This year’s recipient‘s career began in Admissions in 1978 as an Admission counselor moving on to Assistant Director of Admission, and then to Director. Along the way there were a number of years spent as the Director of International Admission. This position allowed for extensive travel and as one could expect many a story to share. Like the time lost luggage in Asia required custom made clothing due to the impossible task of buying clothes and shoes off the rack for a tall person in Asia.  Co-workers at Heidelberg remember this individual not only as staff members but also as a student working toward their degree. A graduate of Norwalk High School, she would commute to Tiffin from Norwalk on her motorcycle. The real challenge was trying to find a helmet to fit all her long hair and to keep her tube top in place! 

After spending a little over ten years in Admissions at Heidelberg, our recipient accepted a position as Coordinator of Financial Aid and saw promotions within the financial aid office where she now serves as Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. Along the way she acquired a Masters of Educational Technology. Since the start of her career in financial aid, this person has been an active and contributing member of OASFAA. Putting the technology knowledge to good use, she was instrumental in getting OASFAA’s membership on line when she held the position of membership chair. Brian Paskvan, a past OASFAA President, remembers her as a collaborative, positive and passionate about Education.  In 1997-98 she was elected as the North West Regional Rep and wore that title well.
 This person has built a strong connection to North West Ohio. Her community outreach in the region is remarkable. She has networked relationships with donors, guidance counselors, principles, families and most importantly students. She put that networking skill to good use as the first OASFAA co-chair for the College Goal Sunday Corporate Support committee. She has also been instrumental in the development committee at her institution.

In the office, she is an innovator and no where is that more evident then in her creation of an on-line scholarship database. The database process streamed-lined the scholarship process and was user friendly so it benefited her students and was cost effective for the institution. This year’s recipient is always thinking outside the box and is technologically saavy.  But above all students come first. She personalizes her relationship with her students and knows them all by name. At any given time, she can provide you a brief biography on any student walking by on her campus.  Her daughter reports that the over 11 financial aid nights she conducts sometimes follow her home where she is very happy and willing to take phone calls from parents who need her advice to complete their application.  She has also organized one of the largest OASFAA College Goal Sunday sites for the last three years. When publicizing this event was discussed, she had practical and common sense ideas on reaching the students and families in her community. She knew what would work and more importantly who to call. Her work with Taking the Next Steps and Financial Aid Workshops have gained her the Dean’s Special Recognition Award from her institution.

While her work can be very time consuming, she is a devoted wife and mother to husband King and children Kelsey, 18 and Kale, 15 attending every football, basketball, volleyball and baseball game.   She is constantly there on the side line for her children being as supportive as she can and is also known to be quiet loud when the calls are made wrong.  For four years now she has been an active member with the Edison High School Athletic Boosters and will take on the position as Treasurer in the fall.  Many years ago she was also the Milan Elementary PTO President where she finally stepped down after years of success.  She has attended every field trip whether or not it was approved by her children.  Her English major has given her the role of  reader and editor for all the reports her children, nieces, nephews and friends ever wrote.

On the weekends when she is not seen at a baseball tournament she enjoys walking her Airedale Terrier or cuddling with her two cats asleep on the couch.  On Sundays she teaches Sunday School to third graders, enjoys yelling at the Browns on tv and playing bingo at the high school with her mom and sister.

A member of her staff at BGSU Firelands shared “I have had the pleasure of working with Deb for the last 7 years.  She is wonderful to work with.  I have never seen anyone with such dedication and drive.  She is always striving for the best from herself as well as others.  She gives endlessly to her family, her job and the students she serves, which I admire greatly.  Her ability to balance it all is amazing.  Deb has always been there for me as a boss and a friend.  I feel truly blessed to know her.”

A colleaque of 15 years shared “I find her personable, passionate and professional. She is someone who would go out on a limb for you and help in any way whether it’s personal or work-related. She is a team player with students as her primary focus”

Her hard work building constituency relationships across a broad spectrum provides a personal and family approach towards recruiting students and delivering financial aid to them. She believes in herself, her organization, her students, her community and her ethical values. DebraLee Divers is a dynamic and valued contributor to the financial aid profession, her community and most importantly the students she serves. Please join me and congratulating this years’s James White Award recipient and the The Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at BGSU – Firelands   Debra Lee Divers.

2006 James W. White Award Recipient - Geraldine Parker-Thrower
The James W. White Award honors James White, Director of Financial Aid at Oberlin College, when he retired in 1990. The award, first presented at Spring Conference 1991, is given annually to a member of OASFAA who exemplifies the dedication to students, to the aid community, and to the recipient's local community - qualities that were so evident in Jim's career as a financial aid professional. Anyone who knows James, or most recently heard him speak at our 35th anniversary with the rest of our past-presidents, has witnessed his passion for putting students first. He often accentuated his points with his waiving finger, one trait his that I will always remember.

The recipient of this award is chosen each year by the president, and this was an especially difficult choice for me. In weighing my decision, I called some colleagues for advice - one of which told me, that when I reviewed my choices, I would just know the right person to choose. When I came across the name of the person that I have chosen, there was no doubt in my mind that she is the right choice. This year's recipient will always be remembered by many for her contagious smile and laughter. It is that smile and laughter that she brought to her aid office, students, and to all OASFAA programs and events in which she participated over the past 25 years. Although it is traditional to leave the recipient's name to the end of this presentation, I am going to change things a bit this year by telling you that this year's recipient is Geraldine Parker-Thrower. As you all know per the OASFAA listserve this past fall, Geraldine was in fatal car accident on her way to work one morning.

Geraldine worked in the Financial Aid Office at Lakeland Community College and has been a part of the profession and member of OASFAA since 1980. During those years, she worked on various college committees such as the Lakeland Staff Association, the diversity committee, the fund-raising committee, employee of the semester committee, and Lakeland's Financial Aid Awareness Week. As far as OASFAA is concerned, Geraldine served as Lakeland's site coordinator for College Goal Sunday, as well as hosting many workshops and Northeast regional meetings at Lakeland over the years.

Geraldine was married for thirty years and has one son and three grandchildren. She has four siblings, two sisters and two brothers. In addition to working in financial aid, Geraldine was also very involved with her church. Per her mother, Geraldine loved to cook. Her mom also said that "no one ever had to worry about anything when Geraldine was alive; she took care of everyone and everything."

As soon as news of Geraldine's death was known, the Lakeland Community College office began to receive many calls and e-mails of condolences. I too, received numerous e-mails from association members remembering Geraldine's smile and positive attitude. In a tribute to Geraldine, Melissa Amspaugh, the Director at Lakeland and a co-worker of Geraldine's for 18 years wrote the following:

"I worked with Geraldine Parker-Thrower in the Financial Aid Office for 18 years. Those of you who knew her or those of you who even just looked at Geraldine, knew about her contagious laugh. Having heard that laugh for the past 18 years it's no wonder why it is greatly missed in our office. Geraldine was friendly to everyone. Her philosophy for helping students was simple. If a student needed help she helped them. Regardless of their gender, age, race, or ethnic background, Geraldine was always willing to help them as best she could.

"She will always be a part of our office and her memory will live on as well as her desire to help students through the memorial scholarship that is being established in her name.

"Geraldine was a good friend to a lot of people. I hope each of you can learn from her attitude towards helping students and also learn that laughing is a good thing and we really should do it more often."

These words from her co-worker and good friend exemplify exactly what the James White Award stands for.

Accepting the award for Geraldine Parker-Thrower is her mother and for the traveling plaque, which lists all of the James White award winners, Melissa Amspaugh from Lakeland Community College.

“The James W. White Award honors Jim White, Director of Financial Aid at Oberlin College when he retired in 1990. The award, first presented at the 1991 spring conference, is given annually to a member of OASFAA who exemplifies dedication to students, the greater financial aid community, and the recipient’s local community. Recipients of the award possess many of the same qualities that were so evident in Jim’s career as a student financial aid professional.”

Several minutes were then spent explaining to those gathered the sole responsibility given to the president in selection of this award recipient and precisely what the award means. Mark shared, to the surprise of many, that he does not personally know Mr. White and therefore relied on his knowledge of previous recipients and their examples for exactly what type of person should be recognized. One of Mark’s first OASFAA memories is of Arman Habegger’s speech at the Spring 2000 conference when Don Chenelle was given the White Award. The example of both of these White Award recipients tells us all a lot about the quality and character of a White Awardee. Lawrence and Louise Matthews were invited to stand and be recognized for Lawrence’s many OASFAA labors resulting in his selection as the 2004 White Award recipient and for Louise’s support, as his spouse, of the many hours he has put into OASFAA. Mark attempted to summarize his feelings by stating that a White Award recipient is someone who is a leader in OASFAA who consistently serves students and colleagues and also spends large amounts of time volunteering in their home community.

Following that introduction, laughter was drawn when it was confessed that a bit of dishonesty was needed to secure biographical information about the recipient while preserving the needed selection secrecy. Since this exchange of information was done via e-mail, those gathered first learned that in the message with which the needed resume was attached, the unknowing recipient noted, “I don’t include (in the resume) side things I do for fundraisers and minor volunteer duties, just the biggies.” What a perfect quote from someone receiving this award! One who is so involved that a resume doesn’t even warrant inclusion of all activities is truly a perfect choice. The audience learned that this person has worked in financial aid at four universities and one guarantee agency and is on on-going member of NASFAA, MASFAA and OASFAA. Outside of financial aid professional associations, the resume includes:

• 2000 – Toledo Leprechauns volunteer soccer coach (4 & 5 year old division)
• 1999/00 – National Mapping-Your-Future Promotion Team
• Veterans Homeless Volunteer
• WGTE Channel 30 Auction volunteer
• On-going member of Toledo’s Spanish American Organization
• 1997 – Recipient of Urban All-American Award presented by Central Cities Ministries of Toledo
• 2003/02 – Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) start-up team member
• 2002 – Worked with Senator Mike DeWine’s office in re-drafting educational savings plan legislation that would better serve and assist Ohio families with college education expenses
• 2003/02/01 – Member of Toledo Central Catholic Irish Open Golf committee
• 2004 – Diamante Nominee - recognizes outstanding Latino’s for community service
• 2005/04/03/02 – Member of Sylvania C.I.C. Scholarship Committee
• 2005/04 – “Think College Now” Chair for Last Dollar Scholarship Committee; member of Fundraising Committee
• 2005/04 – Ex-Facto Board of Trustees Member of Northwest Ohio’s College Access Program, “Think College Now”
• 2005 – Adelante Humanitarian Nominee which recognizes outstanding Latino’s for humanitarian work
• 2005/04/03/02 – Board of Trustees Member of Scholarship Fund, Incorporated founded by John Meyer in 1954
• 2005/04/03 – Volunteer for Lourdes College Golf Committee
• 2005/04/03 – Lourdes College Staff Council Secretary and Directors Chair - nominated by peers

Financial aid association work includes:

• 1998 – OASFAA High School Guidance Counselor volunteer presenter
• 1999/98/97 – Member of OASFAA Associate and Outreach Committees
• 1999 – OASFAA Outreach High School Guidance Counselor Chair
• 2001/00 – OASFAA Northwest Regional Representative
• 2002/01 – NASFAA trainer for the State of Ohio
• 2002/01 – OASFAA Federal Issues Committee Co-Chair
• 2003/02 – Northwest Ohio team lead for OASFAA’s first ever College Goal Sunday efforts
• 2005 to 1996 – Conducted approximately 20 yearly financial aid night presentations on behalf of employers and OASFAA
• 2005/04 – OASFAA College Goal Sunday Committee Co-Chair

The long standing ovation and numerous comments received after the session concluded leave no doubt that the selection of Gregory A. Guzmán of Lourdes College as the 2005 James W. White Award recipient was extremely well received. Congratulations Greg!!!