After stepping up to head the Student Financial Services office in an interim capacity, Joy Scourey was chosen to lead the team as its new assistant vice president.
“I was very grateful for the opportunity to serve in an interim capacity after being prepared to take on more responsibility within the office with wonderful mentorship from Brian (Dixon) and the support of my colleagues,” Scourey said. “Now, I’m looking forward to continuing our team’s important work with the success of our students first-and-foremost on our minds.”
Scourey is a Pullman native who initially sought post-secondary opportunities away from her hometown. A few years later, the first-generation student was drawn back to Pullman and graduated WSU in 1985. She started her career in financial aid working in athletic financial compliance and began serving as senior associate director of Student Financial Services in 2012. Her role as interim assistant vice president began in February 2021.
“I’ve found that there are so many challenges, but I love the opportunity to evolve and see what can be improved,” Scourey said. “It can be stressful, but I have a wonderful staff that thrives on streamlining processes, developing better policies, and fostering good relationships with our campus partners.”
Scourey’s willingness to step up in a time of need and the steady hand she brings to the position make her a valued leader at WSU, said Saichi Oba, vice provost for Enrollment Management.
“Joy didn’t just keep the ship afloat, she took on the challenges brought on by the pandemic and ably guided SFS for the last year,” Oba said. “Her office distributed tens of millions of dollars in federal support to our students with no new people and everybody I spoke with was unanimous in their praise and support.”
Another department within Enrollment Management – New Student Programs – also has a new leader.
Vic Rodriguez, who came to WSU as an assistant director in April 2021, is leading New Student Programs as its interim director. He brings more than 25 years of higher education experience, much of it in spent in Eastern Washington.
“It’s exciting to take on this responsibility,” Rodriguez said. “Being so new to the institution, I’ve been very grateful to have so many people who are eager to help and work with us.”
In the coming months, Rodriguez and his team will be focused on developing strong foundations for core orientation events for first-year and transfer students. Lessons learned during the pandemic, particularly related to the use of technology, will be incorporated into programs that will be in-person for the first time in two years.
Rodriguez’s experiences prior to arriving at WSU put him in a solid position to lead New Student Programs, Oba said. “He’s a great listener that will provide a steady hand for New Student Programs as we look for ways to continue to support the program,” Oba said.
