Amy Lopez-Matthews : University of Dayton, Ohio

Written By Brett Slaughenhaupt '18

There are few people who know the University of Dayton better than Amy Lopez-Matthews. There are even fewer who care as much as she does. Over her 30-year career, she has worn many hats and is responsible for helping shape UD into the school it is today.

Born in the Good Samaritan hospital to a family of 5 children and later attending school at Chaminade Julienne, Catholic and Marianist teachings have had a constant and influential presence in Amy’s life. Her family valued Church and hard work, something that continues to be well-represented in both her personal and professional life. She finds as a layperson in a position of influence, it is her duty to convey the values and mission of the institution in her work with great intentionality

As an undergraduate communication major at UD, Lopez-Matthews did not know she would one day working as Executive Director of the Center for Student Involvement at the university. Through her leadership, the responsibilities of the department have grown – it now houses Student Activities and Fraternity and Sorority Life, neither of which were present at the time she took on the role. As a result, she has overseen the leadership development and constant learning experiences for countless students.

She has challenged the norms of the university in gender equity, both for women and LGBTQ+ students. Her strong advocacy on behalf of underrepresented groups through the lens of Catholic and Marianist teachings has led to great progression in the university’s standings on many issues. In the ‘90s Lopez-Matthews co-chaired the President’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Issues in seeking out inequities across the campus. Lopez-Matthews went on to co-chair the Committee on Diversity in Community, as well as sit on the Taskforce on Sexual Misconduct Prevention Education and later the LGBTQ+ Taskforce – both of which would result in the creation of new positions in Student Development. Her contributions have been a major catalyst for change.

One could never say that Amy Lopez-Matthews has taken the backseat at any point of her career. Earning her Master’s at UD early in her career and becoming an adjunct faculty member are two main points of pride for her. She has been a constant source of leadership regardless of the hat she was wearing at the time, truly exhibiting a strong sense of Marianist community along the way. “None of my success has been achieved alone. Any successes I have experienced are the direct result of partnerships and collaborations with others. I cannot convey how thankful I am for the many relationships I have with colleagues across campus.”