Sallie Mae 2002 Annual Report Download - page 11

9
al l in t he famil y
Higher education—made possible by student loans—is a family affair for
the Fickes of Connecticut.
The academic connection was born 20-plus years ago when John Ficke met
his wife, Jean, while attending college in Vermont. “We understood back then that
college was key to putting us on a path to a more promising future,” John says.
Through hard work and the help of Sallie Mae loans, John, Jean and their
two sons are fulfilling their dreams, reaping the personal and professional
benefits stemming from a college education. John completed his MBA last
year at the University of New Haven; Jean recently returned to the classroom for
her master’s in education from Cambridge College. The Fickes’ two sons, Thomas
and Shawn, also are part of the family’s higher education journey, using Sallie
Mae PLUS Loans to attend the University of Connecticut.
“Education is something my wife and I feel strongly about,” says John.
“We’ve always told our sons that a high school diploma is a stepping stone to the
education they need in life, and that college was a necessity—something which
we both wanted for them.”
The Ficke family’s passion for education did not end on campus.
Today, John Ficke is director of transportation for EDUCATION CONNECTION,
a non-profit educational agency in Litchfield, Connecticut, that provides a variety
of social services and support programs for 33 school districts and their com-
munities in western Connecticut. Jean Ficke works as a special education teacher.
Both credit their college experiences for helping to further their careers.
“Through the example my wife and I have set, our sons see the value of
college and the priority we place on it. They know that if they want success in life,
they must work hard for it. College opens doors of opportunity, and Sallie Mae
opens doors to college,” John says.
1997
Sallie Mae shareholders elect
Committee to Restore Value
nominees to serve on SLM
Holding Corporation Board
of Directors and replace
executive management team.
199 8
SLM Financial is created as a wholly
owned Sallie Mae subsidiary, specializing
in education loans for lifelong learners ,
mortgage loans and consumer loans .
199 9
Sallie Mae acquires
Nellie Mae, jump-starting
the company’s loan
origination franchise.
Pictured above are John and Jean Ficke in
1982 with son Shawn. Pictured at left are
John and Jean today with sons Thomas
(front) and Shawn.
“College opens doors
of opportunity, and
Sallie Mae opens
doors to college.”
JOHN FICKE