Zachary Goodwin has been named assistant vice president of student financial aid, Acting Provost Sarah Feldner announced today. He will begin in his new role Monday, Jan. 6, reporting to Brian Troyer, vice president of enrollment management.
Goodwin brings 25 years of leadership experience in higher education, most recently serving as the executive director of financial aid and scholarships and financial literacy and wellness at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zack to the Marquette community,” Acting Provost Feldner said. “This is a critical period in higher education as universities face increasing economic and demographic pressures. Zack possesses the experience and skills to leverage financial aid modeling to attract, support and retain our students.”
“I am excited to join the Marquette team,” Goodwin said. “Their commitment to the university’s mission, each other, and – most importantly – students, make it a good fit for me. Especially in uncertain times like these, we truly see how service to students is at the core of what enrollment professionals do. This ensures success for both students and the university, and I can’t wait to work with my new colleagues to continue and build upon all they do to help make a Marquette education accessible.”
The assistant vice president of student financial aid oversees the offices of Student Financial Aid, Student Employment and Marquette Central. In this role, Goodwin will partner closely with colleagues, overseeing all aspects of financial aid and enrollment services for undergraduate and graduate/professional students while ensuring compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations.
At UNLV, Goodwin led a team of 35 in developing strategies to increase grant and scholarship aid to high-need and marginalized students. He contributed to enrollment increases of 5% at the university in addition to designing and implementing an application to estimate federal aid eligibility months ahead of the availability of the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). He co-founded the Institute for Financial Literacy & Wellness in 2023, the first of its kind within the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Prior to UNLV, Goodwin was a training officer at Federal Student Aid, a division of the U.S. Department of Education, in the Boston, New York and Chicago regions, developing training to best support the needs of enrollment professionals in assisting students and maintaining regulatory compliance. Goodwin also spent seven years at Harvard University, where he developed and implemented enrollment management strategies, oversaw the awarding and processing of federal, state, private and institutional financial aid funds, and offered guidance on federal and state regulations.
Goodwin has also spent time at Mount Holyoke College, Middlebury College and Phillips Theological Seminary. He was honored with UNLV’s Collaborative Impact Award in 2023 for his support of the College of Education in strengthening teacher preparation programs and was selected for Saint Michael’s College’s Community Hero award in 2020 for his support of students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goodwin graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor of Arts. He then completed two master’s degrees – a Master of Public Administration at the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Science from Pennsylvania Western University. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Goodwin succeeds Susan Teerink, associate vice provost for financial aid and enrollment services, who announced her retirement in May following 26 years of service to the university. She remained in her role and will continue to do so until the end of December to ensure Marquette successfully navigated recent challenges with the federal financial aid system.
“We are tremendously grateful for Susan’s commitment to helping our students traverse the financial aid experience throughout their college careers,” Troyer said. “Her expertise and leadership were evident throughout her time at the university and were invaluable as colleges across the country navigated difficulties with the FAFSA in the last year. I’m delighted, as well, to welcome Zack to the Marquette University community. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, but more importantly a deep care for the students, families, and colleagues involved in the financial aid process.”
