Sandra J. Oliveira, who brings more than 20 years experience in the field of financial aid, began her responsibilities recently as the College’s new executive director of financial aid. She was chosen by a search committee chaired by Brian G. Williams, dean of enrollment services.

Oliveira reports to Christopher P. Lydon, associate vice president for admission and enrollment planning. “Sandy was clearly the strongest candidate in our pool of applicants,” Lydon said. “She combines an extraordinary financial aid background with a desire to work closely with families and a compassion for families funding private education.”

A native of Chicopee, Mass., and a graduate of North Adams (Mass.) State College, Oliveira comes to PC after serving at Brown University since 1992. Most recently, she was associate director of financial aid/counseling. She also served as associate director of financial aid/operations (1994-2001) and as assistant director of admission and financial aid (1992-1994). Prior to her work at Brown, she was assistant director of financial aid at Fitchburg (Mass.) State College.

Asked how her job at PC would differ from her work at Brown, she said “not as much as you might think. Like Brown, Providence College has an excellent reputation, a commitment to quality education, and is very selective in its choice of students. The major difference between the two institutions is the amount of money each has to award in the form of financial aid.

“At PC,” she continued, “students are trying to manage the high cost of education without being able to benefit from the vast sum of endowment money that is available to students at Brown. At PC, we have to work more creatively with families to provide a range of alternative financing options that will assist them in meeting the costs.”

Oliveira clearly likes her profession. “I love the variety of responsibilities in financial aid—the numbers piece as well as the people part. But, what I like best is that we have an ability to really make a difference in students’ lives,” she said.

Oliveira fills the position left vacant by the December 2005 retirement of Herbert J. D’Arcy, Jr., who contributed 31 years of service to PC.