Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA)

2025 Annual Conference | October 12 - 15 | St. Charles, MO

Develop yourself personally and professionally through our outstanding conference programming.

Tentative Agenda

Coming soon!

Use the below justification of attendance letter template to make a strong case to your supervisor for attending the conference.

Justifying Conference Attendance Letter Template

Preconference

Start your professional development before the conference even starts. All preconference activities will take place on Sunday, October 12. Make your selection for one of the free NASFAA Credentials or Director's Roundtable when you register.

NASFAA Credentials Take your career to the next level with NASFAA Professional Credentials. This exciting program provides a nationally-recognized standard in financial aid training and allows you to earn recognition for your mastery of content. A professional credential benefits you by: Expanding your student financial aid knowledge Improving your job performance and service to students Providing tangible evidence of your knowledge for employers Differentiating between you and less qualified personnel Giving you and your organization a competitive edge Credential #1 - Satisfactory Academic Progress Credential #2 - Professional Judgement
Director's Roundtable

Keynote(s)/Special Guest(s)

Hamish Brewer is a powerful and positive disruptor who transcends the status quo and typical norms in leadership and education. Mr. Brewer has become globally recognized while inspiring, advocating and amplifying the voices of communities everywhere. He built his reputation on results and performance, becoming affectionately known as the Relentless, Tattooed Skateboarding Principal with his galvanizing message to "Be Relentless" and his high-octane delivery style.

Mr. Brewer currently consults with businesses and organizations all around the world on leadership, culture and organizational performance change and improvement. As a Beachheads advisor to the New Zealand Trade Enterprise, he also helps grow New Zealand businesses and advises on strategic development in the North American marketplace.

Mr. Brewer has served as an award-winning principal at both the secondary and elementary school levels. He was recognized as a United States NAESP Nationally Distinguished Principal and Virginia Principal of the Year. He has also been honored with the VAESP School Bell Award and ASCD Virginia Impact Award. Hamish was named a Northern Virginian of the year by Northern Virginia Magazine and Principal of the Year for the online national publication – Education Dive. Prince William County Public Schools named Hamish the school division's Principal of the Year and Hamish was recently recognized by Omega U as the Principal of the Year.

Under his leadership – his elementary school was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title 1 School, and Hamish has since gone on to turn around one of the toughest middle schools in the state of Virginia.

Mr. Brewer is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker – motivating and inspiring audiences everywhere around the world, including being recognized as a TED speaker. Originally from New Zealand, Hamish earned his first degree from the University of Auckland. Mr. Brewer is currently a doctoral student at Virginia Tech University. Hamish is the best-selling author of “Relentless – Disrupting The Educational Norm, published in 2019.

Mr. Brewer previously served at the state level as the Federal Relations Coordinator on the Board of Directors with the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals and was a lead fellow of NAESP’s Center for Innovative Leadership. He is a school turnaround and school improvement specialist, working with some of the most at-risk students in the United States.

Mr. Brewer was highlighted as a Hometown Hero by Fox 5 in Washington, DC. With more than 32 million views, his story has become a viral sensation through the Freethink Docuseries “Relentless”, and being highlighted on all the national news broadcasts here in the US and around the world, including with NBC and Lester Holt. Mr. Brewer is also featured in the skateboarding humanitarian movie documentary "Humanity Stoked."

Entertainment/Evening Activities

Coming Soon!

Charity

Since its founding in 2010, Ava’s Grace Scholarship has been breaking the cycle of incarceration through the gift of education. Through scholarships, expert advising, and access to mental health services, Ava’s Grace supports students who have, or have had, an incarcerated parent or primary caregiver on their journey to and through college. Students who live anywhere in Missouri or in the Illinois counties that comprise the St. Louis metropolitan area are eligible to apply for scholarships of up to $5,000 per year. The scholarships are renewable through graduation or up to ten semesters.

The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis has administered the Ava’s Grace Scholarship program since 2018. Founded in 1920, The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is based upon the conviction that an educated society is essential to a healthy democracy. The Scholarship Foundation provides access to postsecondary education to members of our community who otherwise would not have financial means to fulfill their educational goals.

ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSOURI OHIO WEST VIRGINIA WISCONSIN

MASFAA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

MASFAA, 1985 W. Henderson Rd PMB 69192, Columbus, OH, 43220