Purdue’s Heidi Carl named national chair-elect for NASFAA

Heidi Carl, executive director of financial aid for Purdue’s West Lafayette campus, has been named the national chair-elect for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, effective in July.

During her three-year term, Carl will work closely with the NASFAA president and staff to set priorities for the organization and coordinate initiatives that fulfill its mission of providing professional development opportunities and resources to financial aid administrators, advocating for public policies that increase student access to postsecondary education, and fostering community throughout the financial aid profession.

Elected by voting representatives at NASFAA institutions, Carl will represent financial aid administrators across the country and advocate for financial aid as a standard career path for individuals who would like to work in higher education. 

“The task that I am most looking forward to is representing this incredible group of professionals who go to work every day with a goal of making college affordable for all students,” Carl says. 

Carl has been a member of NASFAA throughout her entire financial aid career and first began volunteering for the organization in 2019. Through her roles on various task forces, she has explored how software affects financial aid offers, provided feedback on student aid issues, and worked to change the perception of the career in financial aid from an accidental one to a chosen profession. Carl has also served as a member of the organization’s board of directors and executive leadership collective. 

She stepped into her current position in 2019 and looks forward to representing the university at a national level in this additional role.

“It is an honor, and I am humbled to be selected by my peers to represent the financial aid community on the national stage,” Carl says. “I am thankful to Purdue for supporting me in this role and recognizing the importance of civic engagement and encouraging me to participate at this level.”