SASFAA's Swoonpies and Money

Join us for another weekend edition of Sam Hicks’ What Keeps You Up at Night? This week, Sam welcomes SASFAA President Katie Conrad for a heartfelt conversation inspired by Allen Levi’s novel, Theo of Golden.

Together, they explore the transformative power of human connection, the importance of making others feel genuinely seen and valued, and the lasting impact of even the smallest acts of kindness.

Not surprisingly, Katie and Sam relate how these themes can be found in SASFAA through building stronger and more compassionate communities. This episode remi...

In today’s Election Day special edition, we encourage you to vote, register, and read!

First, vote: Rachelle Feldman, SASFAA's Legislative Relations Chair, shares her thoughts on what the post-election political landscape could mean for higher education policy. In the premiere of Welcome to Wonksville, she and Bill also reflect on the importance of voting and reminisce about the first time they cast their ballots. As always, they mix humor and lighthearted Swoonpies banter with a realistic outlook on what lies ahead.

Then, register: The episode closes with a conversation with NCASFAA President, Lori Lewis of...

For your listening enlightenment this weekend we welcome back Dr. Happy with another inspiring conversation:

Jasmine Estevez presents "From 9–5 to Aligned Living: Yoga, Veganism & Holistic Motherhood." Explore the journey toward intentional living, personal wellness, and creating a life aligned with your values.

After leaving her nine-to-five job, Jasmine completely transformed her life through yoga, plant-based living, intentional movement, and conscious motherhood. In today's episode, we're diving into how yoga sparked her personal growth, her powerful decision to go vegan, and the physical, emotional, and spiritual changes that followed.

...

Fall is heating up across SASFAA, and Teaser Tuesday is back with another round of exciting announcements, upcoming events, and a sneak peek at what's ahead on Swoonpies and Money!

In today’s episode we spotlight two state association events and some exciting new additions to the podcast.

⌚ Florida's Clock Hour Workshop with Danielle Browning

Learn what makes the Florida Association's Clock Hour Workshop such a valuable and unique professional development opportunity, and why financial aid professionals from states beyond Florida register to attend.

SCASFAA Conf...

It's a frightfully fun Weekend Edition of Swoonpies and Money! Just in time for Halloween, we're premiering SASFAA Gothic, a journey across the SASFAA region exploring the fascinating folklore, myths, customs, and traditions that make our college campuses so intriguing. Celena Tulloss and Kari Dedwylder kick things off at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where special guest April Wolford helps uncover some of the campus's spookiest, darkest, and most mysterious stories. And here's a treat: Contact April for your very own Body Farm keychain!

But wait, there's more Halloween fun! Keeping with our UTK Body Farm theme...

An hour-and-forty-five-minute episode? Seriously? Before you panic, remember the beauty of a podcast: you can stop, start, take a break, and pick it up tomorrow or next week. We're not going anywhere!

This is one episode you'll want to stick with! We're bringing you an abridged version of last week's SASFAA Management Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, taking you through the agenda speaker by speaker, topic by topic. From affordability and OB3 to leadership, communication, private student loans, and fraud prevention, we're sharing the insights, conversations, and practical takeaways from an extraordinary gathering of financial aid professionals.

It's the Weekend Edition of Swoonpies and Money, and this week, we're trading financial aid stress for a little sweat, science, and splat points! Dr. Happy, Samantha Dunman, welcomes one of her favorite Orangetheory coaches, Jeremiah Monaghan, for a conversation about fitness, motivation, and the power of showing up for yourself.

With members ranging from age 15 to 84, Jeremiah explains how Orangetheory meets people where they are, regardless of age, fitness level, body type, or goals. His message? Fitness isn't about keeping up with someone else. It's about challenging yourself, building confidence, improving your physical a...

Today is our Teaser Tuesday edition, even though you may not be listening on Tuesday. We've got a lot packed into today's episode!

First up is Audrey Price, president of KASFAA, the KentuckyAssociation. There's a lot happening in Kentucky over the next couple of weeks, and Audrey gives us a preview of what's coming up, along with some of the exciting things KASFAA has planned for the year ahead.

Next, we'll hear from Mayra Vasquez from VASFAA, the Virginia Association, who joins us for a recap of their recent Fall Workshop. We'r...

What do true crime, chocolate chili, and financial aid professionals have in common? Absolutely nothing. Which makes them perfect topics for this week's What Keeps You Up at Night? with Sam Hicks!

First, Carrie Short from Baldwin Wallace University joins Sam to dissect Netflix's The Crash, exploring a tragic Ohio car crash, the justice system, social media, and why everyone with a Netflix subscription suddenly thinks they're a criminal investigator.

Then, it's crime scenes to cuisine as Brian Beighley from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg reveals the secrets...

Season Four is rolling with another guest-loaded week of Swoonpies and Money.

For our Teaser Tuesday, we preview the October 20 SASFAA webinar, “OB3 Legacy Deep Dive,” with Brad Barnett and Nick Prewett from EASFAA. Then Emily Baldwin returns with How I Got Here, featuring Emily Mitchell and Emma Stitch from Mercer University.

And on this Friday’s Weekend Edition, Sam Hicks is back with What Keeps You Up at Night? and her review of The Crash, followed by a game-day recipe for Beer, Bacon & Chocolate Chili.

P...

Welcome to the first Weekend Edition of Swoonpies and Money. In this Swoonpies Health & Wellness segment, our own Samantha Dunman aka Dr. Happy, speaks with fellow yogi, licensed massage therapist, and breast cancer survivor Dawn Coury for an uplifting and deeply personal conversation about healing, resilience, and learning to listen to your body.

Dawn shares how her cancer journey reshaped her approach to wellness and led her to explore the connection between physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Together, Samantha and Dawn discuss massage therapy, mindfulness, holistic practices, and the importance of slowing down and paying attention to...

Today, with the premiere of Season Four, we are announcing a momentous change to Swoonpies and Money.

Starting this week, we’re moving to a twice-a-week schedule—with our regular professional edition earlier in the week and a new Entertainment Edition every Friday.

Earlier in the week, we’ll get down to business—SASFAA news and Association highlights, government and legislative developments, professional topics affecting financial aid, conference and training updates, and a look at what’s happening with the states in the region.

Then on Fridays, we’ll loosen the seatbelt a little. The...

As Season 3 of Swoonpies and Money comes to a close, we’re cleaning out the virtual podcast studio and sharing a few summer moments we left behind. One last look back at summer, and I think it’s safe to say, we’re all pretty happy to put this one in the rearview mirror.

First, we roll out the velvet rope and revisit the fabulously over-the-top NASFAA 60th Anniversary red carpet, where some of the brightest personalities in financial aid arrived in full gala mode, dressed to impress and ready to answer the only questi...

Today, we’re joined by two SASFAA leaders that we're especially excited to hear from: Helen Faith from the University of Virginia and Jackie Copeland from UNC Chapel Hill.

And this time, Sam Hicks is taking a little break from asking What’s Keeps You Up At Night to turn the conversation in a more professional direction.

Sam sits down with Helen and Jackie to talk about a very timely theme that Kitty Conrad has set for SASFAA this year: Finding Your Why.

For so man...

Why compare OB3 to a hurricane? Because after months of preparation, anticipation, and the intensity of the first year of implementation, it feels as though we’ve withstood the fury of the storm’s first wall and may now be sitting in the eye. It’s a chance to assess what happened and what we’ve learned, while knowing the next wall of the storm is still to come.

In this episode of Swoonpies and Money, we look back at what institutions learned during year one of OB3 and ask what the next “eyewall” could bring...

Some milestones deserve balloons, cake, confetti, and maybe even a little fanfare. Our 50th episode probably deserved all of that.

Unfortunately, we forgot.

In this episode of SASFAA’s Swoonpies and Money, Bill reflects on the podcast’s recently passed 50-episode milestone and looks ahead to the close of Season Three and the upcoming launch of Season Four.

There’s plenty ahead. The podcast is expanding with new segments, new contributors, and more voices from across the SASFAA region, and beyond, while continuing to delive...

Today’s episode features Emily Baldwin’s "How I Got Here" segment, highlighting the mentor-mentee relationship between Alison Rabil and Jonathan Ibarra of Appalachian State University. They share their perspectives on mentorship, professional growth, and the relationships that help shape a career in financial aid.

Also, in her role as co-chair of the SASFAA Webinar Series alongside Brad Barnett, Emily provides an overview of this year’s webinar schedule, previews some of the topics ahead, and shares why you’ll want to mark your calendars.

Did you miss us?

The Swoonies took a well-deserved break in July. We’ve all been working hard, and candidly, several of us needed time to focus on important matters back in our respective offices.

Today’s episode is all about NOAW. To set the stage, we’re kicking things off with a clip from one of the workshop instructors that perfectly captures the energy and joie de vivre of the entire week.

If you’ve attended one of these workshops before, you already know there’s something special about them. Just as important...

Today we're bringing you Day Two of our Florida Association Conference coverage. The conference was held last month in beautiful Daytona Beach, Florida, and we're picking up right where we left off in our previous episode covering the first half of the conference.

In this episode, you'll hear:

The Doctor Happy Contest Continues!

Today's show is the conclusion of our Doctor Happy (aka Samantha Dunman) Contest. If y...

We're kicking off our two-part coverage of the 2026 FASFAA Conference from Daytona Beach! There was simply too much great content to fit into a single episode, so we're bringing you the highlights from FASFAA’s annual celebration across two shows.

On Day One, you'll hear from Lindsay Elliott of Family Renew Community, this year's conference charity partner, along with two outstanding presenters: Dr. Karemah Campbell Manselle, Director of Student Financial Assistance at the University of Central Florida, and Dave Sobush, Director of Research and Policy for the Florida College Access Network (FCAN).

You'll also hear fr...

While waiting for final regulations, we decided to create a few of our own. In today's episode, we're putting our own spin on NPRM. No, it's not the final regulations; it's the Swoonpie version: Notice, Pause, Reset, Move.

Join Swoonie colleagues Sam Dunman (Dr. Happy) and Lou Murray as they explore a mindful and practical approach to navigating the challenges we face in financial aid and beyond. Together, they share a stress survival guide designed to help listeners recognize pressure, create space for reflection, reset their mindset, and move forward with intention when feeling overwhelmed by the...

Welcome back to the podcast! Spring conference season is buzzing louder than a ballroom before the opening session, and today we’ve got two SASFAA state heavyweights.

First, you’ll hear from Nadine Bailey, Conference Co-Chair for the upcoming FASFAA Conference. Nadine shares the story behind this year’s conference charity partner, Family Renew Community. It is a lifeline for families with children in Volusia and Flagler Counties, helping them move from homelessness to stability and hope. Beginning next week, and centered around the conference theme “Welcome Aboard,” the entire FASFAA membership, including those not attend...

Welcome to a special weekend edition of Swoonpies and Money. This episode is devoted entirely to a powerful message: sobriety is not a weakness or a sacrifice; it is a bold, life-affirming choice that requires courage, honesty, and daily commitment.

Host Sam Dunman sits down with guest Christine Harvey for a candid and reflective conversation on healing, and the importance of having a strong community—one that holds you accountable, supports you through challenges, and reminds you that you’re never navigating the journey alone.

Together, they explore how even...

To open the show, we’re joined by Emily Baldwin, who’s here to preview the upcoming New Aid Officer’s Workshop, SASFAA’s annual training opportunity designed to help new financial aid professionals build their knowledge, confidence, and sense of community.

Emily also highlights GASFAA’s featured conference charity, Open Paws Food Pantry. It is dedicated to supportingstudents at Augusta University facing food insecurity, Open Paws is working to ensure no student has to choose between their education and their next meal. You’ll find links to support the Food Pantry below.

Then, we dive into a...

In today’s episode, Bill is thrilled (and maybe a little relieved!) to welcome back co-host Michelle Gunnin, formerly Michelle Hemmer, returning from leave after welcoming baby Hana into the world in February. We’re so glad to have her back.

Our featured segment is last week’s conversation with Aaron Lemon-Strauss, Executive Director of the FAFSA program, recorded live on the SASFAA YouTube channel. If you missed it, we’ve got the full audio here, covering the critical topic of fraud mitigation in financial aid, as well as other breakthroughinitiatives from our FSA colleagues.

You’ll a...

In this episode, we take you inside the recent Virginia Association conference held in Norfolk, highlighting the shared experiences that connect members across the SASFAA region. Even if you’re from Florida, South Carolina, or Tennessee, no matter where you are, the challenges are basically the same. Different states but same OB3, same deadlines, and same whiplash announcements.

This conference had a little bit of everything. An escape room (because nothing says, “professional development” like "get me out of here!"), leadership lessons from behind the Dungeons & Dragons dungeon master screen, and plenty of creative ways p...

Today’s episode is all about community, connection, and the energy that makes this profession so special. We’re taking you inside the recent Alabama Financial Aid Association Conference, held just a couple of weeks ago in Huntsville. AASFAA may be small, but it punches well above its weight; you can feel it in the leadership, hear it in the conversations, and see it in the camaraderie that carries throughout their annual conference.

We’ll kick things off with a meaningful conversation around the association’s charitable work with the Alzheimer’s Association. Then, we’ll take...

We’ve got breaking news and an important programming note—this is a Swoonpies and Money exclusive.

Following our recent live coverage of the FSA Conference on SASFAA’s YouTube channel, we’re bringing you another can’t miss conversation. Mark your calendars for April 22nd at 4:00 PM, when we’ll be joined by FAFSA Program Executive Director Aaron Lemon-Strauss. Along with Daniel Barkowitz, he’ll dive into the Department of Education’s latest efforts to crack down on financial aid fraud, including new detection strategies, enhanced identity verification measures, and what these changes mean for financial aid professional...

This deeply moving episode returns to a theme we first introduced Swoonpies and Money last year: sharing perspectives that reach beyond financial aid and the rhythms of our daily routines. It centers on the human experience of living with cancer, told through one person's extraordinary and transformative journey. Samantha Dunman (aka Dr. Happy) sits down with a three-time cancer survivor whose story is not defined by fear, but by courage, resilience, and profound self-discovery.

Rather than focusing on clinical details, their conversation unfolds the emotional and spiritual landscape of a life interrupted yet awakened...

We’re wrapping up our SASFAA conference coverage. In this final episode, you’ll hear one of our favorite moments: walking through breakfast, chatting with attendees, getting their takeaways, and shoutouts back at the office.

You also hear from Dr. Happy and what’s ahead with the podcast. And then Katie’s acceptance speech and a few final thoughts from Joan.

And to wrap it all up, there’s a short epilogue recorded after the conference, where we catch up with Melissa Smith and Chad Sartini, our conference chairs, to reflect on the past year and their...

In this episode, we’re bringing you something special, the 2026 Swoonie Award ceremony.

Recorded live during day 2 of the SASFAA conference luncheon, this is our association’s version of the Oscars, but better; the Oscars don’t have name badges, conference chicken, and OB3 updates.

We start this episode with Bill and Sam Hicks breaking down how the awards came together and then you’ll hear a recording from the stage with no pomp and very little circumstance: nominations, presentations, winners.

There was no red carpet. No paparazzi. Nothing for TMZ to overanalyze. Seriousl...

Welcome to Swoon Pies and Money, Season 3. That’s right, we’re starting our third season. Why? Because we can. 

The Swoonpies team has been on the road for the last month, covering the NASFAA Leadership and Legislative Conference, the SASFAA Annual Conference, and our live coverage of the FSA Conference. Many of you completed the trifecta along with us, so you know that being out of the office that long requires checking in with your boss and acknowledging your day job. We’re no different here at Swoon Pies — which means we’ve got a bit of a...

We did it! Three days of live stream coverage of the FSA conference.

Today, we were joined by two well-known financial aid veterans: Helen Faith, University of Virginia, and Art Young, a SASFAA adoptee from the University of Arizona. Together with Daniel, they shared insights from the conference including leadership strategies, technical updates, and the value of community engagement.

The obscure show tune is Daniel's attempt at pop culture relevance. That, combined with our "RAP" up from FSA day 2, is worth sticking around for the next 58 minutes. 

Today, we were joined by two SASFAA luminaries and Swoonpies favorites, Katie Conrad and Brad Barnett. Guided by Daniel, they gave a thoughtful and detailed review of today's program. 

Grab some popcorn and enjoy FSA Day 2.

"I wanna be in the room where it happens"...well we were. You are about to hear our live coverage from the FSA conference. Daniel and a couple of special guests, new friends of Swoonpies and Money, break down everything from Day 1 of the FSA Conference.

It’s our first-ever livestream. It’s unfiltered and a little tech-adventurous.

Thanks for joining us in the FSA room where it happens with us.

The FSA Conference is happening in Washington D.C. from March 4-6, 2026. Swoonpies and Money will be broadcasting every day from the conference. In this short episode hear from Daniel and Bill on what you can expect from our coverage.

This is Part 2 of our NASFAA Leadership and Legislative Conference coverage. Hopefully you caught Part 1 last week.

We rolled the dice and tried something different at the conference. Instead of just hearing me report, we handed microphones to our Swoon Pies regulars — Sam Hicks, Emily Baldwin, and Daniel Barkowitz— and sent them straight into the crowd.

No script. No safety net. Just real conversations.

You’re about to hear ten quick hits from the floor featuring Alex Delonis, Leigh Ann Hussey, Dr. Wanda Pickens, Celena...

The Swoonpies crew has been on the road for the past couple of weeks at the NASFAA Leadership & Legislative Conference, held somewhere just south of the Arctic Circle… also known as Washington, D.C., and then straight on to our own annual conference, which just wrapped in Charlotte.

We’re kicking off our LLC coverage today with Part 1 of a two-part series. In this episode, you’ll hear conversations recorded on the ground at Leadership — the insights, the strategy, and yes, a little bit of the news that only happens when financial aid professionals gather in one place to...

Over the past two episodes, we’ve spent significant timediscussing how institutions across the SASFAA community are preparing for OB3, sharing practical perspectives as we move toward the July 1 implementation date. We’ll continue to highlight insights on the legislation in the weeksahead.

This week, however, we’re stepping away from OB3and returning to one of our core segments, “How I Got Here,” moderated by Emily Baldwin.

In today’s episode, Emily speaks with Sherika Charity fromNorthern Virginia Community College and Megan Schumeyer from Virginia Tech. Longtime listeners will recognize t...

As we unpack the NPRM, the countdown to OB3 and the need for preparation is getting real. In this episode, Kate Brabandt of College Aid Services led a candid panel discussion focused on what institutions should be doing now to get ready.

Kate is joined by a group of seasoned financial aid leaders: Dr. Heather Boutell (Vanderbilt University), Brenda Hicks (Southwestern College), and Audra Main (Moore Norman Technology Center). Together, they examine proposed changes related to federal loan programs, Workforce Pell eligibility, repayment plans, and expanded institutional accountability requirements across varied institution types.