Shawna Newman

About Shawna Newman

Shawna Newman covers various topics related to post-secondary education, including trade schools, the military, and college. She details strategies for paying for school, such as scholarships, financial aid, the FAFSA, and student loans. Shawna enjoys exploring low-cost paths to earning a degree or learning a trade with little to no debt. She also highlights options like working in public service or for companies that offer tuition assistance to their employees.

With over 10 years of involvement in higher education, Shawna's professional background is extensive. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, and degree program coordinators at the University of Central Missouri provides her with a unique and insightful perspective.

As a first-generation college graduate, Shawna's personal experiences have deeply shaped her values and influenced her work today. She understands the challenges and the triumphs of navigating the higher education system as a first-generation student. Her work in public service led to student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. She's also the proud parent of a current high school student and is involved in exploring career paths and discussing how to pay for school with her daughter. This personal connection makes her work more relatable and her advice valuable.

These experiences fuel Shawna's dedication to sharing essential tools like Fastweb with underserved students across America. She firmly believes that every student—whether attending high school, trade school, community college, or university—should have access to financial information and resources to achieve their goals without the burden of student loan debt.

In her free time, Shawna finds joy in flower gardening, cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, and exploring national parks with her family. Shawna calls Kansas City, Missouri, home.

Professional Roles

Shawna has excelled in various professional roles, including:

Managing editor, content strategist, writer, and social media expert at Fastweb.
Senior marketing specialist for the University of Central Missouri, specializing in financial aid and working with the Colleges of Health, Science, Technology, Education & more.
Public affairs coordinator for Wentworth Military Academy and College.