Athens State University’s Director of Student Financial Aid, Mitchell Bazzel, has earned the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ (NASFAA) Financial Aid Administration Certification (FAAC). This certification indicates that Bazzel possesses the foundational knowledge and skills to effectively administer Title IV federal student aid programs at colleges and universities across the country as a financial aid professional. He is the second person to earn this certification in the state of Alabama.
To earn an FAAC designation, Bazzel demonstrated industry-related experience, successfully passed a comprehensive knowledge exam, and affirmed commitment to the standards for ethical behavior that have long been a hallmark of the financial aid profession. This certification confirms that the individual holding this credential has an overall understanding of 12 knowledge domains and competencies—as defined by a representative panel of financial aid experts—and can apply this knowledge in the workplace. Employing certified individuals helps ensure Title IV aid is being administered ethically and effectively, which supports every participating institution’s commitment to administrative capability made to the U.S. Department of Education in the school’s Program Participation Agreement.
“We are very proud to have the second FAAC designation in the State of Alabama,” said Sarah McAbee, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Support Services at Athens State. “Our entire financial aid staff is dedicated to doing the best job possible to help our students succeed without undue debt. Mitchell is an exemplary leader for our Enrollment team. We are indeed very proud of his leadership!”
“NASFAA’s Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Program offers financial aid professionals a means by which to continue their professional development and validates the knowledge of financial aid they already possess,” says Dr. Kathy Bialk, Commission Chair and Executive Director for the University of Kentucky’s Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. “This new certification program provides an even more trusted measure of professional credibility to our institutions, the government, and the public,” she notes.
More information about the certification program may be found at http://www.nasfaa.org/certification, or by contacting NASFAA’s certification program staff via email at certification@nasfaa.org.