Check out your Company Bowl for anonymous work chats.
This month is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month – a celebration of the heritages, cultures, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have shaped the United States. This year's theme is Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity which encourages local and national governments to prioritize providing opportunities to people in the AAPI community. As we celebrate this month, let's all commit to educating ourselves, connecting with others, and continuing our all-important work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in our communities. Check out these free, informative resources provided by the National Archives, the National Park Service, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center to learn more about the Asian America and Pacific Islander experience in the United States.
We are thrilled to share our campaign featuring our Bridging the Dream Scholarship recipients has earned a 2023 MUSE Creative Award! The MUSE Creative Awards is an international competition recognizing the exceptional work of creative professionals. This year they received more than 6,000 entries worldwide. Our campaign highlighting our 25 Bridging the Dream High School Scholarship recipients stood out in the Education category, winning for outstanding performance on social media. Our Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program helps students, particularly those from underserved or underrepresented communities access and complete higher education. The program, in partnership with Thurgood Marshall College Fund and our charitable arm, The Sallie Mae Fund, includes three scholarships: Bridging the Dream for High School Seniors, Bridging the Dream for Graduate Students, and our Completing the Dream Scholarship. In 2021, we committed to providing $3 million over three years and we’re well on our way to meeting that goal.
This Thurs, March 23, begins the monthlong celebration of Ramadan - the holy month of the Islamic calendar that commemorates the revelation of the Quran, the holy book of Islam. For the next month, Muslims around the world will commemorate this holy period through fasting, worship, prayer and community service. This year, Ramadan ends on Friday, April 21, and will lead into the three-day celebration of Eid al-Fitr, or the "Festival of Breaking the Fast." During the festival, Muslims will celebrate the end of Ramadan through feasts, communal prayers, gifts, and more. Also, out of respect for our team members celebrating Eid al-Fitr in a couple weeks, remember April 21 is a quiet day at Sallie Mae. To all our Muslim team members commemorating this month, we wish you a generous and blessed Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak!
This month, we recognize two important celebrations commemorating the impactful contributions and groundbreaking achievements of women throughout our history and around the world: Women's History Month and International Women's Day. Each year, the National Women's History Alliance designates a yearly theme for Women's History Month. This year's theme is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories." In the spirit of storytelling, later this month you'll hear some inspiring anecdotes from some of your colleagues in this month's edition of Voices of Sallie Mae. So, stay tuned for that. Happy Women's History Month and International Women's Day. In honor of all the women who inspire us, we celebrate your contributions, accomplishments, and resiliency today and every day!
Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Through Service As we prepare for the long weekend in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, let's remember the historical significance of Dr. King and honor his legacy through action. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. became a leading activist in the civil rights movement of the 1960's. Dr. King's acts of nonviolent civil disobedience were a major contributor to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Among his many contributions to the civil rights movement, Dr. King led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott, organized the 1963 nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Ala., and delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Opportunities To Get Involved From volunteering with local nonprofit organizations and donating to causes important to educating the public about Martin Luther King, Jr., and the important role he played in American history, there are many meaningful ways to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in your local community.
Throughout National Scholarship Month, we'll be introducing our 25 recipients of The Bridging the Dream Scholarship for High School Students. This year's recipients from across the country were selected from more than 1,000 applicants and excel both in their community and in the classroom. The recipients are attending a diverse set of institutions – state colleges, ivy league universities, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and are themselves diverse – some first-generation college students and many from underrepresented or historically underserved communities. This ambitious group are working toward their dream of becoming pediatric nurses, entertainment lawyers, and veterinarians among other occupations. We'll share their inspirational stories and experiences from their first semester of college with you and via LinkedIn and Twitter during November. So, stay tuned as we shine the spotlight on our own Bridging the Dream recipients and raise awareness this National Scholarship Month!
Oct. 10 marks Indigenous Peoples' Day, an official holiday that honors Native Americans and commemorates their cultures and the contributions they have made to history. The day, which coincides with Columbus Day, recognizes those lost to genocide and Western colonization. In 1977, the United Nations International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas proposed that Indigenous Peoples' Day replace Columbus Day. Today, at least eight states, 10 universities and more than 130 cities across 34 states now observe Indigenous Peoples' Day as an alternative to Columbus Day. How to Commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day? Whether it's reading a book on Native American history or staying up on current events and learning about the issues facing Native communities today, there are many ways to honor Indigenous Peoples' Day. To all of our Native American team members, Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day!
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize the achievements, histories, and cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latin Americans in the United States. The month first began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on Sept. 15. That date is of particular significance because it is the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively. To all our Hispanic and Latin American colleagues, Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
We're thrilled to announce our Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students application window is now open for the 2022-2023 academic year! In our efforts to help advance social justice and promote diversity and equity through higher education, The Sallie Mae Fund is once again offering $100,000 in scholarships to students pursuing graduate degrees. In partnership, with Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate Students helps minority students and those from historically underserved communities attend graduate school. Ten current graduate students will be selected to receive a scholarship up to $10,000 for the upcoming academic year. To qualify, successful applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited post-secondary institution during the 2022-2023 academic school year, have a cumulative grade point average at or above 3.0, and must be able to demonstrate leadership abilities. Applications are now open through October 1, 2022.
For the first time in three years, members of our relationship management team were back to attend in person the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators annual conference (NASFAA). As one of the largest and premier events serving the student financial aid community, more than 1500 student aid professionals from across the country gathered at NASFAA to teach, learn, network, and share best practices. Making the experience even more meaningful, several of our team members participated in two very important panel discussions. "As a panelist, I was honored for this opportunity to encourage the participants to #broadentheconversation as they consider not only what it takes to get diverse students in, but also through college," said Lori. "It was also great witnessing first-hand how our relationship managers are well-regarded as both trusted partners and thought leaders by the financial aid community." Kudos to this team for the great work!
