May 15, 2023
Jaime Missimer, Assistant Director, Office of Financial Aid, at Pearl River Community College earned the FAAC® designation from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ accredited Certified Financial Aid Administrator® (CFAA) Program.
“We are very proud of Jaime’s dedication to improving the services of our Financial Aid Department and this distinct achievement,” said Candace Harper, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Business Services. “Alongside the Director Tyia Brooks, Jaime and the Financial Aid Staff were able to achieve a 95% student satisfaction rate this year. This is impeccable growth and a testament to their team’s hard work.”
Missimer also has the support of her fellow financial aid colleagues at PRCC.
“The staff members of the Office of Financial Aid would like to congratulate Asst. Director Jaime Missimer on successfully completing the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ accredited Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Program,” said Tyia Brooks, Director of Financial Aid.
The CFAA Program is a first-in-the-industry effort launched in 2019 that validates the skills and knowledge of financial aid professionals at postsecondary institutions nationwide. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, or NASFAA, is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.
“Financial aid administrators are entrusted with significant responsibility, ranging from ensuring college access for students to protecting the reputation of an institution and maintaining the integrity of federal financial aid programs,” said NASFAA President & CEO Justin Draeger. “The FAAC designation affirms the professional commitment of a financial aid administrator not only to those responsibilities, but also their commitment to uphold the highest ethical standards.”
Missimer joins the ranks of an elite group of more than 300 other financial aid professionals who earned the FAAC designation after successfully passing a comprehensive knowledge exam and affirming commitment to the standards of ethical behavior that have long been a hallmark of the financial aid profession. She is the second person in Mississippi to receive this certification.
“I am excited to have earned the NASFAA FAAC® designation, which demonstrates my commitment to ensuring the success of our office and our mission of helping students achieve their goals by providing financial assistance,” said Missimer. “Staying on top of the constantly changing financial aid regulations is a challenge, but one that I willingly take on to serve our students to the best of my ability.”
Along with the FAAC designation, Missimer earned 11 NASFAA subject matter credentials with more to be obtained soon. Missimer was recently elected to the position of Vice President of Mississippi Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (MASFAA) after serving a two-year term as Member-At-Large. She will be training financial aid employees statewide in the upcoming school year including implementation of the FAFSA simplification changes for the 2024 – 2025 school year. Missimer will be training financial aid staff at the New Aid Officer Workshop sponsored by SASFFA, the regional financial aid association.
“Earning the FAAC designation is a remarkable achievement that demonstrates the recipient’s competence in and commitment to financial aid administration, and of the years of work and training — and countless hours of study — they have dedicated to reach this goal,” says Dr. Christina Tangalakis, 2022-23 CFAA Program commission chair and associate dean of financial aid at Glendale Community College.
More information about the certification program may be found at nasfaa.org/certification_overview, or by contacting NASFAA’s certification program staff via email at certification@nasfaa.org.
Improvements in Financial Aid Processes at PRCC
The Office of Financial Aid is dedicated to helping students and families reach educational and career goals through the various financial aid programs available at Pearl River Community College. Recent years have seen significant improvements within office procedures to make the overall financial aid process streamlined and accessible. This included the implementation of a new financial aid portal for students where they can see financial aid requirements, review award offers, accept or decline student loans, and understand their eligibility status.
“We are eager to provide students with a more streamlined financial aid process and help them every step of the way,” said Missimer.
To date, the office has already loaded over 4000 FAFSA applications for the 2023-2024 school year. By mid-May, the award process will start allowing students to see financial aid eligibility.
Dynamic forms are being put in place to make the process easier and more intuitive for students. These forms replace paper financial aid forms and will be filled out and signed electronically, all easily accessed via the Financial Aid Tile in RiverGuide. Helpful videos on a variety of financial aid topics are available at prcc.edu/financial-aid/videos/. The office is also planning to offer individual counseling appointments for students to help them navigate the financial aid process.
For the latest news on Pearl River Community College, visit PRCC.edu and follow us on Twitter (@PRCC_Wildcats), Instagram (PRCCWILDCATS), and Facebook (@PRCCMKTG).
Article by Laura O’Neill. Photograph by Jacob Cochran.
