Sterling Education Finance is an innovative, national education finance provider dedicated to the larger mission of ensuring access to higher education. Our product suite is designed to offer financing solutions for every college or university based on the institution’s unique needs as well as the needs of the students and families they serve.  We have a select group of origination, funding and servicing partners and all of our products are fully supported by our team of industry veterans.

In these challenging times, it is imperative that both financial aid professionals and students alike have partners they can trust to support them now and for years to come. While dozens of lenders and alternative finance providers were exiting the business in recent months, the founders of Sterling came together to fill the growing void. Because our commitment to education lending is about more than profitability forecasts and returns on investment, you can be confident in our willingness and ability to survive the current and future market disruptions.

Patricia Cook, President and Chief Sales Office

Pat has over 20 years in student lending and has served in a variety of management roles, most recently directing the Graduate and Professional Group at Student Loan Xpress, a division of CIT. Pat also contributed to the success of national student loan providers Chase, Sallie Mae and American Express Educational Loans. An accomplished and results-oriented senior sales and marketing executive, Pat possesses extensive sales management and product management experience. She is known for being extremely creative and innovative in her approach to sales and has a proven record of delivering strong operating and financial results. With a background in all areas of sales, operations, product and sales management, government relations and policy analysis and a passion for higher education financing, Pat is the ideal candidate to lead the industry’s newest and most innovative education finance and marketing company. Pat is a native of New York, and currently resides part time in St Pete Beach, FL and the remainder of the year in Asheville, NC. Pat holds a BS from New York Institute of Technology. Pat can be reached via email at pcook@sefloans.org or via phone at 828-335-1092.