Loretta Jackson
BENDER OF TWIGS INDUCTEE 2019
Ms. Loretta Jackson is as ornery as they come. This statement might be surprising
for celebrating a long tenure with the Office of Financial Aid, but not one person
on the team would deny this as truth. Loretta has been the life of the office since
she began her employment at WSU in the position of Office Assistant II in 1993. Although
her primary role back then was to answer phone calls and assist students with general
financial information, she was also the resident comedian and practical joker. Her
dry sense of humor and contagious laugh can make anyone, especially students, feel
at ease. Although quite cantankerous, Loretta is also as kind as they come. She genuinely
cares about her colleagues and our students, and equity and access are paramount in
her approach to delivering outstanding service.
Loretta is an ideal role model for our adult learner and understands their struggles and challenges, which she herself experienced when she earned her Bachelor’s degree at WSU in 2005 while working full-time. She was promoted to Office Assistant III during that time and took on the additional duties of record keeping of federal work-study balances, completing financial aid transcripts, and assisting with maintaining Pell Grant application and payment records. As Loretta increased her financial aid knowledge and skills, she continued to receive promotions and moved from Office Assistant IV/Senior Administrative Specialist to Financial Aid Counselor for Veterans Services, and then most recently to Program Specialist. In her current role she has oversight over several programs which are critical for maintaining compliance; satisfactory academic progress, professional judgement, independent status requests, budget adjustments, and summer awarding are just a few examples of her areas of expertise.
One instance that best demonstrates Loretta’s impact on students is of a student she assisted a few years ago. Upon meeting with Loretta the student wrote “Loretta banished any nervous felling I had. She was helpful, insightful and restored a mustard seed of faith, for me, in your institution. I am beyond amazed at the wonderful nature and attitude this woman had for my specific case. I can honestly say, that speaking with Loretta has opened my eyes that not everyone at WSU is cruel or negative. She is truly a treasure and I hope that you keep her in you employment for many years to come.” This is just one of the many examples of Loretta’s friendly and caring manner. She has a natural way of creating rapport with students, even when there are some tough conversations that warrant aid probation or suspension. Her genuine concern for their well-being and success shines through and she quickly establishes lasting connections with them.
The Office of Financial Aid is fortunate to have Loretta as a member of our Financial Aid team and congratulate her on reaching this milestone accomplishment.
Sheelu Surender
Director
Office of Financial Aid
SME: SP/SRAP
Updated: 11/25/2019 SRAP