Senator John W. Maitland, Jr. Commitment to Education Award
Dr. Daniel López, Ph.D. '02
President of Harold Washington College, City Colleges of Chicago; Chicago
Dr. Daniel López brings more than 25 years of higher education experience to his role as president of Harold Washington College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, located in Chicago’s downtown loop serving more than 8,000 students in credit and continuing education programs.
López is a proud Harold Washington alum, having earned an associate degree in liberal arts there. An immigrant, Chicago Public Schools graduate, first-generation college student, and former undocumented student, López is dedicated to providing opportunities to underserved and underrepresented students; more than 70% of Harold Washington College’s students are Black and Latinx.
López’s higher education experience includes previous leadership and management roles at Harold Washington College, Illinois State University, Lake Forest College, and Northeastern Illinois University. His scholarship has focused on issues of Latinx leaders as agents of change and transforming higher education in support of access and opportunity for people of color.
López serves as board president for the Illinois Latino Council in Higher Education. He is a board member of the Diversifying Faculty in Illinois graduate fellowship, and a former board president of the Latin United Housing Association. He additionally is a member of several state- and national-level organizations that promote access to higher education opportunities and support the advancement of Latinos in the United States. López has received several academic and community service awards throughout his career.
After earning an associate degree at Harold Washington College, López earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies at the University of Illinois Springfield, a master’s degree in higher education administration from Loyola University Chicago, and a doctorate in higher education administration from Illinois State.