Summer 2007 brings a biennial conference in Washington, DC and heralds NAFA’s seventh year as an organization. If I compare my sons turning seven with NAFA, I see a few similarities. The world becomes more complex as you grow older. The close knit group that has nurtured you from birth (family/founders) has expanded to include new faces. With new faces come new ideas that require contemplation (do girls really have cooties?/do we really need to develop standards for the profession?). By now, however, we, and seven year olds around the world, should be developing a sense of confidence. We are on the right track; and there is much positive growth to anticipate.

NAFA grew out of the Truman Foundation’s wonderful conferences in Roanoke, Villanova and Fayetteville (the last in concert with the Marshall). The past seven years have included national conferences in Tulsa, Denver, and Louisville; and regional workshops in Portland, Kansas City, Tacoma, Jacksonville, Atlanta, and Lincoln. At these events, we have shared advice and experience about working with students, faculty, administrators and foundations. Additionally, foundations have imparted helpful information about their awards and heard our concerns.

Among the most enjoyable experiences NAFA has offered have been three trips to the United Kingdom and Ireland. On these trips we learned about individual universities, heard from scholars, and obtained a sense of the cultural differences students face abroad. At the same time, NAFA’s role as a resource to foundations has grown as ties to some of the United Kingdom/Ireland award-granting groups have strengthened over the course of these trips. The Board has received suggestions about possible trips to other places, and future NAFA travel subcommittees may examine the feasibility of visiting other scholarship destinations in Asia and Europe.

The NAFA listserv continues to serve a vital role in the life of the organization. As we dig into the year’s awards and their deadlines, the listserv, maintained by Suzanne McCray, keeps us connected, sharing information and providing support through the challenges of the scholarship season. While it may seem that the messages sent to the list are simply a means of requesting and sharing information that could be found elsewhere, or venting about frustrations with students and awards, it is, in fact, much more than that. These messages are a significant part of the glue that holds us together between conferences. Important information is transmitted, we learn about new awards and get tips that help us in working with candidates, and we realize that we’re not alone in our efforts. Another essential role the listserv plays is in letting the foundations know what members are thinking and experiencing as they work with applicants. In some cases, our messages about an application elicit a direct foundation response. Even when no response is immediately forthcoming, however, we know that foundations have access to those messages and may consider them as they work to refine their application procedures.

As NAFA continues to grow in membership and moves towards its “tween” years we must work to ensure that its positive development continues. Two surveys of the profession have given us a greater sense of the variety and commonality among us. Increased participation has led to members with a greater range of experience with fellowships and points toward more nuanced programming at conferences. Finding ways to maintain the high quality of our conferences, workshops and materials without depleting the energy of members must be considered as we grow. In addition, with increasing numbers of colleges and universities adding fellowship advising positions, we will continue to be asked to define the profession. While a daunting task, to be sure, it is also an opportunity to establish a model for our work that includes strong ethical standards, realistic assessment and, adequate resources and support from institutions. As we consider what models might be appropriate for achieving these goals, we must work collaboratively to examine the need for and function of standards of the profession, review the effectiveness of those of peer organizations and consider the impact that standards, guidelines or codes of any sort could have on NAFA. A thoughtful and thorough approach to these issues by a diverse group of members will allow us to move forward comfortably and confidently.

As I leave the NAFA presidency, I look forward to engaging with members in contemplating these issues and encourage interested members to join in that effort. NAFA has benefited greatly from the contribution of time, talent and diverse perspectives of its members. As we continue to grow, this strength heralds a bright future for scholarship advisors, foundations and the students we assist.