MVP Shawn Domingo, FAAC®
MVP: Most Valuable Professional is an occasional series that features a brief Q&A with a different NASFAA member. Do you know a financial aid colleague with something interesting to say? Send the names of potential future MVPs and a short note about why you're nominating them to [email protected].
MVP Shawn Domingo, FAAC®
Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships
San Joaquin Delta College
Meet Shawn Domingo, FAAC®, director of financial aid and scholarships at San Joaquin Delta College in California.
Shawn has two decades of experience in financial aid. He got his start at Solano Community College as a financial aid assistant. Since then, Shawn has worked at the aid offices of Heald College, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii Community College, Cogswell Polytechnical College, Ohlone College, and more.
No matter how complicated financial aid tends to get, Shawn said one of the most rewarding parts of his job is watching students graduate. He said he encourages his team to attend graduation every year.
“It’s just as a nice reminder of why we do what we do, being able to see the looks on students' faces when they're able to get that degree,” Shawn said. “Knowing that we had a hand in that is probably one of the most rewarding things with our work.”
Shawn has a lot of experience volunteering at the state, regional, and national level. He has served the California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (CASFAA) Executive Council as the community college segmental representative. He has also served as a faculty member for the Western Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (WASFAA) Sister Dale Brown Summer Institute. He has also co-chaired the CASFAA Emerging Leaders Academy, which is a week-long academy dedicated to the development of future leaders in the state of California.
At the national level, Shawn currently serves as the western regional representative for NASFAA’s 2024-25 Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Program Commission. He also previously was a member of NASFAA’s Diversity Toolkit Task Force in 2017-18.
Learn more about Shawn, his interests, and his career path in the Q&A below!
How did you get your start in financial aid?
I started like many people in the financial aid field as a financial aid Federal Work-Study at Solano College back in 2003. I enjoyed the time that I was there and got to work with all the financial aid staff.
What do you find the most rewarding and fulfilling about your work?
The most rewarding aspect of being a financial aid administrator is being able to know that you helped students achieve their goals and accomplish their educational dreams.
What have been some of the biggest changes you’ve noticed in the profession since beginning your career?
FAFSA simplification. The last three years have been the biggest change. I feel like most of us that have been financial aid administrators for a while felt like we were having to relearn our jobs again from the beginning. Things we knew or thought we knew have changed. Processes that we thought we had in place, now no longer work. FAFSA simplification in general has made it quite challenging and has been one of the biggest changes.
I also think we've done so much in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion and removing barriers for students.
What's something you wish all higher ed folks knew about financial aid?
That nothing is free. Everything comes with a price. Just because we administer federal financial aid programs, that doesn't mean that we're just operating one program. A lot of us have the federal aid programs which involve five or six different programs under federal aid – like Pell Grants, FSEOG, direct loans – and they all have their own different rules, disbursement criteria, and their eligibility criteria.
So looking at financial aid like it's just one program that we're administering – it would be nice if there was some way to convey to people that we're dealing with multiple programs. It's not just federal, state programs as well.
Especially being a financial aid administrator in California, there are so many state programs that we have to juggle while we're juggling the federal programs. Our state alone has probably some of the most state aid and programs. We also have institutional aid and we have scholarships. It’s hard to convey to higher ups, our institution, or those that aren't in the field, of exactly how intricate our job is, how detail oriented our job is, and how heavily regulated our jobs are.
Do you have any recommendations for people just getting started in the field?
Be ready to constantly learn. The learning never ends. Be willing and open to new possibilities and new challenges. Be ready to pivot if you need to because we're constantly dealing with change. Nothing in financial aid stays the same forever.
And be open and understanding of other people's opinions or outlooks, especially when it comes to rules and regulations and how they're viewed by certain institutions, because everyone could interpret them differently since there are a lot of gray areas.
Tell us about your institution. What are some unique aspects of working at San Joaquin Delta College?
San Joaquin Delta College is located right in central California. We are probably one of the highest Pell population institutions in California. Our Pell population ranges between 75% to 84%. As far as financial aid recipients, we have a very needy population in our area. We have a lot of services that we provide to our students.
What is the best thing that's happened to you recently?
This interview. This was a welcomed “cherry-on-top” thing after this year of craziness. I am really excited about this interview and really looking forward to it. It's just nice for financial aid professionals to be recognized, and it's something we don't get too often. This is a great reminder of why we do what we do.
What's something you couldn't function without?
Besides coffee, I would say a good support system, whether it be support from my team at work or support at home. Having a strong support system and being able to talk with people, either inside or outside of the field, that are willing to listen to your concerns makes all the difference for financial aid administrators. I always tell people that it takes a special kind of person to be a financial aid administrator, but it also takes a special kind of person to be with a financial aid administrator.
Any summer plans or typical activities you enjoy in the warmer months?
I always enjoy going home to Hawaii during the summer months. My typical summer activities are going to the beach, surfing, and hanging out with family and friends.
Publication Date: 8/29/2024
Martika H | 8/30/2024 11:31:48 PM
Congratulations!!! Glad to see you recognized by NASFAA!
Heidi C | 8/30/2024 10:12:51 AM
Great to learn more about you, Shawn! You are an MVP of our profession, and you are absolutely correct that the learning is ongoing in what we do! Congratulations!
Shellee K | 8/29/2024 11:3:16 PM
Congrats Shawn!! So excited for you and to see this when I opened NASFAA News!!
Brittney R | 8/29/2024 6:13:10 PM
So well deserved! You were one of the pivotal people in helping me decide to become an FAA, so thank you for not only supporting your students but others in this field!
Daniel C | 8/29/2024 1:22:11 PM
Woo! Shawn! Congrats from ID!
Dava O | 8/29/2024 11:54:39 AM
Hi Shawn, so great to see you in the news!
Heather B | 8/29/2024 9:28:34 AM
Congratulations, Shawn, on your MVP recognition! I loved your comment about the complexity of what we do.
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