GMercyU Names New Vice President for Academic Affairs

GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. (Mar. 15, 2018) - Gwynedd Mercy University has named Mary Van Brunt, PhD as its next Vice President for Academic Affairs. She will succeed Frank E. Scully, Jr., PhD who plans to retire on June 30 after serving as the University's VP for Academic Affairs at GMercyU for the last six years. Van Brunt will assume her new role on July 1.

Coming to GMercyU from Cabrini University, Van Brunt served as the founding Dean of the School of Business, Arts, and Media with an extensive background as both a professor and an administrator. Prior to her time at Cabrini, Van Brunt spent more than a decade in the business world as an accountant, banking officer, and assistant vice president.

"We are thrilled to have such an experienced and innovative leader join our team here at Gwynedd Mercy University," said University President Deanne D'Emilio, JD. "Mary will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the university as we embark on a strategic planning process that will help the university grow for years to come."

Since starting as an assistant professor of business at Cabrini in 2001, Van Brunt has been actively involved in many major initiatives on campus, including supporting Cabrini's transition from a college to a university, and creating its first doctoral program. She is looking forward to her new role at GMercyU.

"Gwynedd Mercy University has a community spirit and dedication to social justice that fuels my passion for higher education," said Van Brunt. "I look forward to continuing the precedent that Gwynedd Mercy University has set for academic excellence and a deep commitment to its students and Mercy mission."

Van Brunt earned her PhD in economics with concentrations in public and international finance from Lehigh University in 2002. She also has a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from St. Joseph's University and a bachelor's degree in economics from Ursinus College.