HR1502 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1502 LRB094 21971 KXB 60470 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka became Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission in July 1980, making him our State's longest-serving agency director; and

WHEREAS, A Missouri native, Larry E. Matejka began his journey in higher education by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Evangel College and Master of Arts degree from Michigan State University; and

WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka has served Illinois college students at the campus level as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Director of Financial Aid at the University of Illinois in Urbana and as Director of Financial Aid at Illinois State University; and

WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka is a past President of the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA) and National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs (NCHELP), the only person ever to be re-elected to that post; and

WHEREAS, Under Larry E. Matejka's leadership, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission has become a national leader in making college affordable with the Monetary Award Program (MAP), through which 3.1 million Illinois students have been awarded $5.7 billion during his tenure; and

WHEREAS, A diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan Larry E. Matejka has announced his retirement after a 26-year run, a period of service that rivals Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken, Jr.; and

WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka is a nationally-recognized advocate of simplifying the student financial aid process and eliminating application fees to make college more accessible and has played a vital role in the development of nearly every federal and State grant and loan program from which a typical Illinois college student can benefit; and

WHEREAS, As ISAC Executive Director, Larry E. Matejka is retiring partly because, having testified before more congressional and State legislative committees than he can remember, the possibility exists that he could be quoting himself; and

WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka, who has been at the helm of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for more than half of its 50-year existence, is living proof that one person can truly make a difference, and he has done so with intellect, grace, and humor; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Larry Matejka on his retirement as Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Larry Matejka.