In front of a standing-room-only crowd gathered to celebrate and thank employees who are also members of the military, four managers from Sallie Mae, the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company, were presented today with the Patriot Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The Patriot Award recognizes managers and supervisors for their support of military service member employees.

Representatives from the Delaware ESGR joined Sallie Mae executives and employees to congratulate Patriot Award recipients Daniel VanSciver, senior vice president and chief audit officer; Faizal Chaudhury, vice president; Sathya Vardhana, vice president; and Michele Mullowney, manager.

“Dan, Faizal, Sathya, and Michele represent the spirit of the Patriot Award, and their support of our military service members here at Sallie Mae not only benefits those employees but also contributes to national security and helps protect our liberty and freedom,” said Frank Ingraham, past state chair, Delaware ESGR Field Committee, who presented each with a certificate and lapel pin. “While the Patriot Award recognizes each of them as individuals, I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge and thank Sallie Mae for its support.”

At the event, Sallie Mae also formally renewed its Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve, pledging to give managers the tools they need to effectively support employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve; to encourage employment opportunities for active, transitioning, and veteran service members; and to continually recognize and support service members and their families in peace, in crisis, and in war.

“Military life can be unpredictable and challenging not only for service members, but also for their families and, as a company, we are committed to doing everything we can to support these heroes,” said Daniel Kennedy, senior vice president and chief information officer, Sallie Mae, and former Army officer. “We are grateful for the service our military employees provide, both inside and outside of the workplace, and we are proud to renew our Statement of Support for the Guard and Reserve.”

Sallie Mae offers a variety of military-related benefits for employees and customers. For employees on active military duty, the company offers flexible scheduling and time off for training and deployment, continues salary and benefits, and provides assistance during the transition to and from military duty. The company also offers a number of resources to help military families manage student loans before, during, and after deployment. Sallie Mae has a team of specially trained customer service representatives who work with military families and make it easy for customers to request military benefits, going a step further by proactively applying benefits for eligible customers.

In addition, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, Sallie Mae will participate in the first annual Hiring Our Heroes Veterans Job Fair at Dennis S. Frawley Stadium on the Wilmington, Del., riverfront. The job fair is open to veterans and members of the public. For more information or to register, visit www.delawarejobfair.net.

For more information about Sallie Mae’s benefits for military customers, visit SallieMae.com/military. To learn more about saving, planning, and paying for college, visit SallieMae.com.

About ESGR

ESGR (www.esgr.mil) facilitates and promotes a cooperative culture of employer support for National Guard and Reserve service by developing and advocating mutually beneficial initiatives, recognizing outstanding employer support, increasing awareness of applicable laws and policies, resolving potential conflicts between employers and their service members, and acting as the employers’ principal advocate within Department of Defense. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce. All Delaware employers are encouraged to sign their “Statement of Support for the National Guard and Reserve.” For more information on this, volunteering with DE ESGR, or to schedule a free employer education seminar at your worksite, please contact Paulette Mason, at the Delaware ESGR office, at (302) 561-8415.

About Sallie Mae

Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) is the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible personal finance, including private education loans, Upromise rewards, scholarship search, college financial planning tools, and online retail banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.