Entries accepted for second-annual Excellence in Debt Management Awards

USA Funds to recognize successful campus debt-management initiatives

INDIANAPOLIS — USA Funds®, the nation's leading education-loan guarantor, is accepting entries for the second-annual Excellence in Debt Management Awards. The awards recognize postsecondary institutions that have successfully developed and implemented effective and creative debt-management programs for their students. The award program is open to all postsecondary institutions in the United States.

“Many postsecondary institutions have developed excellent programs to ensure that their students minimize the education debt that students incur to complete their studies and to assist them in the repayment of their student loans,” said Carl C. Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO. “This award program is intended to highlight exceptional debt-management programs and to disseminate best practices in debt management throughout the higher-education community.”

USA Funds will award need-based scholarship funds to three postsecondary institutions for their students in the following amounts:

  • Best Debt-Management Program — $2,500 scholarship.
  • First Runner-up — $1,500 scholarship.
  • Second Runner-up — $1,000 scholarship.

Entries will be judged by a panel consisting of USA Funds' staff and debt-management consultants as well as the following 2004 Excellence in Debt Management Award recipients:

  • Bradley Honious, GateWay Community College, Phoenix, 2004 Best Debt-Management Program.
  • Jackie Hendrickson-Swain, Salish Kootenai College, Pablo, Mont., 2004 First Runner-Up.
  • Carolyn Pritchett, University of Maryland, Baltimore, 2004 Second Runner-Up.

Entries will be judged based on the results achieved by the program, creativity, scope of the program, involvement of campus staff and faculty, and the cost-effectiveness of the program.

Review official rules and submit an entry online. A purchase is not necessary to enter and will not improve the chances of winning. The deadline for submission is June 3, 2005.