Boston . . . American Student Assistance^®, the federal student loan guarantor with proven default prevention results, is proud to announce the speaker lineup for its 23rd annual symposium this June in Boston.

Confirmed speakers include:

• — Zenobia L. Hikes, Vice President for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech, whose composure and eloquence helped soothe a campus overwhelmed by grief in the wake of last year's senseless act of violence
• — Geoffrey Canada, acclaimed author of Reaching Up for Manhood: Transforming the Lives of Boys in America, and also President/CEO of the Harlem Children's Zone, a non-profit, community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for children and families in New York City's most devastated neighborhoods
• — Gary Heil, author, educator, lawyer, consultant, coach, lecturer, and co-founder of The Center for Innovative Leadership, whose mission is to help leaders rethink the human side of their organizations
• — John Wood, author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World and founder of Room to Read, a non-profit organization that has sponsored the opening of more than 280 schools and 3,600 multilingual libraries around the world
• — Pensal McCray, founder of the Ethnic College Counseling Center, which has helped more than 1,800 minority students find scholarships to schools ranging from Morehouse College to Yale University
• — Eric Liu, author of the best-selling book Guiding Lights: The People Who Lead Us Toward Our Purpose in Life

This year's ASA symposium, "Building Futures, Measuring Success," will focus on the positive stories happening across the country in college access, retention and ultimate student success. Roundtable discussion topics will include best practices in leadership and mentoring, as well as how to measure results of implemented programs. The popular Student Panel from past ASA symposiums will also return.

The ASA symposium is open to all higher education administrators and student loan participants. Online registration for the event, which takes place at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center June 15-17, is now available at www.amsa.com. Hotel accommodations can be arranged through the Westin Boston Waterfront by calling 888.627.7115. Reservations made before May 16 will have a discounted rate of $199 per night.

About American Student Assistance

American Student Assistance is a private, federally funded, nonprofit organization that helps students and parents manage higher education debt. Its unique Wellness programs give student loan borrowers the support they need to avoid default. Incorporated in 1956, ASA was the nation’s first private student loan guarantee agency and a model for the federal student loan program. As an administrator of the Federal Family Education Loan Program, ASA delivers quality default prevention, guarantee, origination and fund delivery services to students, parents, schools and lenders nationwide. ASA guarantees more than $2 billion in student loans annually and currently manages a student loan portfolio worth more than $45 billion. Based in Boston, American Student Assistance employs more than 700 associates nationwide and has been recognized by the Boston Business Journal and the Boston Globe as one of the region’s best places to work. Visit www.amsa.com or call 617.728.4631 for more information.