AASFAA has served Arizona's financial aid community since 1968. What follows is the association's story as recorded by the members who built it.

Founding, 1967–1976

In August 1967, a small group of financial aid professionals met in Flagstaff to discuss creating a unified financial aid application, easing the burden of multiple forms for aid offices and high school counselors. There was broad agreement, and plans were set in motion to produce a High School Counselors Guide. Another outcome was the realization that Arizona could benefit from a permanent organization to meet similar needs.

Joseph E. Bednorz, first president

In August 1968, at another meeting in Flagstaff, the Arizona Association of Financial Aid Officers was established. Joseph E. Bednorz of Northern Arizona University was selected as its first President. The first Constitution and Bylaws were adopted in March 1969, and that same year AAFAO petitioned the newly formed Western Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators for admission.

In November 1970, the association's first newsletter was established as the AAFAO Bulletin. Jack Foreman served as editor, assisted by Hank Kutak and Merle West.

In 1971–72, Richard Wooten became the first Arizonan to serve as WASFAA President.

The first WASFAA conference hosted by AAFAO was held in Phoenix in 1975, under the leadership of Les Knoll and Merle Lange.

By 1976 the association had changed its name to the Arizona Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and adopted a logo showing the outline of the State of Arizona with the Lamp of Knowledge as its centerpiece.

The logo adopted in 1976

Growth Through the 1980s

The WASFAA conference returned to Arizona in 1982, and AASFAA provided another warm western reception under the direction of Vince Roig.

Iris Roach became the first woman to serve as AASFAA President in 1982–83, ushering in an era of increased participation from the private trade and technical sector.

Through the decade, AASFAA grew from a small group of dedicated professionals into a large and effective professional organization, continuing to provide the services it had been created to deliver and demonstrating the talent, expertise, and commitment to lead in the field of financial assistance.

Incorporation and Recognition, 1991–1999

In 1991, WASFAA was once more the guest of AASFAA for its annual conference, with the leadership of Paul Barberini providing for a successful event.

In 1992, after many years of research and hard work, AASFAA was incorporated, thanks to the diligence and commitment of Dan Lupin. Annual association meetings began that year. In July 1992, AASFAA entered its twenty-fifth year of service to the profession, and members celebrated the past while looking toward the future.

In July 1993, AASFAA received a state award from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. The NASFAA State Award for Service to Students, Parents or Families recognized AASFAA's video Cash for College, which was distributed to all high school counselors and telecast statewide as an early awareness and outreach campaign. The award recognized a three-year effort by Dan Melosi, Diana Mateer, and Dave Briney.

In 1995, AASFAA and the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education joined forces to coordinate College Goal Sunday, a statewide program providing free information and assistance to Arizona students and families applying for financial aid.

In February 1999, AASFAA went live on the internet at aasfaa.org.

A New Century

In fall 2000, the John Medley Financial Aid Advocacy Award was renamed to honor an AASFAA friend and colleague who had passed away suddenly in December 1999. The award was presented to John's family at the fall 2000 AASFAA/NAFAA joint conference in Laughlin, Nevada.

During 2001–2002, the number of conference scholarships available to members was increased, and updates to the bylaws were approved by the membership.

In November 2002, AASFAA President Pat Peppin created an ad hoc committee to automate the Tribal Funding Application Process. The project produced a common electronic FNA application that all Arizona tribes, schools, and students could use, replacing a process that had been labor and paper intensive for everyone involved. In 2006, NASFAA recognized AASFAA as the winner for service to other constituencies for that work.

A New Logo, 2018

In March 2018, the membership was polled to gather options for a new AASFAA logo. After a vote by all active members, a new logo was chosen, created by Nicholas Dehaan of the University of Phoenix. AASFAA adopted it effective immediately and began updating the logo across all association materials.

Remembering Rebekah Hoppel Salcedo

Rebekah Hoppel Salcedo

In February 2019, President Rebekah Hoppel Salcedo passed away suddenly. The Board of Directors appointed Vice President Shaundra Coleman to the presidency, where she served a three-month term.

Rebekah's passing was a great shock to her institution, the University of Arizona, to AASFAA, and to the larger financial aid community. She was a strong advocate for education and access, and for staff promotion and growth. The Board created the Rebekah Hoppel Salcedo Rising Star Award in her honor, recognizing rising leaders within AASFAA. The first recipients were named at the May 2022 conference in Laveen, Arizona.

WASFAA also maintains a remembrance of Rebekah.

Association Records

• Former Board Members, 1968 to Present (XLSX)
• Award Recipients (XLSX)
• History of AASFAA (PDF version)