Whitewater Times

John Brandt, Director of Financial Aid at Maranatha Baptist University (MBU), has earned the FAAC designation from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ Certified Financial Aid Administrator (CFAA) Program. The CFAA Program, launched in 2019, aims to validate the skills and knowledge of financial aid professionals working at postsecondary institutions across the country. NASFAA is a nonprofit membership group that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at about 3,000 schools nationwide.

The FAAC designation is recognized as an accomplishment that reflects integrity, proficiency, and service in the field. John Brandt brings 31 years of experience in financial aid to his role at MBU—26 years as a director—and has assisted thousands of students at both public and private colleges in Missouri and Tennessee before joining Maranatha Baptist University in May 2024.

“Students receive many types of aid, including federal grants and loans, state grants, military assistance, Maranatha scholarships and various awards from external sources,” John explains. “In financial aid we strive to assist all students in getting the most financial aid for which they qualify.”

Brandt has also served on executive boards for state student financial aid associations. “These associations are critical to providing training to all financial aid professionals,” he says.

Since Brandt joined MBU, several initiatives have been introduced by the Financial Aid staff under his leadership. These include workshops outlining available financial aid options and FAFSA Fridays where students get individual help with federal aid applications. According to Brandt: “Recent student satisfaction surveys indicate our office is providing good financial aid counseling and processing aid applications in a timely manner.”

By earning the FAAC certification, Brandt joins a select group who have passed a comprehensive exam and met eligibility standards while affirming their commitment to ethical behavior within their profession. He notes: “One of the most challenging tasks in getting certified is that so many changes occur to the federal aid programs each year, and it is difficult to keep up-to-date with the most recent regulations and rules.” Ongoing training is required for maintaining this certification.

Donald Donovan, Chief Financial Officer at MBU, praised Brandt’s achievement: “the prestigious FAAC designation” is “the highest certification in Higher Education’s Financial Aid field.” Donovan added that “Mr. Brandt is just one of 20 individuals in the state of Wisconsin to achieve the FAAC,” observing further: “With three decades of dedicated financial aid experience, Mr. Brandt has a passion to empower our students to pursue their educational goals and invest their lives in ministry, ‘To the praise of His glory.’”

Reflecting on his long career in financial aid work, Brandt said: "Sometimes people ask why I have stayed in financial aid so long," adding: "and I would say because I know it makes a difference. A great blessing for me year after year is seeing students cross the finish line and get that well-deserved diploma at graduation."