Biography of LeAnn Merth

Hello! I'm LeAnn Merth, dean of women, a graduate of Union College, and a resident of Rees Hall. Since coming to Union in 1992 as assistant dean, I've learned to love working with college ladies, listening to them, praying, singing and laughing with them and helping them grow in their relationship with God. As the dean, I supervise the various functions of the residence hall which make it a safe, friendly and comfortable place to enjoy college life.

I graduated from Monterey Bay Academy in California, attended Pacific Union College where I met and married Jon, then later finished my degree in Social Work at Union College. I also received a masters degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The international club calls me a sponsor, along with several other faculty and staff members. We have an annual camp out, occasional Sabbath potlucks and a yearly Miss and Mister World competition. The international club is one of the largest and most diverse clubs on campus and brings together students from around the world.

Teaching an occasional social work or sociology class is another one of my occupations. This semester I am teaching Introduction to Social Work. 

Before returning to Union College in 1992, my husband and I worked at Monterey Bay Academy where I worked as alumni director. During that time I also worked in Santa Cruz as a social worker in adult day care and extended care. 

I am currently editor of "The Window," the quarterly ASPAI newsletter. ASPAI is the Adventist student personnel professional organization. The CordMagazine is another publication to which I have contributed, although not recently. 

When not working, I love writing, singing or working with rubber stamps and scrapbooks in my craft room. Other inerests include camping, canoeing and shopping for antiques. I also love spending time with my grandson, Alex and our "adopted" grandsons, David, Jesse and Daniel Campbell. All four of them love Legos, so any extra pennies I can save often go to support the Lego building industry!

Jon and I have been married for over 40 years. He works for the Arter Group, in property services. We share a love of the outdoors, bird watching, music and good food. Riding his motorcyle is something I enjoy with somewhat less passion than he does, although I ride with him on his shorter journeys. He has traveled to Montana several times on his Goldwing. We sing in a guitar praise group called Chronicles. Jon plays bass guitar and I hope to add a digital keyboard to the mix soon.

Our son, Joel lives in Brighton, Colorado with his wife, Carrie (Brummett), also a Union graduate, and son Alexander. Their lives are enriched by a beagle named Daisy.