The MEFA Podcast

Episode #76. Host Jonathan Hughes talks with nursing student and current EMT Steven Tcheauafei about his journey figuring out what major was best for him. He talks about how becoming an EMT while in school directed his school choices, his thought process in transferring schools and changing majors, and how financial aid played a role in his decision-making. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #74. Host Jonathan Hughes talks with Dr. Rose Boulay of Springfield Promise, a program that helps Springfield Public School students graduate ready for college and careers. They discuss Springfield’s demographics, how Springfield Promise helps students and families, their strategies for working with different populations, and the challenges they have faced with FAFSA and financial aid this year. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #72. Host Jonathan Hughes and co-host Julie Shields-Rutyna share highlights from MEFA’s webinar that outlined six keys to finding a good college fit, which was presented by Dr. Timothy Poynton and Dr. Amanda Sterk. They share clips of the presenters reviewing those six keys, how to best research colleges, and how to decide what college will be the best for your academic experience. Highlights also include discussion of the book they wrote, a college fit tool they built, and much more. Finally, Jonathan and Julie go to the MEFA Mailbag and answer a FAFSA question. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #71. Host Jonathan Hughes talks with Vice President for Undergraduate Enrollment at Regis College, Christopher Lydon, about Direct Admissions, a process in which students are admitted to colleges without applying to them They discuss how it works, which students are chosen, what the benefits are, and why it could become a standard part of college admissions. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #67. Host Jonathan Hughes sits down for a conversation about historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with Dr. Danette Burgess, the President of EASFAA and a regional representative for NASFAA’s Diversity Task Force. Dr. Burgess is also the Senior Associate Director of Scholarships at Howard University and an alumnus of another HBCU, Norfolk State University. Jonathan talks with Dr. Burgess about her own educational journey, the impact of HBCUs on her life, and what it’s like to work and interact with current HBCU students. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #61. Host Jonathan Hughes talks with Bright Horizon College Coach’s Sara Calvert-Kubrom about how students can use social media to their advantage in the college admissions process. They discuss how to connect with schools, ways to research a school’s culture, how to use social media on campus visits, and more. They also talk about how students can curate their social media accounts for sports recruiting, to share their art portfolios, and create a general image for their future school. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #56. Host Jonathan Hughes talks to co-host Julie Shields-Rutyna about Federal Direct Student Loans returning to repayment. Julie explains a new repayment option called SAVE. Then, they go into the MEFA Mailbag and answer a question about reporting 529 college saving accounts on the FAFSA for this upcoming year. Finally, Jonathan sits down with Beth Probst of At the Core, an organization that helps students make plans for their future. They discuss how At the Core helps students and families plan for college and careers using assessments, webinars, and one-on-one meetings. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #52. Host Jonathan Hughes first talks to the Director of MEFA Pathway, Jennifer Bento-Pinyoun, about new features and tools on the website. Then, Jonathan and co-host Julie Shields-Rutyna discuss MEFA’s The Time is Now campaign for recent high school grads. Finally, Jonathan has a discussion with the new Director of GEAR UP in Worcester, Steve Winston. about Steve’s background, how he came to his new position, what GEAR UP and MassEdCo can provide, and much more. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #51. Host Jonathan Hughes talks with Julie Shields-Rutyna about FAFSA Simplification, including financial aid experts’ opinions from MEFA’s Round Table Discussion hosted earlier this month. Then Jonathan and Julie go to the MEFA Mailbag to answer a questions about using the U.Fund to pay for college. Finally, Jonathan has a conversation with Director of the Massachusetts GEAR UP Program, Robert Dais. They discuss Robert’s career trajectory, the GEAR UP Program and what it does, as well as what “summer melt” is and how to help curb it. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.

Episode #49. Host Jonathan Hughes first answers a question from the MEFA Mailbag about the timeline of applying for private loans and when to plan for repayment. Then Jonathan sits down with Sherri Geller, the Co-Director of College Counseling at Gann Academy in Waltham, Massachusetts. They discuss what rising high school seniors can do in the summer months to prepare for the college application process. Topics include the Common App, college essays, letters of recommendation, and more. If you enjoy the MEFA Podcast, please leave us a review.