Santa Clara University appoints Nancy Merz as Dean of University Financial Aid Services
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 5, 2016 — Santa Clara University announced the appointment of Nancy Merz as Dean of University Financial Aid Services.
She will succeed Richard Toomey, who retired from his role as dean after 40 years in the position.
Merz comes to SCU from Loyola University Chicago, where she served as director of financial aid, and brings 15 years of experience in financial aid services.
“We are very happy to have Nancy join Santa Clara in the Enrollment Management Division to head up the financial aid office,” said Mike Sexton, Vice President of Enrollment Management. “Her knowledge of financial aid services and experience with Jesuit higher education will be tremendous assets to our campus and community.”
As financial aid director, Merz will oversee the office that serves more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate aid recipients on the Mission campus, disbursing approximately $166 million in grants, scholarships and loans to all units of the University.
Merz got started in the profession in the office of financial aid at Peru State College, Nebraska, her alma mater. Her career path in student aid then took her to Kansas State University and then as a student loan account manager at Commerce Bank. She then became director of financial aid at Avila University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City and, most recently, Loyola University Chicago.
“I look forward to becoming a part of the Santa Clara University community and contributing by providing outstanding customer service to students,” said Merz. “Santa Clara University’s commitment to diversity and the Jesuit ideals of educating the whole person resonate with me.”
On a recent flight to California, Merz happened to be seated next to two SCU alumni who told her about how much they enjoyed their time at Santa Clara University. “Everywhere I go, I ask people about their college experience. I love to watch students grow in their four years of college and treasure knowing that I may have played a small part in the success of the students.”
Merz has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management and a Master of Science in Organizational Management, both from Peru State College.
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 9,000 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering; master’s degrees in business, education, counseling psychology, pastoral ministry, and theology; and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.
