Laura Weiss-Cook Earns Nationally Recognized Financial Aid Administrator Certification

Laura Weiss-Cook, Director of Financial Aid, earned the FAAC® designation from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators' accredited Certified Financial Aid Administrator® (CFAA) Program.

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 representing over 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools nationwide. NASFAA is the only national association primarily focusing 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." 

Laura has been working in the financial aid sector since 2012, holding several roles in the Kansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (KASFAA), including President-elect (2021-2022), President (22-23), and Past-President (23-24). She 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.

"Financial aid administrators work in a highly-regulated, continuously-evolving industry where knowledge matters," says Craig Alan Slaughter, 2023-24 CFAA Program commission chair and director of financial aid at Kenyon College. "As part of an inclusive and supportive FAAC community, we commit to the highest standards of professionalism and professional development to support the success of the communities, institutions, and students we serve."

More information about the certification program may be found at nasfaa.org/certification_overview or by emailing NASFAA's certification program staff at [email protected].