NASFAA Mourns the Passing of 2004-2005 National Chair George Chin
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of past national chair and friend George Chin. Prior to his retirement, George worked for 26 years as the university director for student financial aid at the City University of New York and later served as a senior federal policy consultant at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He was deeply involved in financial aid associations at the state, regional, and national levels having served over the course of his career as president of the New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA), president of the Eastern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (EASFAA), a member of the NASFAA Board of Directors, and 2004-2005 NASFAA National Chair.
Over the years, George lent his knowledge and expertise to numerous NASFAA task forces and committees, including the Finance Committee, Higher Education Act Reauthorization Task Force, Campus-Based Aid Allocation Task Force, and in 1987 he was awarded the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award for his contribution to the “Annotated Bibliography of Literature on Student Financial Aid.” Ever a believer in the power and importance of financial aid, George was a donor and member of the advisory committee overseeing the Dallas Martin Endowment for Education, which seeks to help cultivate the next generation of student aid advocates.
Through his many contributions and volunteer hours, George was perhaps best known at the national level for his firm grasp of both the theory and practice of student financial aid. He excelled in explaining the complexities of financial aid in a way everyone could understand. In his testimony before Congress in 2003, George emphasized his hope that financial aid always maintain “fairness, equity and effectiveness” above all.
NASFAA is grateful for the impact George has had on the financial aid community as a whole. Our sincerest condolences and best wishes go out to George’s family and friends. He will be sorely missed.
Publication Date: 2/5/2017
Betsy P | 2/8/2017 8:16:19 PM
George was such a kind, gentle, witty, intellectual man -- a mentor to many, friend to all. He was a champion for need-based financial aid, a true believer. A haiku for him.
A sage with a soul.
Steadfast grip on equity -
George, you lifted all.
William M | 2/7/2017 10:38:06 AM
George understood the need to raise up future financial aid professionals. He committed his time and his resources to training others, not just in the technical aspects of the field, but in the underlying philosophical reasons for providing financial access to higher education. He did this with humor and grace. I will always remember him bringing ice skates to the office so that he could skate in Bryant Park before coming to work.
Ivestia B | 2/6/2017 8:19:42 PM
Learning of George's passing has left me speechless. Words cannot express the way that I am feeling. All I can say is, the previous statements, which have been expressed by others are so true. George became my director in 1986, but I became an admirer and recipient of his vast knowledge of financial aid long before that time. I send my sincere condolences to his family. George, a job well done, now take your rest!
Mariko G | 2/6/2017 7:15:04 PM
In an earlier comment, George was described as the consummate professional who graced us with his wisdom, quiet wit, and class. He was humble and so soft spoken that these traits belied his tremendous intellect. I will miss all that, his kindness and his willingness to try those exotic foods. My heart is heavy. Condolences to his family and his many friends.
Eliliana M | 2/6/2017 3:31:07 PM
My sincere sympathy to his family. I remember George when I started in financial aid 28 years ago. I attended some of the financial aid workshops he gave, always training the new financial aid professionals. God, give him eternal rest. and peace to his entire family.
Ellen B | 2/6/2017 3:25:17 PM
For me, George was the man. The man who was always engaging, who remembered who you were even if you weren't someone 'important,' always one to encourage others. And he always had a smile and maybe a joke, too. But he was always very serious in his work, and in his dedication to the cause of helping students. I will miss him a lot. Thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends everywhere.
Bruce N | 2/6/2017 2:54:03 PM
I had the opportunity to work with George while at CUNY. It was such a privilege. He was a wonderful administrator and advocate for federal aid and our neediest students. He will be greatly missed.
Lois K | 2/6/2017 1:5:23 PM
George is missed already. His leadership kept our association dynamic and always serving students. His impact is felt through the PPY process that allowed early FAFSA to become a reality. Thank you George for loving your family, your students and your colleagues.
Peg M | 2/6/2017 1:4:10 PM
I am so sad to hear about George's passing. I was on the NASFAA Board when George was National Chair. One of the highlights was when he took a group of us to Chinatown for dinner. Such a wonderful memory. He will be sorely missed.
Joseph S | 2/6/2017 11:35:24 AM
A real great loss for all of us, New Yorkers all, and all in our great country and profession. George Chin was the quintessential aid administrator, always caring about students and young people, and always trying to get us through the processes. His analytical mind and heart were intertwined with the highest level of understanding, and a mentor to mall, calmly and effectively. He will be missed and to his family and friends, colleagues all, we pray well for him.
Eleanor K | 2/6/2017 11:20:58 AM
I'm sad to read of George's passing and I will always remember his kindness to a new EASFAA board member, his humor and hugs. He passionate about helping students and loved his family. I will also remember that George liked to eat and always knew the best places to "go" whatever city we were in or traveling to in the future. Rest in Peace.
Brent T | 2/6/2017 10:53:40 AM
George was a better person than he was a financial aid administrator, and he will always be regarded as one of the greatest in our profession. He was always encouraging, filled with humor and a friend to all. Our community has lost a true treasure.
Mark G | 2/6/2017 10:33:39 AM
George was one of the nicest, friendliest and smartest guys I ever met. He was never too busy to talk to you at conferences or meetings and help you with whatever questions you may have.
I feel privileged to have known him and to have called him a colleague. The FA world will miss him as a professional and as a person
Thomas P | 2/6/2017 10:10:42 AM
George was such a nice guy, always willing to chat with you. That by itself, separated him from so many people. I had the pleasure of working with him during my time at Queens College/CUNY, from 1986 to 1989. He was always full of energy and ready to encourage anyone around him. I am very happy that our paths crossed.
Robert F | 2/6/2017 9:49:03 AM
George was a gentle, funny and generous person who always was a role model and consummate professional. Thank You for your wisdom, wit and grace. Condolences to his family and well wishes to all of the many colleagues he helped over the years.
Richard H | 2/6/2017 9:39:09 AM
From the time I joined EASFAA in 2000 George has been my friend, mentor and encourager. I watched George do "Negotiated Rule Making" and he instilled in me the desire to do likewise. His intellect and grasp of the issues, coupled with the ability to explain the complexities will never be forgotten. Missing you already...
Mark B | 2/6/2017 9:14:53 AM
I'm tremendously saddened to read this news about such an untimely loss. Yet, I also feel a sense of exhilaration regarding a life extremely well lived. George set a tremendous example for me when we served together on a Reauthorization Task Force and I've always been very grateful to have known him. May the many memories sustain family members and us all.
Anthony S | 2/6/2017 9:12:00 AM
I have known George for over 35 years and he was is a first ballot "Hall of Fame Fin/Aid professional. He was so wonderful to talk to and was always very gracious and friendly. We lost a wonderful person and a great professional.
Margaret M | 2/6/2017 9:7:40 AM
It is with tears in my eyes that i am reading this...I worked for George for a brief period in my career...yet he had an enormous impact on it and me personally. The financial aid community has indeed suffered a great loss; however, we were truly blessed to have him; his legacy will continue to have a positive impact as time moves on. Praying for George, his family, his friends and his colleagues...
David S | 2/6/2017 8:58:16 AM
The most humble giant any of us will likely ever know. If anyone in our community had earned membership into any old boys/girls network that may or may not exist, it was George, yet he never would have accepted such a role. Instead he encouraged others to assume roles of leadership, and he was always generous with his knowledge. He had time for everyone, and no one was better at balancing the importance of what we do with wit and humor.
Cathy M | 2/6/2017 8:40:22 AM
George was one of a kind. He could communicate the most complex things in a way that anyone could understand. He was exceedingly generous with his time and gave you his full attention whatever your question. Tireless and true. A man of the utmost highest integrity. He truly touched all that he came in contact with. My sincere condolences to his family.
Walter O | 2/6/2017 8:22:50 AM
From my early days of financial aid in New York it is without fear of contradiction that I can tell you the most important characteristic of George is that he was a good man! His spirit was just pastoral in nature - always wanted to see others succeed - very funny (if you never saw this side of him you really missed a lot!) and the obvious characteristic - smart as all heck. George - you are truly loved Brother - Rest in Heaven my good friend...job well done!
Kelly M | 2/6/2017 8:22:34 AM
The financial aid community has suffered a great loss. George will be missed but never forgotten.
Stephen O | 2/6/2017 8:22:17 AM
When you spoke with George, you felt in awe of his wisdom, humor and pure selflessness in his work. He remained a tireless student advocate up until the end. His legacy will live on in generations of families whose trajectory in life improved due to his leadership in providing access to higher education. Like the many who knew George, I will miss him and am grateful for the laughs, his kindness and steady guidance.
Kerrie C | 2/5/2017 9:31:54 PM
I cannot find the words to describe how much George Chin meant to the financial aid community in New York and to me. He was one of the smartest and most dedicated people I knew. Even after retirement we would always seem him at conferences and financial aid events. I will be forever glad I got the chance to talk with him and give him a big hug in October at the NYSFAAA conference. God bless you George.
Larry C | 2/5/2017 8:12:59 PM
For those who, like me, had the blessing of knowing George, you couldn't help but be influenced by his knowledge, felt good about yourself because of his kindness, laughed at his wit and humor, astounded by his analytical mind, and walk away feeling better about what we do and those we serve. I will miss you, George. My deepest sympathy to his family, friends, and our profession. We lost a great one today.
Heather B | 2/5/2017 6:22:15 PM
George was an inspirational leader and an encourager. He called me a baby dinosaur, as he often spoke of the lifers in the profession as dinosaurs. He had an impact on me because he made me want to get involved with NASFAA. I am praying for his family and all my friends in EASFAA that loved him.
You must be logged in to comment on this page.