2019-2020 PASFAA Awards
Emerging Leader
Stephanie Schrift, Saint Francis University
Stephanie is the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Saint Francis University. She has served PASFAA in many roles in the short time of her membership. Steph is a student advocate and has volunteered countless hours conducting financial aid nights and FAFSA completion events with the Financial Aid Awareness committee and SFU. In 2019, she accepted the role of the Chair for the 2020 PASFAA Annual Conference, a role that also includes membership to the 2019 conference committee. As Steph embraced the 2019 conference in Hershey, I am sure she could not have imagined what 2020 had in store. Her leadership led to a successful, first-ever, virtual PASFAA Annual Conference. I cannot thank Steph and her team enough for the time and dedication to PASFAA.
Hero Award
Dan Wray, PA Forward Student Loans
Dan Wray’s current hat is that of an Account Executive at PA Forward Student Loans. Dan ’s commitment to PASFAA is unrelenting. His tireless efforts in supporting Don Raley when we needed to go remote in addition to his efforts in maintaining the PASFAA website, technology committee and 2020 Conference Committee member. Dan was truly a PASFAA Hero in 2020.
Team Award
2020 PASFAA Conference Committee
The 2020 PASFAA Conference Committee represented PASFAA’s mission well in the face of adversity. Organizing the first-ever virtual conference was a challenge to say the least; however, this committee included the right mix of experience and ambition to succeed.
Chair, Stephanie Schrift, Saint Francis University
Joni Trovato, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Dan Wray, PA Forward Student Loans
Crystal Ondrick, University of Scranton
Billy Dunkel, The Pennsylvania State University
Laura Helmich – First United Bank & Trust
Margaret Barton – Point Park University
Keri Neidig – Sallie Mae
Leadership Award
Technology Committee
The Technology Committee could have also taken home the coveted Team Award for a second consecutive year. However, council voted to elect the 2020 Technology Committee as the first team to receive the Leadership Award. Under David’s leadership, this committee was able to lead our volunteers through virtual delivery platforms for The Don Raley Institute and the annual conference. This is in addition to the continued development of the organization’s website.
Chair, David Eber, Carnegie Mellon University-Heinz College
Joe Alaimo, Rosemont College
Jamie Kosh, The Pennsylvania State University
Dan Weigle, PHEAA
Dan Wray, PA Forward Student Loans
Distinguished Service Award
Keri Neidig, Sallie Mae
The PASFAA Distinguished Service Award was created to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to PASFAA through their leadership, activities, and/or research in financial aid.
Keri Neidig is the Director of Business Development at Sallie Mae. She is certainly deserving of this recognition. She has provided leadership and her broad based expertise in many areas, and over a long period of time. Keri has been Newsletter editor and Chair for many, many years, and has done an outstanding job. And has done an excellent job in making this publication a valuable resource for membership. In such a role, she has been and is a member of the Communication Committee. She has always contributed her expertise to make this publication representative of PASFAA’s excellence. Keri also served on the 2020 Conference Committee as well as many past conference committees. Another role Keri has served is the ISS sector rep in 2019-2020. She was instrumental in leading the creation of the Value of our Business Partners document which was initially posted on the website last year. Her unique blend of PASFAA expertise, i.e., the 3 roles she has this year (ISS sector rep, Newsletter Chair, Conference member) allows PASFAA to grow and succeed, from her broad, in-depth knowledge and expert skills.
Life Membership Award
Cheryl DePaolis, The Pittsburgh Theological Seminar (retired)
The Life Membership is the highest award that PASFAA has to bestow upon an individual and is given to individuals who have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to student financial aid.
Cheryl has served PASFAA over the years in many different capacities. She worked tirelessly as President of PASFAA. During her tenure, she created nextPAGE which earned a NASFAA Gold Star Award, the Communication Committee which used public relations, marketing and social media to make PASFAA more visible to members and non-members, the Webinar Committee, designed and implemented the PASFAA scholarship procedures and completed the research and proposal for Institutional Membership. In her leadership role at EASFAA, she helped the organization develop institutional membership which followed PASFAA’s policy. Her other initiatives included Senior Administrator Workshop, Presenter Guidelines, Shared Resource Center, and the PASFAA Photo Gallery. While a member of the 2007 conference committee, Cheryl started the Charity Basket Raffle when the Business Partners ceased their raffle. She started that year with 16 baskets and went on to donate almost 100 baskets to the annual raffle. She was PASFAA Conference Chair twice, PFAT Chair, and served on many committees.
Retirement Recognition Program
Brandi Darr
PASFAA leadership would like to recognize Brandi Darr, former Director of Financial Aid at University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, on her retirement in April 2020. Brandi served PASFAA in various capacities throughout her membership and career. Thank you Brandi for all that you have given to PASFAA and we wish you well in your retirement.
President’s Award
Kat Delgrosso, College Ave Student Loans
The President’s Award is given to an individual or individuals who provided exemplary leadership and or service to the Association over the last year and whose actions supported the goals and objectives established by the PASFAA president and council.
The recipient of the 2020 President’s Award is Kat Delgrosso. She has truly gone above and beyond to help the conference committee prepare for a virtual conference with her expertise in the Whova app. Kat is knowledgeable, dedicated, and committed to the success of PASFAA. Her support, many hours of research, and endless updates assisted to make this a successful conference.