Aurora, NY The Wells College Association for Alumnae and Alumni has selected Christin L. Schaaf '99 for the 2017 Young Alumni Award for Outstanding Achievement. The honor recognizes Schaaf's professional successes and demonstrated commitment and connection to Wells. The award will be formally given at a dinner and ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, October 14, in the Art Exhibit Room of Macmillan Hall.

As a Senior Compliance Manager with Ameriprise Financial, Schaaf oversees training for the firm's advisors and 35,000 employees in the United States and India. Her responsibilities include assuring compliance with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's annual "Firm Element" training requirements as well as preparing to implement new Department of Labor rules for four of the firm's broker-dealers. In 2015, Schaaf was an Ameriprise Chairman's Award for Excellence honoree.

Schaaf has also spent countless volunteer hours volunteering on behalf of Wells. She has sponsored student interns, spoken with the campus community at career development panels, kept up with her classmates as class reunion chair and class fundraising chair, served on the WCA Board and is currently the Vice President for Reunion. She is based in Minneapolis, where she serves as president of the Wells Club of Minnesota.

"Christin exemplifies what a powerful impact a Wells education has on you. She is a successful, award-winning, and sought-after training manager, and her passion and dedication to Wells and the Wells community is inspiring and commendable," said Amy Cerand McNaughton '86, President of the Wells College Alumnae and Alumni Association. "She knew before graduating from Wells how important alumni involvement is for the college and for its students, and has mentored countless students and alumni."

Since the award's establishment in 2014, the WCA has given each honor in the name of another alumna who came before. This year we recognize Janet Taylor Reiche '52. Reiche is an effective leader and exemplary volunteer. She has actively served Wells since graduation in various capacities such as President of the WCA, committee roles in every campaign since the 1980s, and as a leader of her class. In 1989, Reiche was the first woman and the first alumna to be named Chair of the Wells College Board of Trustees. She received the Alumnae Award in 1996 for "service to Wells and Community," and remains a dedicated, active volunteer to this day.

Reiche will present Schaaf's award in person at the alumni dinner during Fall Weekend.

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