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Institute for Higher Education Policy’s Alisa F. Cunningham Honored with Prestigious “Student Financial Aid” Award

Washington, D.C., July 21, 2010—Acclaimed higher education researcher Alisa Federico Cunningham, Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) vice president of research and programs, has been named the 2010 Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award recipient. The annual award was presented by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) to Cunningham for her contributions to literature on student financial aid. Joining Cunningham in being honored is Lauren Asher, president of The Institute for College Access & Success.

Cunningham is a higher education expert who is well versed in various issues related to disadvantaged student populations. Her experience in policy research and analysis includes both domestic and international fields. At IHEP, Cunningham oversees all of the organization’s research studies and project evaluations, while working closely with the president (Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D.) to ensure all these efforts are integrated with IHEP’s mission and goals.

“I was very honored to receive this award, and have enjoyed working with NASFAA over the years,” said Cunningham. “The award is a reflection of the importance of conducting policy research that informs public discussion on financial aid issues, and I look forward to continue this work in the future.”

Nominees for the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award are judged on the basis of published work that exemplifies the highest quality of research methodology, analysis, or topical writing on the subject of student financial aid or its administration. The national chairman selects the recipient with consideration given to nominations submitted by the NASFAA Research Committee and the editorial board of the Journal of Student Financial Aid.

The award is named in honor of Bob Huff, former director of financial aid at Stanford University and himself an outstanding contributor to the scholarly literature on student aid. Huff received the first award in 1984. Other past recipients include Sandy Baum (1996), professor emerita of economics, Skidmore College and senior policy analyst, College Board; Jamie P. Merisotis (2002), president, Lumina Foundation for Education; Michael S. McPherson (1999), president, Spencer Foundation; and Thomas G. Mortenson (1990), senior scholar, The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education.

For more information about the Robert P. Huff Golden Quill Award, visit NASFAA’s Web site at www.nasfaa.org. To learn more about IHEP, visit the organization’s Web site at www.ihep.org.

The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) is an independent, nonprofit organization that is dedicated to increasing access and success in postsecondary education around the world. Established in 1993, the Washington, D.C.-based organization uses unique research and innovative programs to inform key decision makers who shape public policy and support economic and social development. IHEP’s web site, www.Ihep.org, features an expansive collection of higher education information available free of charge and provides access to some of the most respected professionals in the fields of public policy and research.

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