higher education, many people may not realize that financial aid administration is a profession at all.
The FAAC® designation gives us a way to demonstrate that expertise. It identifies a community of professionals who possess a shared foundation of knowledge and who have committed themselves to continued learning and ethical practice. For me, belonging to that community has strengthened my confidence in describing the value of our work.
Maintaining the designation has also supported my continued professional development. FAAC® professionals must earn at least 60 recertification points during each three-year certification period. Those who earn 100 or more points receive additional recognition through NASFAA’s FAAC® 100+ Club.
My first recertification period coincided with several years of extensive professional service. I served as WASFAA president-elect, president, and past president, and I represented WASFAA on the NASFAA Board. Conferences, training sessions, workshops, and other professional activities helped me earn more than 100 recertification points and become part of the 100+ Club.
I cannot promise that I will reach 100 points during every cycle, but that is not the point. The recertification process recognizes the learning and service that allow us to remain current in a field that never stops changing.
I am also proud that three other Nevada State University staff members have earned the FAAC® designation since I passed the exam: Jenna Eastman, who is now retired, and current staff members Mayra Moore and Tina Jara. Tina has also earned membership in the 100+ Club. We recently had the opportunity to attend the FAAC® Networking Luncheon together at the 2026 NASFAA National Conference. Sharing that experience made it especially rewarding to see how the commitment to certification has grown within our own office.
Some of my most meaningful experiences have allowed me to contribute directly to the certification program and connect with other FAAC® professionals. As a member of the beta group, I provided feedback about the original certification process. In 2022, I participated in the inaugural FAAC® Forum, held in conjunction with NASFAA’s Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo in Washington, D.C.
The Forum brought FAACs together for training, professional development, and conversations about the future of the financial aid profession. It has been held annually since that first gathering and is planned to continue as a dedicated opportunity for FAACs to connect. Along with the Networking Luncheon at the NASFAA National Conference, the Forum gives FAACs a space to meet colleagues who understand their work, exchange ideas, and build relationships across the country.
More recently, I traveled to NASFAA’s offices in Washington, D.C., to work with other FAAC® professionals and NASFAA staff on updating the certification exam. I later joined the group in reviewing proposed questions to help ensure the exam remains current, accurate, and valid.
Going from taking the first beta exam to helping update the exam for the next generation has brought my certification journey full circle. It is one of the most important ways I have been able to give back to a profession that has given so much to me.
My time as a trainer provided experiences I could never have gained through my regular job alone. It introduced me to financial aid professionals throughout the WASFAA region and, eventually, across the country. These were people who understood the challenges I faced because they had faced many of the same challenges. We learned together, supported one another, and sometimes laughed and cried our way through the work.
That sense of community is one of the less visible benefits of certification. The designation recognizes what you know, but the community reminds you that you are not doing this work alone.
If you plan to remain in financial aid for any length of time, you owe it to yourself to consider earning the FAAC® designation. I would give the same advice to someone early in their career, a seasoned administrator, or even someone who is only a few years away from retirement.
Your profession matters. Your knowledge matters. Your career deserves the same recognition afforded to other professions with established certifications.
You may pursue the designation because you want to test your knowledge, strengthen your confidence, support your career, or become part of a professional community. The value you ultimately receive may come in ways you cannot foresee when you begin.
My hope is that the certification experience helps both emerging and experienced professionals see the importance of their work more clearly. By earning the FAAC® designation, you are recognizing your own expertise while helping establish the value of the financial aid profession for everyone who follows.
