News

Students at a Paying for College Bus Tour stop, Reading, PA

Sallie Mae's Wilkes-Barre facility and The Sallie Mae Fund receive "Outstanding Corporation" award from Association of Fundraising Professionals

WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Nov. 17, 2006—Sallie Mae has won the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Outstanding Corporation Award for its record of "extraordinary excellence in philanthropy." For 15 years, the Association of Fundraising Professionals has honored the area's outstanding individuals, corporations and foundations for their significant contributions to the non-profit sector. The award was presented today at Woodlands Inn and Resort.

In nominating Sallie Mae for the award, the Board of Directors of Osterhout Free Library noted that philanthropic initiatives sponsored by Sallie Mae and The Sallie Mae Fund, the charitable organization sponsored by the company, exceeded requirements for the award. The Sallie Mae Fund's $1 million grant to the Catholic Youth Center, the involvement of Sallie Mae's Wilkes-Barre employees in the annual Gravestone Manor production, and funds raised during 12 years of The Sallie Mae Fund's Valley Classic Race were some of the significant contributions mentioned in the nomination.

"Sallie Mae is truly an organization that gives back to the community. This award symbolizes the many years of its dedication to local philanthropy. We were honored to nominate Sallie Mae and The Sallie Mae Fund for this recognition," said Joanna Springer, director of development, Osterhout Free Library.

"Giving back to the community is an important part of The Sallie Mae Fund's mission," said Erin Korsvall, director, community relations, Sallie Mae. "Sallie Mae's employees play an integral part in this mission when they dedicate their time and energy to initiatives that help their communities capitalize on higher education."

Since 2001, Sallie Mae and The Sallie Mae Fund have contributed more than $6 million dollars toward higher education and other philanthropic initiatives in Pennsylvania. The company's Wilkes-Barre facility employs nearly 1,000 people.

SLM Corporation (NYSE: SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, is the nation's leading provider of saving- and paying-for-college programs. The company manages more than $130 billion in education loans and serves nearly 10 million student and parent customers. Through its Upromise affiliates, the company also manages more than $11 billion in 529 college-savings plans, and assists more than 7 million members with automatic savings through rebates on everyday purchases. Sallie Mae and its subsidiaries offer debt management services as well as business and technical products to a range of business clients, including higher education institutions, student loan guarantors and state and federal agencies. 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.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post–secondary education for America's students—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information visit www.salliemaefund.org.