Anthony M. Sozzo, M.A., M.S.Ed., Reprises Role as NASFAA Graduate/Professional Caucus Chair
Anthony M. Sozzo, M.A., M.S.Ed., has been named graduate/professional caucus chair of the NASFAA
Longtime student advocate and financial aid counseling veteran, Anthony M. Sozzo, M.A., M.S.Ed., associate dean for student affairs and director of student activities and student financial planning, has been named graduate/professional caucus chair of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 22,000 financial aid professionals at nearly 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the United States.
It is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators. Mr. Sozzo was appointed for a one-year term that began on July 1 and comes at a particular turbulent time in the world of financial aid. He was selected to provide leadership to the graduate and professional community and act as a liaison between the graduate/professional community and NASFAA, a role he successfully fulfilled in 2012-2013.
As caucus chair, Mr. Sozzo will report to the Board of Directors on activities and issues related to graduate and professional student aid, lead the sector caucus at NASFAA's National Conference, and work with NASFAA staff to organize the annual Advocacy Pipeline “GP Hill Day.” He will also work with the National Conference Program Task Force and NASFAA staff to develop a graduate and professional track, and present in NASFAA’s annual Graduate and Professional Federal Update webinar. In addition, he is charged with working with National Conference Task Force and NASFAA staff to develop a graduate and professional track and researching how to better engage graduate and professional aid administrators to identify their most pressing issues and develop materials to address those matters.
His appointment comes at a critical time when eliminating loan forgiveness programs and modest monthly payments are being considered while financial aid limits are being proposed for graduate students. Mr. Sozzo believes that it will be essential to arrive at compromises to these proposals or it will be detrimental to graduate students. “The political environment may change after the November elections, so it is important to keep abreast of what is happening. It is my responsibility to keep our students up-to-date on financial aid rules and regulations and let them know how they may be affected, while lobbying for the most favorable conditions for them,” said Mr. Sozzo. “I believe financial responsibility and political savvy are an important part of the education students receive at New York Medical College.”
Mr. Sozzo’s financial aid track record includes chairing the Committee on Student Financial Assistance, an advisory committee of the Association of the American Medical Colleges, serving on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Task Force of the NASFAA and participating in the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Student Assistance Partnership Program. While his commitment to volunteering with outside financial aid organizations is impressive, it is Mr. Sozzo’s dedication to students, that begins during the application process and continues after graduation, that really pays off—New York Medical College boasts one of the lowest student loan default rates in the nation.
