Instruction Manual: Communicating through change: navigating financial aid policy shifts as chief executive of NASFAA Available to Purchase

In early 2025, amid sweeping federal policy changes under President Trump’s second term, Melanie Storey, the newly appointed President and Chief Executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), faced a complex leadership challenge. The administration’s executive orders, including efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and transfer oversight of the $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration, created uncertainty for millions of student loan borrowers and financial aid professionals. The resulting disruption, including widespread federal staff layoffs and technical failures in financial aid systems, intensified concerns about access to student loans...