Sallie Mae 2005 Annual Report Download - page 5

SLM CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2005 3
Giving back
Providing access to higher education for needy students—
and serving the communities where our employees live and
work—remains a focus for our company and our charitable
organization, The Sallie Mae Fund. The Fund awarded more
than $2.3 million in scholarships last year to help nearly
1,000 students attend college. The Fund also conducted the
nation’s largest financial aid workshop tour in the country,
providing 231 free workshops in English and Spanish for
some 30,000 attendees.
More than anything, the hurricanes of 2005 brought out
the tenacity and commitment of the higher education com-
munity as its members overcame the challenges with offers of
support and resources to affected students and schools.
Once again, it reminded those of us at Sallie Mae why we are
proud to be part of this profession.
We are well positioned for the future thanks to the pas-
sion and energy of our employees. I would like to thank all of
our valuable employees, as well as our 10 million customers
and 6,000 school clients for choosing Sallie Mae.
Outlook
Sallie Mae’s outlook is very bright.
By 2009, the nation will have its largest ever graduating
high school class. A college education is a remarkable invest-
ment that pays significant returns over a lifetime. And, for 34
years, we have supported students with the chance to grow
into their dreams.
Many thanks to Al Lord, our Chairman of the Board. He
set out nearly a decade ago to create a company that would
flourish without government sponsorship and outperform the
marketplace. He accomplished that mission in typical fashion
— ahead of schedule and above expectations. I would like to
personally thank Al for his contributions. I look forward to
his continued guidance and support.
In closing, thank you, Sallie Mae’s shareholders, for your
continued support. We have built a remarkable franchise.
Our history is a proud one, yet our best days are ahead.
THOMAS J. FITZPATRICK
Chief Executive Officer
A college education is a remarkable invest-
ment that pays significant returns over
a lifetime. And, for 34 years, we have sup-
ported students with the chance to grow
into their dreams.
We also did our part to help our student and school cus-
tomers who were affected by the devastating hurricanes on
the Gulf Coast. We made $15 million in interest-free loans
available to students in need of emergency financing for food,
shelter and other assistance in the wake of the storms. Through
Sallie Mae employees and The Fund, more than $757,000
was given to the American Red Cross, Scholarship America’s
Disaster Relief Fund for Post-Secondary Education and
other organizations responding to the disaster. We also
matched the contributions of financial aid professionals from
across the country.