Congratulations to Jackie Cymek, this year’s recipient of the Marilyn Brown Professional Excellence Award. Here is the letter sent to Mr. Brown recognizing this outstanding professional.

Dear Mr. Brown,

On behalf of the Delaware-District of Columbia-Maryland Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (DE-DC-MD ASFAA), it is our pleasure to announce the 2007 recipient of the Marilyn Brown Professional Excellence Award, Mrs. Jacqueline T. Cymek.

Jackie is the Veterans Certifying Official at the Community College of Baltimore County, Essex Campus. Her primary duties include counseling veteran students about their benefits and other financial aid eligibility. She works tirelessly for her students and they reap those benefits on a daily basis. For example, a new state scholarship became available for Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans this past year. A group of veterans did not get this scholarship because of a problem with the National Guard letters of service. The letter did not give specific dates that Maryland Higher Education Corporation (MHEC) would use to determine eligibility for this scholarship even though the student did serve during those conflicts. Jackie caught this glitch and after numerous calls to the State and the National Guard, MHEC came up with a solution to allow these students to be eligible and receive this funding. This is one of many examples of how Jackie goes "above and beyond" the call of duty for her students.

Thank you for your continued support of our profession.

Sincerely,

DEDCMDASFAA, Inc.