NASFAA Names College Goal Sunday Director; Lumina Foundation Continues Funding, Involvement

Marcia E. Weston has joined NASFAA as director of College Goal Sunday Operations, a successful program that helps low-income families apply for college financial aid. NASFAA recently became a partner with Lumina Foundation to administer College Goal Sunday.

Weston came to NASFAA from the Finance Authority of Maine, where she served as manager of education outreach programs since 1998. She wrote Maine's successful College Goal Sunday grant proposal and served as statewide coordinator for the program. Weston has previously assisted states considering a College Goal Sunday grant application by sharing program strategies, media successes, and budget partnerships.

As director, Weston will be responsible for overall management of the College Goal Sunday program at the national level, with emphasis on program maintenance and expansion, fundraising, public relations, and reporting. Professional and administrative support will be provided by current NASFAA staff and consultants.

Lumina Foundation for Education, which funds College Goal Sunday nationally with additional support from Lilly Endowment, will continue close involvement with the program, including approval and disbursement of new grant funds to states that are planning or implementing College Goal Sunday programs.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen to head up a program that truly opens doors of educational opportunity," said Weston. "I am fortunate to join a program with a longstanding, well-organized and efficient infrastructure." Weston follows Lumina Foundation program manager Jeanna Keller, who previously managed the national program. While Weston is now the primary point of contact, Keller will remain in involved in the program.

"Filling the position of College Goal Sunday director has been our top priority since NASFAA teamed with Lumina Foundation to begin managing the program earlier this year," said NASFAA President Dallas Martin. "We are delighted to have found an individual with Marcia's skills and experience to head up the operation."

Lumina Foundation announced earlier this year an allocation of $3.5 million for College Goal Sunday, which will pave the way for expansion to 15 more states, broadening the reach of the popular program to a total of 35 states and the District of Columbia by the end of 2007.

Over the past 15 years, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 100,000 low-income and first-generation students clear the paperwork hurdle when applying for college financial aid. One day each year - traditionally a week or two after Super Bowl Sunday - financial aid administrators and other qualified volunteers fan out to selected community sites across a state to help families fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

As a prelude to College Goal Sunday, the organizers of each state's program launch an extensive public information campaign to reach low-income students. Campaigns use the news media, direct mail and celebrity appearances at key high schools to inform the public about the importance of an education beyond high school, the availability of financial aid and the existence of College Goal Sunday to help them complete the FAFSA.

NASFAA will provide technical assistance to funded organizations, while Lumina will fund exploratory grants and implementation grants. Interested organizations begin with an exploratory grant of up to $7,500 to investigate the feasibility of hosting College Goal Sunday in their states. After a successful planning phase, which includes site visits and training, organizations may apply for an implementation grant. Lumina Foundation contributes up to $250,000 over a three-year period to eligible groups working to establish the College Goal Sunday program in their states. NASFAA will work directly with states to help them develop partnerships within their states to assist in implementing their programs. Support will also be given to attract in-state sponsorships to ensure long-term sustainability.

The amount of each grant depends on the size of the population to be served, the scope of the proposed program, and the availability of local funding to supplement the Lumina Foundation grant. NASFAA's role has been critical in the individual states to bring together the financial aid community to help families apply for financial aid.

By the end of 2004, the College Goal Sunday program will have committed $7 million to fund planning and implementation grants in 35 states and the District of Columbia. The program is currently operating in Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.

States that are currently running College Goal Sunday programs are encouraged to stay in close contact with Marcia Weston, who may be reached at 202-785-0453, ext. 111, or at westonm@nasfaa.org. States that are contemplating submitting applications for College Goal Sunday exploratory grants or just want additional information on College Goal Sunday are also urged to contact Weston.

College Goal Sunday began in Indiana in 1989 as a joint project of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA) and the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI) with funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Over the years, Lumina Foundation and its predecessor organizations have co-funded the Indiana programs and led the expansion in other states.

Posted October 13, 2004 on www.NASFAA.org, Web Site of the
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
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