Welcome to the Spring issue of the VASFAA Voice. This issue focuses on two major events – the upcoming elections—you can either vote using an absentee ballot (see links in the newsletter) or at the conference—and on the conference at the brand new Virginia Beach Hilton. These are two events that warrant your participation as active members of the association. Now is not the time to put off participation in VASFAA.

This past year—and perhaps more intensely, the past 6 months—has found many of our association members in the unfortunate position of losing loved ones. Unfortunately, some of our colleagues have lost children, parents, spouses and other friends and colleagues in and outside the financial aid profession. Having been asked, we don’t make it a practice to provide a listing in the newsletter. We are concerned about missing or forgetting someone by attempting to provide a list of names.

On occasion, we lose a valued colleague who reminds us of the golden opportunities in life.

One such colleague provides a stunning example for living each day to the fullest. Larry DiGregorio attended Penn State University, Wilkes College and St. Andrew's University in Scotland. He spent 4 years with the Peace Corps. Mr. DiGregorio was the financial aid director at Delaware Technical Community College at the Stanton/Wilmington campus, where he worked for 30 years. Larry was also a valued volunteer for many organizations in Wilmington including Westside Neighborhood Coalition, the Fifth District Planning Council, where he served as treasurer, and the Trinity Vicinity Neighborhood Association Steering Committee. In addition, he established the Sacred Heart Service Center with the Ministry of Caring. He passed away recently after battling cancer for a couple of years. Larry literally was a world traveler with stints in the Peace Corps and other activities that took him around the world. He lived a full life. He was a valued colleague in the Delaware financial aid community. Larry was involved in association activity until the very end as a member of the Tri-state Historical committee. He would have retired on April 1st, about a week after he died. While he would have enjoyed retirement, I doubt that he had any regrets. He will be missed. Larry was at times a visible and vocal leader and more often a quiet leader who touched lives too numerous to count. We have examples similar to Larry's in the VASFAA community. Let's celebrate them in future issues of the newsletter by writing about them. Send your submissions about current or past members to: gary.a.spoales@bankofamerica.com.

As I write this article, the world has just learned of the passing of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope John Paul II. Over the next several weeks, his loss will be mourned, his life celebrated and a new pope confirmed to take his place. The pope was a global leader who touched lives across the boundaries of geography, politics and even other religions. He also lived a full life by maximizing every opportunity.

As you review “People and Places in the News”, you will read about personnel changes of various types and references to the birth of new lives gracing our colleagues. We celebrate their news and the news of those who have decided to embrace change more quietly. The seasons change, our lives change and we continue to celebrate life and embrace changes that affect our lives. We don’t know what tomorrow holds for us. We need to take advantage of today. Perhaps it is now your turn to become involved.

Virginia is blessed with a variety of vocal and quiet leaders. Each VASFAA member represents potential in the leadership continuum for the association. It is time for you to participate in the leadership development process in a variety of ways. First, each of you will be asked to participate in the election and governance process of the association. Vote and Volunteer is your call to leadership in the short term. Review the candidates and vote for the leaders of your choice. Second, now is the time to embrace change in our association. Register for the Conference and rub elbows with VASFAA leaders and potential mentors for your personal development. Don’t miss yet another opportunity to participate and learn with your colleagues.

We celebrate change in VASFAA this year with a dramatic new conference approach. We move to one conference with a new 3-year agreement at a brand new hotel on the beach in Virginia Beach. The program is first rate with speakers who bring a wealth of financial aid knowledge and experience. You don’t want to miss this event. Mike Hawkes has put together a stellar lineup of presenters and sessions that your institutions need you to hear. This is the conference to attend if you only have one conference in your budget this year. We all look forward to seeing you in May.

The next issue of the newsletter is scheduled for publication on July 1st. Please send your input by June 1st to me at gary.a.spoales@bankofamerica.com.

Our sponsor for this issue's $25 prize is NSLP and we thank you. The prize is being offered to any association member who submits information that gets printed in the newsletter. There is a different sponsor for each issue. Our first sponsors were Citibank for the Fall issue and TERI for the Winter issue. We would like to thank them for their support as well as our sponsor for the next issue - VASFAA. The winner is selected by random drawing and mailed a check or presented a check at the next VASFAA event. The lucky recipients for the Winter and Spring issues will be selected at the VASFAA Spring conference.

Advertising is now a part of the Sponsorship program. Our advertisers for the Fall issue were Citizen's Bank and USA Funds. The advertisers for the Winter issue were Bank of America, M&T Bank and Bank One. VASFAA is the Spring advertiser. Thank you once again to everyone who provided material for this newsletter. Your efforts are appreciated by the entire association. As always, this issue's contributors are listed at the end of the newsletter.

Article Guidelines
The Editorial staff will review all articles submitted for publication. Submissions should be of a professional interest to the association and not include marketing and/or advertising of products, services, websites or personnel.

Full articles should be no longer than two typed pages single spaced. It is requested that all submissions be provided in 10 pt size with Arial font type to save our publishing editor time and energy.

AD and Picture Guidelines
The online newsletter flows best with graphics submitted in .jpeg or .gif format. Other options should be reviewed with Joe Dobrota, Publishing Editor, prior to sending. An ad should not be larger than 6'' in width. You may submit it in either Full Color or Black & White according to your preference.

We are seeking Gold Sponsors to possibly submit vertical ads this year (to enable us to get them further up in the page & have text wrap around the ad). A vertical ad would be about 2'' wide x 4-5'' high. An example of the size of traditional ads may be found at www.vasfaa.org/docs/newsletters/fall2002/page1.htm. We had one sponsor submit an animated gif. ad which can be viewed at www.vasfaa.org/docs/newsletters/summer2003/page6.htm.

(Note: Ads are only accepted from Sponsors who chose an ad in the issue of their choice, based on availability.)