Coponiti Honored for Service
Laura Coponiti, assistant director of financial aid at USAO, recently received statewide recognition for her work in the profession of financial aid with the OASFAA Distinguished Service Award.
Coponiti was honored during the Spring Conference of the Oklahoma Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Andrew Hammontree, president of OASFAA, presented the award.
The award is intended to recognize a practicing student financial aid professional at an institution. The recipient should have contributed unique and long-lasting efforts to the association, the profession or to the cause of financial aid in Oklahoma.
Coponiti has served OASFAA as president, treasurer and has chaired several committees. She also has been active in regional and national financial aid associations. In 2004, she received the Philo Bratcher Award and a scholarship to attend the Southwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Conference. She also received a $500 scholarship to give to a USAO student. The Philo Bratcher award is presented by SWASFAA to those people exhibiting outstanding leadership within financial aid.
Coponiti is a 1996 graduate of USAO. She joined the staff in 1992 as the food services secretary. She moved to the financial aid office in 1995. She is an active member of the USAO Staff Association -- serving on the council and as chair. She also has participated on the USAO Relay for Life team and has received the Staff Achievement Award several times.