Cecilia "Cece" Luisa López Ph.D.

Cece was born on March 13, 1941 to Cecil Gabino and Luisa (Roman Aymerich) López in New York, NY. After Cece graduated from Coral Gables High School in 1961, she went on to study English Literature at Florida State University.

After graduating with a B.A. degree in 1964, she began her career as an Educator by teaching English at Leon High School. She later taught Freshman English at Florida A&M University while working on her M.A. in English Literature. She received her M.A. in 1967 from Florida State University after her thesis entitled “Alexander Pope: Annotated Bibliography, 1945-1967” was published.

Cece then moved to California to accept a teaching position at Chabot College in Hayward, CA and later transferred to Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ to begin working on her Ph.D. Her steady determination to advance her own education came to fruition when she graduated with her Ph.D. in Educational Technology in 1989.

A new chapter in what was to become an illustrious career began when she moved to Chicago, IL to accept a position as Associate Director at North Central Accreditation Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. During her 12 years there, she was responsible for the accreditation of universities and colleges throughout the West and Mid-West. She also had an opinion paper published in which she championed the use of “Student Learning” as an element to evaluate the effectiveness of a college’s academic program.

Always looking for ways to make higher education better for her students, Cece later accepted the position of Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Harold B. Washington College in 2003, where she remained for 6 years. She then accepted her final position of her working career in 2009 as Associate Vice Chancellor, Accreditation and Assessment, at City Colleges of Chicago.

Throughout her career in Education, it was Cece’s belief that the education of each person was fundamental to their individual success and social integration. She was also a friend of the environment and passionate about nature conservancy. Some of her greatest beliefs centered around fighting for the Civil Rights movement, being a champion for desegregation in schools in the South, and was a fierce advocate for social, economic, and educational equality for minorities. It was this strong belief that led her to eventually establish the Cecilia L. Lopez, Ph.D. College of Medicine Geriatrics Endowment Fund at Florida State University.

During her years in Chicago Cece, along with her dear friend Dr. Jacquelyn Mattfeld, enjoyed the bevy of Fine Arts that Chicago has to offer, especially live theatre and museum exhibitions. In 2013, Cece retired and subsequently moved to Tallahassee to be closer with her brothers and family. She discovered a love for gardening and could often be found in her yard tending her plants.

Her family and friends will always remember Cece for her generosity both as a person and as a family member. Her love, kindness, loyalty, and devotion to those she loved will be deeply missed and treasured.

Cece was predeceased by her parents and her sisters, Frances A. Comstock and Patricia J. Schneider. She is survived by her brother Gerald “Jerry” López; her brother Cecil R. “Al” Lopez and sister-in-law Dee Lopez; her niece Krissy (Lopez) Kasnic (with husband Paul and their children Hugh, Kevin, and Gemma); her nephew Roman Lopez (with husband James Ketola); her niece Jennie (López) Johnson (with her sons Josh and Blake); her nieces Dottie Jansma-Williams, Trish Jansma, and Monique Schneider; her nephew Steven Comstock; and dearest friends Dr. Jacquelyn Mattfeld and Lennie Brown.

Services will be held at Culley’s MeadowWood Memorial Park on March 28, 2023, at 12 p.m.