Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
As Financial Aid Administrators, we uphold our civic responsibilities as public servants to promote educational excellence across all demographics. These efforts have emphasized the importance of efficient and individualized communications with various stakeholders to create an environment of equal opportunity for those we work with and serve. While we are persistent in our pursuit of equality, there are fundamental components of administration and professional growth that we must address, such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
RMASFAA’s commitment to diversity stems from our understanding that to thrive we must embrace our differences. Each of the communities we serve, and are a part of, breathe new life into our policies and procedures as we interact with individuals from various backgrounds with rich, lived experiences. We value the fact that our communities have different identities, beliefs, and values. Our first priority is to acknowledge that we all have something to offer, as we learn from our colleagues and our student populations. In turn, we can continue to reduce implicit biases and embrace the multiple perspectives that we are exposed to.
Secondly, we recognize that to continue advancing our field we must incorporate the diverse mindsets that our colleagues possess, and include them when opportunities are presented. We are devoted to creating space for our marginalized members, and understand that we must actively engage them in intentional and meaningful conversations. Through Adequate representation and providing increased opportunities for our membership, we will be able to enhance these established spaces as major pillars for growth and engagement.
Lastly, we understand that we must continue building an equitable platform for our members to succeed. While we are fortunate to have the ability to thrive within a collaborative membership, we also aim to assist members with less resources to achieve, learn, and grow professionally at the same rate as their colleagues.
Through The efforts of the Association’s leadership and members, we will be able to effectively incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into our Mission. Furthermore, we can establish a multi-level approach of aiding and collaborating in DEI efforts from the Association level down to individual institutions, strengthening our commitment to creating an environment for personal and professional excellence.
Land Acknowledgment
Blog Posts
Professional Development:
NASFAA Diversity Leadership Program
Scholarships:
RMASFAA Summer Institute ScholarshipRMASFAA Annual Conference Scholarship
Additional DEI Resources:
NASFAA's Commitment to DiversityNASFAA Diversity Toolkit
Wichita State University DEI
University of Denver DEI
University of Utah DEI