NEW DAY!!! Directors Summit

Cruise/Summit Registration Timeframe:
Please register by November 21: CLICK HERE

Why an Earlier Summit:
 
Due to recent changes with the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3), we believe it is important to convene earlier than the annual conference. This earlier timing will allow financial aid offices the opportunity to analyze data and engage in strategic planning ahead of New Aid packaging. The Summit will be held Tuesday, December 9 and Wednesday, December 10. Tentative schedule and details are as follows:

Dates & Times:
Location:Lodging:

Below is a list of nearby hotels are listed below.Meals:Registration Fee:Agenda Topics Include:

Port of Call: Federal Waters
Presenter: Daniel Barkowitz, Assistant Vice President - University of Miami
Session Description: Ongoing Updates within Federal Student Aid Programs
Stay ahead of the curve with the latest changes in Federal Student Aid programs. This session will provide directors and senior financial aid leaders with timely updates on policy shifts, regulatory changes, and system enhancements that impact compliance, student access, and institutional planning. Learn key strategies to navigate federal updates effectively and support your students with confidence.
 
Port of Call: Policy Bay
Presenters: Daniel Barkowitz, Assistant Vice President - University of Miami & Alicia Keaton, Associate Vice President - University of Central Florida
Session Description: Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill: Preparing Your Institution and Leadership
The "One Big Beautiful Bill" brings sweeping changes that will affect federal student aid, institutional operations, and student financial planning. This session aims to provide directors and senior leaders with insights into the bill’s provisions, potential impacts on enrollment and institutions’ net tuition revenue, and strategies for preparing your institution and leadership team for a smooth transition. Learn how to anticipate challenges with data, communicate effectively, and position your institution to better navigate this rapidly evolving financial aid landscape.
 
Port of Call: The Enrollment Cliff Coast
Presenter: Finalizing
Session Description: The Enrollment Cliff: Implications for Financial Aid Leaders
Demographic shifts are driving the “enrollment cliff,” and financial aid leaders play a critical—but sometimes underrecognized—role in shaping enrollment outcomes. This session explores how declining student populations impact recruitment, retention, and financial aid strategy, helping leaders understand their influence on institutional enrollment management. Participants will explore the often-grey areas of enrollment management, understand how aid strategies intersect with institutional goals, and learn practical ways to position themselves as key drivers of student success in a shifting demographic landscape.
 
Port of Call: Graduate Horizons
Presenters: Wendi Owens, Sr. Director and Mark Justice, Sr. Director - University of Miami
Session Description: The Financial Aid Office’s Role in Enrollment Management for Graduate & Professional Students
Graduate and professional programs face unique enrollment challenges that require strategic coordination across recruitment, retention, and completion efforts. This session highlights how financial aid leaders can actively influence enrollment management for advanced-degree students, from shaping aid packages to supporting student success and program growth. Participants will explore practical strategies to align financial aid with institutional goals, optimize graduate student enrollment, and strengthen their office’s impact within the broader enrollment ecosystem.
 
Port of Call: Lender Lagoon
Presenters: Daniel Barkowitz, Assistant Vice President - University of Miami, Laura Dickerson, Director, Relationship Management - Sallie Mae, Kristin Hawley-Johnson, Vice President – Sallie Mae, and Concepta Williamson, Vice President, Relationship Manager - Citizens
Session Description: Private Loans and Creating a Preferred Lender List
The One Big Beautiful Bill—with changes to Graduate PLUS, Parent PLUS, and aggregate loan limits—makes private loans an increasingly important option for students. This session provides financial aid leaders with a complete roadmap for creating and managing a preferred lender list. Topics include evaluating lenders, understanding risk-sharing arrangements, assessing credit history and options for students with limited or no credit, ensuring proper disclosures and transparency, and integrating private loan strategies into broader financial aid and enrollment management efforts. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to support student borrowing responsibly while maintaining institutional compliance and protecting both students and the institution.
 
Port of Call: Leadership Harbor
Presenters: Alicia Keaton, Associate Vice President – University of Central Florida and Arminta Johnson, Associate Vice President – Lake-Sumter State College
Session Description: Leadership and Building Influence through Strategic Communication for Financial Aid Leaders
Financial aid leaders occupy a unique vantage point in higher education, yet their influence often depends on how effectively they communicate with institutional leaders. This session shows how to move beyond transactional conversations by understanding leaders’ priorities, speaking their language, and framing messages in ways that resonate and persuade. Participants will learn to leverage strategic communication to build credibility, advocate for resources and policy changes, and position themselves and their offices as indispensable partners in advancing student success and institutional goals—turning insight into action and influence.