NJASFAA SPEAKERS BUREAU

FALL 2005 COMMITTEE REPORT

The NJASFAA Speakers Bureau is in its fourth year of providing service to the high school guidance community and others who might benefit from an experienced financial aid professional to conduct Financial Aid Nights or similar presentations. The Speakers Bureau is an online roster of aid professionals throughout the state who are available to present at such events. There are currently over 50 of your NJASFAA colleagues listed in our Speakers Bureau, representing over three dozen schools, lenders and government agencies.

NJASFAA lists the Speakers Bureau members by county for the convenience of guidance counselors and others looking for a presenter in their area. I am pleased to report that all 21 of New Jersey’s counties are well covered, from Cape May to Sussex and everywhere in between.

But despite its small size, our state is home to over 500 high schools, and the Speakers Bureau can always use more members. Please consider joining your colleagues in this important project. There are no meetings to attend, joining the Speakers Bureau does not obligate you to conduct any number of presentations, and those looking for an aid professional for a Financial Aid Night contact that member directly. The Speakers Bureau does not function as a “booking agent,” so you will receive no calls with an “assignment” to cover. The Speakers Bureau web site also contains other information, including letters to parents and guidance counselors about scams to watch out for, how to approach the issue of honorariums, and some sets of Power Point slides to be updated for use at FA Nights. Speakers Bureau members John Iacovelli and David Sheridan, both among the group’s founders, will present a session at the Fall Conference, How to Conduct a Financial Aid Night, designed for less experienced presenters who would like some tips on public speaking and conducting successful presentations. We hope to see you there.

David Sheridan

Speakers Bureau Chair