Contact

Student Financial Services

Seattle Pacific University
3307 Third Avenue West, Suite 114
Seattle, WA 98119-1922

Email: sfs-info@spu.edu
(Please allow up to two business days for a response.)

Form Submissions: sfs-forms@spu.edu
(Please allow up to two business days for a response.)

Phone: 206-281-2061 | 800-737-8826

Fax: 206-281-2835

Adjusted lobby hours: Every Friday from June 17th through August 12th, 2022, SFS will be closing early at 1:00pm, both for in-person assistance and phone conversations.

The lobby will be closed from 1:00 to 2:00 daily. SFS phones, however, will be operating during this time as well as typical business hours (please see below).

Please note that SFS is following SPU guidelines by requiring all visitors who are not fully vaccinated to wear a face covering, practice social distancing, and complete the SPU self-attestation. If you are unable to wear a mask, please call us at 206-281-2061 so that we can serve you remotely.

Service information: SFS strongly encourages questions to be sent via email to sfs-info@spu.edu or by a phone call to 206-281-2061. Our phone lines will remain on during typical business hours and we will be actively responding to emails.

Payments can be made online or through the drop box located outside of SFS facing Bertona Street or by delivery to a front line worker in the SFS lobby. During this time, SFS prefers online or paper checks for payment.

You may submit documents or forms via mail, fax, or email. If you are sending documents with personalized information such as Social Security Numbers, please note that mail and fax are the safest and preferred options.

Typical business hours: Monday–Wednesday and Friday, 9am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-4:30pm; Thursday, 9:30am-1:00pm, 2:00pm - 4:30pm.

Note: To prevent unauthorized access to confidential information, callers who want to discuss a specific student’s account or financial aid will be asked to answer a security question established by the student.

Office Staff

Student Financial Services staff bring their over 110 years of experience and their area expertise in service to you. SFS staff are also a diverse group of people with a variety of experiences, including studying or working in private and public universities, including two-year and four-year institutions; many were first-generation students, have rich cultural experiences, and come from a variety of socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds. Between the 19 full-time staff members, other than English, five languages are spoken – French, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Please see additional information about the staff, their roles, and fun facts below.

SFS Leadership and Administrative Team

This team provides strategic leadership for SPU’s financial aid and student account programs, and ensures the smooth day-to-day functioning of the office.

Gloria Rizo

Interim Co-Director and Senior Associate Director of Student Financial Aid

(Serving students with last names beginning with E, Fa-Go)

Email: gloriar@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

Originally from Nicaragua.
Enjoys spending time with family, doing crafts, and helping at church.

John Middeljans

Interim Co-Director and Senior SFS Business Analyst

Email: jmiddeljans@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

Immigrant from Canada.
Married to an SPU professor.

SFS Counseling and Customer Service Teams

Who do you need to contact?

SFS counselors provide detailed, one-on-one guidance about financial aid options, eligibility, and offers of financial assistance.
SFS coordinators answer questions about all aspects of financial aid and student accounts.
The Office of Student Employment manages on-campus student employment and work-study programs.

Gloria Rizo

Interim Co-Director and Senior Associate Director of Student Financial Aid

(Serving students with last names beginning with E, Fa-Go)

Email: gloriar@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

Originally from Nicaragua.
Enjoys spending time with family, doing crafts, and helping at church.

Andy Buchanan

Associate Director of Student Accounts

Email: buchanana1@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Grew up in Minneapolis and lived there until graduating from college.

• Served in the Peace Corps for two years, living in Moldova. Taught English to students in grades 6 through 11.

• Named after Andrew Carnegie.

SFS Counselors

Student Financial Services counselors provide detailed, personal guidance about financial aid options, eligibility, and offers of financial assistance. They also give presentations at local high schools, to students considering SPU, and to new and current students on campus.

Lydia Florence

Student Financial Services Counselor II

(Serving students with last names beginning A-D, Kb-La)

Email: lydiaf@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Wife and mother of 6 beautiful children

• Originally from Florida

• Loves to sing and shop!

Barbara Davisson

Student Financial Services Counselor

(Serving students with last names beginning Gp-Hn, Lb-Ri)

Email: barbara@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Grew up in the desert and LOVES Seattle rain!

• Worked as a telephone operator for 3 years. ‘Your number please’ was a phrase I said all day long.

• Has taken out a parent PLUS loan.

Carlie Curlee

Assistant Director of SFS Counseling

(Serving students with last names beginning Ho-Ka, Rj-Z)

Email: carlie@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Happily married, dog-mom with unicorn tendencies and a flair for adventure

SFS Coordinators

Student Financial Services coordinators help families navigate how to pay for SPU; explain the FAFSA/financial aid process, costs, and payment options such as payment plans, third-party billing, employer reimbursement, and tuition discounts.

Chris Landerdahl

Senior Student Financial Services Coordinator

Email: chrisjonl@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Seattle native and SPU alumnus.

• Enjoy movies, gardening, baking and volunteering at church.

• When it’s time for vacation, you will likely find him on a cruise, at the WA coast or at Disneyland.

Tanhia Spohn

Student Financial Services Coordinator II

Email: spohnt1@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Loves to ride her bike with her son

• From the South of Mexico and speaks Spanish, English, and French.

• "One thing I cannot live without is cookies!"

Jennifer Young

Student Financial Services Coordinator II

Email: jenniferyoung@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Spends as much time as she can outside enjoying nature, camping, hiking, swimming and paddle boarding.

• Speaks Spanish and has studied, lived and worked in beautiful Costa Rica

• Is a first-generation college student, attended SPU and received a BA in Latin American Studies.

• Loves gardening and caring for houseplants, and the smell of old books and thrift shopping.

Student employment

Student Employment manages state and federal work study programs, including confirming and monitoring students’ eligibility. To contact the Office of Student Employment, email ose@spu.edu.

Kyla Zornes

Student Employment Manager

Email: zornesk@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Born and raised in Washington, and is a SPU alum.

• Has a deep appreciation for Whidbey Island beaches and anything lavender.

• Loves finding new creative outlets — embroidery, cooking, gardening, the list goes on!

SFS Programs

Manages student account programs that need special attention, such as third party billing, employer reimbursement and study abroad. Also the liaison to resolve unique student account issues (e.g., registration, parking, health services, housing, athletics, and the private college 529 plan).

Donna McLynne

Assistant Director of Student Financial Services Programs

Email: dmclynne@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

•Enjoys studying the Bible, being with friends and family, and spending time at the beach, in the garden and baking!

Collections

Provides repayment assistance and pursues collection of delinquent Perkins, Nursing, and SPU Institutional loans and student accounts.

Vera Mosiychuk

Student Accounts and Loans Collections Manager

Email: vera@spu.edu
Office: Demaray Hall 10

• Immigrated from Ukraine with my family.

• Loves nature, reading and helping people in need

Loans and Operations Support Team

The Loans and Operations Support Team is responsible for the technical and reporting needs of the office. This team processes Direct, Grad PLUS, PLUS, and alternative loans, and are students’ liaisons with the lenders. They also provide Perkins, Nursing, and SPU Institutional loan documents.