HR1502 LRB094 21971 KXB 60470 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka became Executive Director of the
3 Illinois Student Assistance Commission in July 1980, making him
4 our State's longest-serving agency director; and
 
5     WHEREAS, A Missouri native, Larry E. Matejka began his
6 journey in higher education by earning a Bachelor of Arts
7 degree from Evangel College and Master of Arts degree from
8 Michigan State University; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka has served Illinois college
10 students at the campus level as Assistant Vice Chancellor for
11 Student Affairs and Director of Financial Aid at the University
12 of Illinois in Urbana and as Director of Financial Aid at
13 Illinois State University; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka is a past President of the
15 Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
16 (ILASFAA) and National Council of Higher Education Loan
17 Programs (NCHELP), the only person ever to be re-elected to
18 that post; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Under Larry E. Matejka's leadership, the Illinois
20 Student Assistance Commission has become a national leader in
21 making college affordable with the Monetary Award Program
22 (MAP), through which 3.1 million Illinois students have been
23 awarded $5.7 billion during his tenure; and
 
24     WHEREAS, A diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan Larry E. Matejka
25 has announced his retirement after a 26-year run, a period of
26 service that rivals Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken, Jr.; and
 
27     WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka is a nationally-recognized
28 advocate of simplifying the student financial aid process and
29 eliminating application fees to make college more accessible

 

 

HR1502 - 2 - LRB094 21971 KXB 60470 r

1 and has played a vital role in the development of nearly every
2 federal and State grant and loan program from which a typical
3 Illinois college student can benefit; and
 
4     WHEREAS, As ISAC Executive Director, Larry E. Matejka is
5 retiring partly because, having testified before more
6 congressional and State legislative committees than he can
7 remember, the possibility exists that he could be quoting
8 himself; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Larry E. Matejka, who has been at the helm of the
10 Illinois Student Assistance Commission for more than half of
11 its 50-year existence, is living proof that one person can
12 truly make a difference, and he has done so with intellect,
13 grace, and humor; therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16 we congratulate Larry Matejka on his retirement as Executive
17 Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission; and be
18 it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to Larry Matejka.