The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education

The Pell Institiute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education

The strength of the United States is not the gold at Fort Knox or the weapons of mass destruction that we have, but the sum total of the education and the character of our people. Claiborne Pell

Student Financial Aid Research Network



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22^nd Annual SFARN Conference
Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, Chicago, IL
June 9-11, 2005

Over 140 researchers, analysts, and policy experts attended the 22nd SFARN Conference in Chicago. The Windy City proved to be a great host for the two- and a half-day conference, which featured excellent presentations on new and recently completed research on some of the most prominent issues in student aid today—merit-based scholarships, student loan debt, low-income and non-traditional access, trends in state aid programs, and the overarching theme of how students and their families are paying for college.

We were fortunate to have Michael McPherson, President of the Spencer Foundation and former President of Macalaster College, join us as a luncheon speaker. Mike offered his observations on recent trends in public and private higher education finance. His many years as an analyst of cost, price, and student aid issues made the Q & A session a highlight of the conference.

Once again, this gathering provided a great opportunity for some of the leading financial aid researchers to network, seek input, and share expertise with their colleagues. This year’s crowd was the largest ever, combining some longtime attendees and old friends, with several new faces and nearly half a dozen graduate students. We hope this blend of experience and enthusiasm continues in conferences to come.

Through the power of technology, you can download the presentations from this year’s conference by clicking here. We have provided email addresses for the presenters to encourage you to contact them with any questions or comments you may have, extending the collegiality that is so special among this group.

We hope to announce information about the 23rd Annual Conference by this Fall. We encourage you to let us know of any potential scheduling conflicts—we will try to keep them in mind as we move forward in the planning process. Be sure to sign up for the mailing list if you are not already on it to make sure you get all notices about future conferences.

I would like to once again thank all of the presenters and participants for their thoughtful contributions. Special thanks to the Planning Committee and my colleagues at the Pell Institute and COE for their efforts in helping make our first conference such a success.