As part of the Association News Committee for RMASFAA, we are highlighting our current committee chairs and state presidents. In each “RMASFAA Exchange” we will invite four or five of them to be “In the Spotlight” and give you the opportunity to better know these dedicated and hard-working volunteers.

After twenty plus years, I took the non-traditional route and returned to school with one goal in mind – finish my college degree before my oldest child started college. I entered UNL as the typical college freshman and finished 3 semesters before a more interesting “proposal” came along and put all thoughts of books and dorms out of my head.

I married a farmer and we proceeded to raise 4 sons along with hogs and grain. I was a fortunate stay-at-home mom/farm wife until right before our youngest was born. If it hadn’t been for the farm economy and a choice to quit farming, I wouldn’t have gotten into this fiercely loyal, family-like profession. So something good came from the drought and high interest rates of the 1980s.

When I started to work at Southeast Community College, I was working with the Continuing Education department setting up classes for mostly night adventures. I really enjoyed the people who took the classes again and again. Since it was only part-time, I was happy to change positions for full-time and then was able to continue my education with Peru State College. After 9 months at the switchboard, I was asked if I wanted to try financial aid. I naively said, “Sure. It should be fun.” One week later, I was at my first RMASFAA Summer Institute. Between financial aid and taking classes, I should have been committed somewhere.

That first SI will be 17 years ago this summer. After being a grateful participant three more times, I was tickled pink (and mind you, this is about the only pink in my household) to be asked to teach at SI in 2004. It is one of the highlights of my financial aid career. You learn so much more teaching than being the student, but then I had a great partner - Thank you, Jeff Gregory!