Awards

Bicentennial Medal - 2020

Maurer School of Law Distinguished Service Award - 2009

Distinguished Latino Alumni Award - 2007

About Arthur A. Lopez

Arthur A. Lopez has not only an impressive career in federal government but also a true passion for giving back. A 1983 graduate of the Law School, Lopez began his federal service in 1992 with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). From there he went on to serve as special counsel to President Bill Clinton and later as the FTA director of civil rights. He currently serves as the special assistant to the deputy director, Office of Agency Programs, in the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. In 2004, an excitement for swimming and a noticeable need in the community drove him to found Nadar Por Vida, Inc (“swimming for life”), a nonprofit corporation committed to providing at-risk, minority, and low-income children an introduction to the world of competitive swimming. A certified USA swim coach, he has been the director of a developmental stroke school and serves on the diversity committee for USA Swimming. As a passionate motivational speaker, he shares his experiences as a first-generation Mexican-American born in Chicago who has maintained strong ethnic and community roots. Lopez also finds time to give back to students at his alma mater, serving as a founding member and chair of the Latino Alumni Advisory Board at the Law School.