Joy Lopez ’94: Spreading Joy and Hope

Joy Lopez ’94 feels the pressure of her name. “People say, ‘Wow, Joy, that’s tough to live up to,’” Lopez said. “Everyone expects a good mood, but I always tell them it’s better than Hope. Now that’s some real pressure.”

Nevertheless, Lopez maintains plenty of both — joy and hope — even though she admits she’s having a bad year: the death of her mother and a few unexpected health challenges. Part of what keeps her upbeat is that no matter what she goes through, she believes the experience can be turned into something productive and helpful.

“I’m trusting that there’s a purpose behind all of this,” said Lopez, vice president and head of investment tax at Dimensional Fund Advisors in Austin, who keeps a sign over her door at home that reads, “Make a Difference.” She does so in part through mentoring young people plus a leadership role with the National Domestic Violence Hotline, (the “Hotline”), and a program called Love is Respect, a resource aimed at disrupting unhealthy relationships through education and support of young people.

Lately, she’s been making a difference at Texas A&M University with two separate gifts — an accounting scholarship and an endowment to the Health Promotion Office to aid in the needs of interpersonal violence prevention programs.

“I am blessed to have the gifts and the skill sets that I do. God gave me this mind,” she said, “so it’s a privilege to use it to help support and encourage others and create opportunities.”

Inheriting a Work Ethic

Lopez grew up hunting and fishing on her family’s 108 acres in Floresville, where she raised chickens and sold eggs to neighbors. “I was very much an entrepreneur from the beginning,” she noted.

Her family life was not easy, however. Her difficult childhood instilled in her a desire to promote healthy home environments and relationships and a fearless approach in diving into the reality that life for everyone isn’t without adversity. This is why the Hotline and its programs are of personal interest to her.

Still, she is able to appreciate the positive ways her family shaped her. “My dad had an amazing work ethic,” she said. “That was passed down from my grandfather and my dad and is evident in all of my siblings.” Lopez has two older brothers and two younger sisters.

One of her brothers — who attended Texas A&M before her — was the first in the family to get a college education; Lopez was the first to get an advanced degree. Though her brother was an avid Aggie, Lopez, who was the valedictorian of her high school graduating class, admits that the university was her third choice. It was the generosity of her President’s Achievement Scholarship that led her to opt for College Station.

With no idea of what to major in, she began in the College of General Studies. The pressure she put on herself to choose a major was the source of much stress early on.

“I used health services when I was on campus for all different types of things, but also for anxiety driven around which major I was going to pick,” she said. “I think some of the stress had to do with coming from a dysfunctional family. I was the oldest daughter, very much over-responsible for taking care of everyone, and feeling like I had to be perfect. I never had to decide what I wanted to do; I just did what I felt was expected.”

The support she received through an organization called F.A.C.E.S., which caters to freshmen adjusting to college experiences, was key. Through it, she says, she found a sense of belonging. “It was a lot of young people who came from similar backgrounds and we bonded. It was instant family,” she reported.

While at Texas A&M, it helped that she was not shy about seeking out help. Professors and other mentors guided her to Mays Business School, where she majored in accounting and joined the second cohort of the five-year program for earning an undergraduate and a master’s. “We all need a support network. Sometimes that’s through resources, like the health office,” she said. “Sometimes it’s through a professor who actually takes the time to sit and listen to you and encourage you. For me, it happened time after time while I was at A&M. I never felt alone.”

Natalie Allen, a principal lecturer in the Department of Accounting, first noticed Lopez’s skills and perseverance when she taught her in an introductory course. She was so impressed that she asked Lopez to be her teaching assistant. “Despite some hardships, she persevered with determination and grace,” Allen recalled. “Her journey is a testament to her resilience and strength of character. As a professor, it is fulfilling when a former student achieves great success while remaining steadfast in her values. Her achievements are a clear reflection of the dedicated, determined, and caring woman she is, and it is no surprise she wants to give back.”

Since graduating, Lopez has risen quickly in the corporate world and as she’s progressed, she has stayed committed to mentoring those who work with her. “I am very passionate about developing my team,” she said. “My desire as a leader is to help prepare, mentor, and teach individuals so that they can reflect strength of character, integrity, and thoughtfulness in their decisions. This holds true in the development of my team as professionals for life, not just as employees, as well as for those I support in my philanthropic endeavors or others in my circle of influence.”

Giving Back

Lopez confessed when she first came to Texas A&M, she was a two-percenter. But five years on campus changed that. “I now bleed as deep a maroon as anyone,” she insisted, noting how closely aligned her personal commitment to leadership and selfless service are with the university’s core values.

Her love for Texas A&M, and Mays in particular, made these first two gifts — and she is sure there will be more to come — feel very natural. “I experienced a blessing through others when I was in need in college,” she said. “I want to pay it forward for individuals who are struggling. Let me help alleviate that pressure because people did it for me.”

Through the resources at Texas A&M, she hopes to focus on nurturing resiliency in students. “It’s important to teach them that you have the ability to stand back up after you’ve been knocked down or even if your footing doesn’t feel so solid in the moment,” she said.

When Lopez thinks about her legacy, she wants it to be beyond money donated. “For me, it’s about so much more than material things,” she said. “It’s a legacy of mindfulness. It’s a legacy of being an active observer and participant. And the ripple effect that happens because of what you’ve started.”