BRAINTREE, Mass., June 12, 2007—Nellie Mae today commemorates its 25th Anniversary and celebrates its ongoing tradition of philanthropy and community giving by awarding two Silver Anniversary Scholarships worth $2,500 each to Mary Ann Fox, currently enrolled at The College of Our Lady of the Elms, in Chicopee, Mass. and Indraneel Sircar, a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Mass.
Mary Ann and Indraneel both won the scholarship after committee review, based on their strong academic backgrounds and outstanding application essays.
Mary Ann is a non-traditional, married student attending classes full-time while maintaining a 3.98 GPA. A cancer survivor herself, Mary Ann is very active in two community groups for people whose lives have been touched by cancer. She is working toward her teaching degree and is excited to graduate and begin the newest phase of her life, as an educator.
Indraneel is a leader on his campus at Worcester Polytechnic and maintains a 4.0 GPA. In addition to numerous extracurricular activities such as choir, cross country, and Greek life, he helped develop the campus chapter of Amnesty International and founded a chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a campus group dedicated to uniting the global community.
"Our review committee considered many applicants, and we are pleased to award these two exceptional scholars the Nellie Mae's Silver Anniversary Scholarships," said Barry Goulding, senior vice president, Sallie Mae. "These students' applications demonstrated their genuine enthusiasm for higher education, community service, and academic excellence."
Established in Braintree, Mass. as a regional secondary market for federally guaranteed student loans, Nellie Mae has grown to become Massachusetts' number-one student loan provider, one of the top national originators of federal and private education loans, and a recognized leader in debt education and financial management for students. The company provides Federal Stafford, PLUS, and Consolidation Loans, as well as private education loans. Nellie Mae became part of the Sallie Mae family in 1999.
In addition to providing education financing, Nellie Mae also offers financial management resources for students and parents. The company's Web site, www.nelliemae.com, assists students and families in obtaining and managing education loans. Online application processing and personal loan counseling have helped thousands of students achieve the dream of higher education. Nellie Mae also offers Debt Management EDvisor, an interactive money-management tool for college students, and the Parent Resources for Education Preparation (PREP) program, which provides guidance for parents of high school and college students.
"Nellie Mae is thrilled to contribute to Indraneel and Mary Ann's educations," said Karissa Bibby, brand manager, Nellie Mae. "There is no better way to acknowledge our longevity than by honoring the principle on which the company was founded 25 years ago: Helping families pay for higher education."
About Nellie Mae Since 1982, Nellie Mae has focused exclusively on providing education financing for undergraduate and graduate students and families, through Federal Stafford, PLUS, and Consolidation Loans, as well as its suite of private EXCEL Loans. Online services include loan applications with e-signature, a loan information center, and Nellie Mae's Financial SuccessSM series to help students be brilliant before, during, and after college. Located in Braintree, Mass., Nellie Mae is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SLM Corporation (NYSE: SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae is the nation's leading provider of saving- and paying-for-college programs. The company manages $150 billion in education loans and serves nearly 10 million student and parent customers. More information is available at www.salliemae.com. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America. Nellie Mae: Celebrating 25 years of delivering student loans brilliantly.