Dear Colleagues:
We are delighted to announce Cruz Grimaldo has been named Assistant Vice Chancellor & Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships. She has been serving in this role in an interim capacity since August 2016 and we are excited for her to assume this role permanently, effective July 1, 2017.
Her leadership has benefited the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, our division, the campus, and most importantly our students. During her interim period, Cruz led a team of more than 50 professionals responsible for awarding over $725 million in aid to over 25,000 students. She has partnered with various campus offices to advocate for students and keep Berkeley as accessible and affordable as possible for all students. She has also developed innovative solutions to keep aid levels high while the campus addresses a structural deficit.
Prior to serving in her interim role, Cruz served as the Associate Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships where she helped create the first student advisory council for the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office. The council partnered with students on issues concerning financial aid. She also supported the creation of the Fiat Lux scholarship program, uniting two needs-based scholarship programs to better serve students. Cruz appreciates first hand the importance of student aid. She herself was the grateful recipient of financial aid as a low-income first generation college student here at Berkeley and it drives her commitment to ensuring students can afford a Berkeley education.
Please join us in congratulating Cruz and celebrating this news.
Sincerely,
Stephen C. Sutton, EdD
Interim Vice Chancellor
Division of Student Affairs
Amy Jarich
Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Admission & Enrollment
Division of Student Affairs