A new student financial aid advisor, she "has been honored for her commitment to service excellence in her role," according to a news release from the school.

Whalen works as the first financial aid resource for incoming freshman.

"Her 'ability to put families at ease during this stressful time is unmatched.' Her supervisor often receives emails and phone calls from prospective parents, expressing 'how lucky Clarkson University is to have Ashlee' on the team. In all that she does, Ashlee is 'another example of why Clarkson University is such a remarkable place.' In addition to her care for the prospective families coming to the institution, Ashlee is 'always taking steps to learn new things' and stay updated in her areas of expertise. By doing so she is always looking for ways to improve processes and procedures to make her co-workers’, and those applying to Clarkson, experience the best it can be," the release says her co-workers said when nominating her for the award.