More students are looking beyond a bachelor’s degree as they plan what’s next. In fact, our research shows more than 4 in 10 high school families are already planning for graduate school, making it even more important that we continue to show up for students in meaningful ways. That’s why we’ve expanded our Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students this year, doubling our impact with 20 scholarships of up to $10,000 each to help students pursue advanced degrees in high-demand fields like healthcare, law, education, and more. Additionally, our Completing the Dream Scholarship continues to support students nearing the finish line but facing financial difficulties, providing 50 students with up to $2,500 each to help cover unexpected costs and stay on track to graduate. Since 2021, these programs have awarded nearly $5 million in scholarships, helping more than 1,300 students access and complete their higher education. Applications for both scholarships are open now through July 17.
Last week, Sallie Mae was the presenting sponsor of the Indy Chamber of Commerce’s Accelerate Higher Ed event, hosted at Butler University. Executive Vice President and Chief Legal, Government Affairs and Communications Officer Nicolas Jafarieh led a pivotal discussion on student retention, the role of institutions as community anchors, and strengthening the talent pipeline for career growth in the Hoosier State. Several of our team members also attended the event, engaging with college presidents, higher education leaders, and esteemed panelists who shared their valuable ideas and insights on these topics. When business, higher education, and community leaders unite around a shared goal, innovation follows. These conversations serve as a great opportunity to connect and deepen relationships with higher education leaders across Indiana and strengthen our role as a trusted thought-leader.
Several Sallie Mae team members joined local leaders at the Delaware Bankers Association’s (DBA) Annual Dinner, a celebration of connection, recognition, and impact in Delaware’s banking community. In honor of retiring DBA President Sarah Long, Nic Jafarieh, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal, Government Affairs and Communications Officer, announced a Sallie Mae match of DBA’s David G. Bakerian Scholarship. This year’s recipients, Aidan Mahoney of Archmere Academy and Lily Phillips of St. Mark’s High School, received a $2,500 scholarship—plus an additional $2,500 on behalf of The Sallie Mae, doubling their award. The award recognizes Delaware high school students who excel in Keys to Financial Success, a statewide course focused on real-world money management skills and the importance of financial literacy. The winners are selected based on thoughtful essays on the importance of financial education, demonstrating both academic achievement and strong personal reflection. By supporting these students and this event, we’re not only reinforcing our mission of powering confidence as students begin their unique journeys but also strengthening our broader commitment to supporting the communities where we live, work, and serve.
We are thrilled to share that Sallie Mae Bank is a Top 10 Winner in the GOBankingRates 2025 Best Banks Awards, based on brand new research. In our annual rankings of America’s Best Banks, GOBankingRates researchers conducted a comprehensive review of FDIC data and product offerings from more than 100 of the largest banks, online banks, and Neobanks and selected winners across nine different categories. For each category, we selected 10 winners and awarded the top three Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. • Sallie Mae Bank won in two categories: o Best Money Market Accounts (Top 10 Winner) o Best CD (Top 10 Winner) Our researchers spent months thoroughly analyzing the latest data and trends, and we are proud to showcase Sallie Mae Bank product offerings as best in class.
Powering Confidence in Women Leaders Our very own Zavida Mangaru, Vice President of Digital Enablement, recently had the honor of being a featured panelist at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce 34th Annual Women's Leadership Conference held at the Chase Center in Wilmington. This year’s theme, "I'm HER!", resonates deeply with Zavida's passion of inspiring and uplifting women from all walks of life. During the “Our County, Our State, HER Vision” workshop, Zavida shared her personal journey and insights, speaking passionately about the importance of mentorship, the power of resilience, and the need for women to support each other in their professional and personal endeavors. Her words left a lasting impact on the more than 600 women in attendance, including many of our own team members, who had the opportunity to network and connect with other women professionals and leaders. As a leader who encourages her team to embrace innovation, take ownership of their projects, and develop their skills, Zavida is dedicated to promoting an environment where her team can thrive, and hopes to help pave the way for more women to ascend to positions of power and leadership. Kudos to Zavida for her participation and contributions in this event which underscores Sallie Mae's commitment of powering confidence in the women leaders of today and tomorrow.
From creative costume contests, ghoulish snacks, trunk or treats, and pumpkin decorating, teams across our campuses really got into the Halloween spirit this year! As this frightfully fun week comes to an end, here are some highlights from the spook-tacular events that brought our teams together, strengthening our community and culture at Sallie Mae. Our Operations teams in Salt Lake City, Christiana, and Newark kicked things off with a sweet treat delivery, spreading Halloween cheer. In Virginia, our team members had a ghoulishly good time decorating pumpkins, showcasing their spooky creativity, while enjoying some eerie, festive fun together. In Newark, several Halloween-themed gatherings kept the spirit alive including Risk Management's "Trunk or Treat” event that transformed the headquarters parking lot into a frightful sight with decorated trunks and creative costumes. During October’s “Fall Wednesday” team members enjoyed a spooky happy hour, complete with a Halloween-inspired menu and plenty of treats. Donna Vieira’s team in Newark added to the festivities with a Halloween party featuring a costume contest, pumpkin decorating, and a mummy-wrapping challenge. In Salt Lake City, team members hosted a family-friendly Halloween party featuring a desk decorating and costume contest inviting extended members of the Sallie Mae family to join in the fun. A huge shout-out to all those who took the time to plan and participate in Halloween happenings across our sites!
Our commitment of supporting college access and completion was recently on display as Sallie Mae team members participated in the United Negro College Fund’s UNITE 2024 Summit. The team engaged in panel discussions with HBCU presidents and leaders from across the country focusing on access and college completion and improving student retention, and highlighting key findings from our industry-leading research reports. For the second year in a row, we proudly sponsored the UNCF Summit’s UNITE Transformation Pre-Conference. Attended by over 2,000 participants, including representatives from more than 70 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and key leaders in Black higher education from across the country, this event aims to accelerate strategies for Black higher education and support the institutional transformation of Black colleges and universities. During the event, Kelly Savoie from our Relationship Management team moderated two panel discussions, highlighting our industry-leading research reports including, “How America Pays for College” and “How America Completes College.” In addition to connecting with key stakeholders, Antoine Oakley, director of corporate relations, also presented the “Change Agent Award” to a trailblazer in the HBCU community underscoring a broader commitment of recognizing and supporting leaders who drive positive change within HBCUs. To learn more about the many other ways we support HBCUs, check out our most recent ESG report.
For the second consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Sallie Mae as one the ‘Best Companies to Work For.’ Here’s how we were rated on a scale from one to five: Belongingness and esteem: 5 Quality of pay and benefits: 4 Job and company stability: 4 Physical and psychological comfort (safety): 4 Career opportunities and professional development: 4 Work/life balance and flexibility: 3 We’re proud to be in good company alongside other financial services organizations -- including Charles Schwab, Moody’s, and Nasdaq. Thank you, team, for working together to advance our mission and for continuing to make Sallie Mae one of the best companies to work for!
The Sallie Mae Fund, in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, is again accepting applications for its Completing the Dream Scholarship! For the 2024-25 academic school year, we are offering 200 scholarships, collectively worth $500,000, to help students from underserved and underrepresented communities complete their higher education. The scholarship is specifically designed to cover any remaining costs or unexpected expenses that may prevent a student from graduating. Since 2021, this scholarship has eliminated nearly $2 million in unexpected costs for deserving recipients, 98% of whom attend or have attended Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs). The application window will remain open through December 6, 2024, or until all scholarship funds are awarded. If you or someone you know has a student in college who could benefit from this program, help spread the word! Learn more about our Completing the Dream Scholarship and stay tuned as we introduce you to some of our recipients throughout the year on social media!
We recently published our latest Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, "Powering Confidence" highlighting our ESG strategy and our commitment to mission-aligned initiatives supporting our customers, communities, employees, and the environment. As Jon Witter said at the 1Q Town Hall, our ESG report embodies the very essence and is the 'soul' of Sallie Mae. Not only is this report the result of collaborative efforts of various teams across the organization, but also is a culmination of work that advances our strategy and aligns to our business objectives. You can also access the full report at www.salliemae.com/esg. The contents of this report are brought to life by the work you do every day, and we hope you recognize the "Me in ESG" throughout. Congratulations again to the cross-functional team led by Jennifer Byers, Rick Castellano, Jenn Ruiz and Amy Yeung for producing another fantastic report!
