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by Jason Nemcosky '07
Mrs. Deanie Hickman, the director of financial aid, is retiring after 25 years at Virginia Wesleyan College. Hickman, who has been with the office of financial aid for all 25 years, will retire from her position on Dec. 31.
Hickman first arrived at Virginia Wesleyan in August of 1981. Her first position was as a financial aid secretary.
"I assisted the director of financial aid," Hickman said. "I learned the financial aid business from there."
The structure of the office was very different than it is today. The financial aid office was part of the admissions office, and they were located in Hofheimer Libary.
Today, Hickman’s job as director covers all aspects of financial aid and the awarding of that aid to students. Among those tasks, she is responsible for awarding financial aid packages, preparing the award letters and checking to see if Wesleyan's financial aid matches the federal requirements. This is a very large task, considering just how many students receive aid of some sort.
"We have over 90% of students receiving some form of financial aid," Hickman said. "The percentage has increased over the years. All of that is generated through this office."
Hickman has helped countless students over the years, and has had many great experiences while working at the College.
"Overall, it has been a wonderful experience," she said. "I've worked with many wonderful people, and made some good friends here."
Hickman has also enjoyed the benefits of working at an education facility, including taking advantage of the educational experiences and events on campus.
"The environment [at Wesleyan] is quite different than in other industries," Hickman said. "We are small and family-like."
Once Hickman retires, she still plans to stay busy. Her husband is going to retire as well, and they are going to "take it slow."
"We're going to have the opportunity to visit our children and grandchildren who live in other states," Hickman said.
However, she is not going away from Wesleyan after her retirement. She will still be able to be spotted at various campus events, including athletic competitions and the various events at the Batten Center.
"I'm not abandoning the school by any means!" Hickman said.
With 25 years of experience at Wesleyan behind her, Hickman has one word to describe her time: "Perfect," she said. "It's been perfect. A perfect match for me."