National Park College (NPC) Dean of Student Financial Services Lisa Hopper received
the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Student Financial
Aid Administrators (NASFAA) during their annual conference in San Diego, CA last week.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest award that NASFAA can bestow on one
of its members. The awards are reviewed and selected annually by NASFAA’s Awards Committee
and ratified by the Board of Directors, and presented at the national conference,
with more than 2,000 student aid professionals from across the country in attendance.
Hopper retired in June and was notified of the award on her last day of work.
NASFAA has over 29,000 members from all sizes of colleges across the U.S.. In the
history of NASFAA, there have only been 28 Lifetime Achievement awards awarded. Hopper
is the only person from Arkansas to ever be awarded this honor. “I feel like I just
won the Olympics,” Hopper said as she accepted the recognition.
Hopper has served in financial aid in many capacities, including as the Arkansas Association
of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ (AASFAA) treasurer and president, and as
president of the Southwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA).
She has also been very involved at the national level, serving on the NASFAA Board
of Directors, as well as several task forces.
“For Lisa, it has been a calling that took her from CPA work to roles within the university
finance and finally to our financial aid community. As she leads the financial aid
office at National Park College, Lisa has also been committed to the professional
development of her financial aid staff. She is a friend and mentor to many in her
region and nationally,” said Brad Barnett, associate vice president for access and
enrollment management/director of financial aid and scholarships at James Madison
University, and NASFAA’s 2022-23 national chair.
Hopper said in her acceptance speech, “John F. Kennedy once said, ‘We must find time
to stop and thank the people that make differences in our lives.’ Thank you NASFAA
for giving me this chance on my very last workday of my 25-year career in financial
aid and 31 years in higher ed to do that and stop and say thank you.”
Hopper closed her speech with, “I thank the students who have returned to tell me
I have made a difference in their lives and have shared their success stories. These
are the true rewards when you are called into this profession, and those of you that
have been in it a long time know that it is a calling…I give you my promise to always
strive to deserve the honor you have bestowed on me today. Thank you so very much.”
Read more in NASFAA’s press release.
