CFNC Announces Financial Aid Champions
Nineteen Received the Recognition
Financial Aid Champions being honored at the Financial Aid Summit in Winston-Salem on June 18. Photo credit: Robert Kinlaw.
RALEIGH, NC – College for North Carolina (CFNC) honored 19 Financial Aid Champions for their commitment to following financial aid best practices. The designation is meant to celebrate educators for their hard work using some of the best methods for helping students access financial aid.
On average, the 17 schools that received the designation saw a 6.8% bump in their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates this year over 2023-24, the last normal FAFSA year. The improvement was even more dramatic (21.4%) compared to last year, when the poor rollout of a newly redesigned FAFSA yielded record low completion rates.
“These schools have demonstrated that a commitment to financial aid best practices can make a difference for our students and their dreams for their futures,” said Mary Shuping, executive director of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, the government agency that is the primary sponsor of CFNC. “We commend them for their hard work this year and every year, and we hope others in the state will look to them as an example of what’s possible when we utilize strategies that we know work.”
Participants used an easy-to-follow checklist of events and steps on the CFNC website focused on proven financial aid strategies.
The high schools that received the Financial Aid Champion designation got themed materials that will help them at future financial aid events, including a T-shirt, pins and posters. They also received an e-mail badge noting the designation, and their school name is being highlighted on CFNC’s web site. The Financial Aid Champions were also honored at the Financial Aid Summit this past week.
The Financial Aid Champions earned a minimum of 100 points by completing the activities on the Financial Aid Champion checklist.
Here is the full list of Financial Aid Champions:
- The Middle College at GTCC-High Point
- Lee County High School
- Elkin High School
- New Hanover County Schools Central Staff
- Chase High School
- Mount Airy High School
- Lexington Senior High School
- North East Carolina Prep School
- Cabarrus Early College of Technology
- North Wilkes High School
- South Columbus High School
- A&T Four Middle College
- Wilson Academy of Applied Technology
- McDowell High School
- East Lincoln High School
- Corinth Holders High School
- Heide Trask High School
- Grimsley High School
- Crosby Scholars Community Partnership (non-profit partnered with Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) is the state agency that has been helping North Carolinians pay for education since 1965. NCSEAA administers financial aid and savings programs, helps students and families understand how to make paying for college more manageable, and provides resources for education professionals about financial aid.