The University of Wyoming welcomes the new Financial Aid Director Debra Hintz, from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, who began her tenure on Monday.
“What I think in particular was exciting about Debra was the fact that she has more than 25 years’ experience in a manager role in financial aid,” Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Kyle Moore said. “She has worked in both public and private sector higher education and in each of her roles she progressed through an increasing responsibility of oversight and responsibility.”
Moore and a panel of administrators interviewed candidates for the position as former Financial Aid director, Cathy Bobbit, made plans for retirement. Using an outside search firm, the university was able to review applicants from around the country.
“There was a recommendation given to the Provost and AVP and they made the decision,” Carrie Gose, Interim Director of Financial Aid, said. Gose sat in on several candidates’ interviews and will assist Hintz in transitioning.
Hintz heard about the position via a newsletter from the National Association of State Facilities Administrators. The position appealed to her because of UW’s dedication to students and inexpensive tuition.
“Number one, the fact that it’s a public institution, the cost is going to be more reasonable than private schools,” Hintz said. “I realize that cost is cost and its expensive for many, but compared to a private school, its considerably less. That means in terms of helping students find resources to pay for school you don’t have as big of a gap. Many of the students where I came from needed to borrow private loans on top of any federal loans and that’s expensive.”
Laramie was another reason the position interested Hintz.
“I was looking to be in a somewhat of what I consider to be a big town,” Hintz said. “I’ve been through here before many times, came on vacation, things like that and found Wyoming to be very friendly and very appealing.”
Hintz will be responsible for the entire office, making sure the department stays on top of federal, state and institutional responsibilities. Part of the new initiative Hintz will be focusing on are ways to streamline and make the financial process better for students.
“The emphasis is really a little bit more on recruiting and marketing the institution to increase enrollment, not by huge numbers, but to make us a little bit more competitive that way,” Hintz said.
