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10 Things to Know About Marie Solange Lopes
The faculty member shares an account of her journey and offers wisdom gained from her experiences.
Assistant Professor of Accounting Marie Solange Lopes is the founder of The Corporate Sister, a platform and community for working women.
Before joining the campus community in 2018, Assistant Professor of Accounting Marie Solange Lopes held accounting roles at several reputable organizations, including EY, Hasbro, Nortek, CVS Caremark Corporation, and Citizens Bank. Despite her success at these companies, her goals for her life and career had shifted. She began exploring how to continue the work she loved while nurturing other aspects of her life. Ultimately, the answer came in the form of a faculty role at Stonehill.
“I realized that a career in academia would fit my vision for my life,” she said. “Plus, I’ve always been a nerd who loves school.”
As Lopes continues approaching life intentionally, here are 10 things to know about her.
Having worked for organizations like EY, Hasbro, Nortek, CVS Caremark Corporation, and Citizens Bank, Lopes brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom.
1. She had a good role model. Lopes was born and raised in Senegal, a country in West Africa. Witnessing her mom embrace the role of a professional woman influenced her own evolution. “I grew up in an environment where women were constricted both personally and professionally, so seeing what my mother was able to achieve guides a lot of the work that I do,” she said.
2. She is an international learner. Lopes moved to the United States during her high school years to attend Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Upon graduating, she returned to Africa to complete college coursework at Suffolk University’s campus in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. After two years, she came back to Boston to complete her degree.
3. She values service. Although educating students on accounting concepts and theories is a major component of her work at Stonehill, Lopes also believes it is her responsibility to teach them what it means to be of service. “Accounting is a service profession,” she said. “We’re rendering a service to the community by providing trustworthy financial information and being a good steward of the things that have been placed in our care.”
4. She is adaptive. Lopes finds that one of the most remarkable things about working with accounting students is gaining the ability to grow along with them. “It’s a very precious privilege to witness the evolution of society through them and to see centuries-long standards and ways of doing things, especially in accounting and business, change through their eyes,” she said. “It allows me to constantly recalibrate my way of teaching and my way of reaching out to people in general.”
5. She is honored to work with students. Outside of the classroom, Lopes and other accounting faculty regularly participate in activities facilitated by Beta Alpha Psi, their major’s honors society. “As an undergraduate, I was a treasurer for my school’s chapter,” she said. “What’s great about the organization is that it allows us to strengthen the foundation of service we teach in the classroom. It also provides opportunities to network with students, paving the way for us to nurture a link with them throughout their careers.”
“It’s a very precious privilege to witness the evolution of society through them and to see centuries-long standards and ways of doing things, especially in accounting and business, change through their eyes,” Lopes says about working with her students at Stonehill.
6. She lives with purpose. Lopes not only serves as a resource for Stonehill students, but also those who follow The Corporate Sister, a platform and community that she created to help professional women and moms work and live with purpose, however they see fit. “I started it back November 2013,” Lopes said. “At the time, I had so many questions about corporate life, but there weren’t many resources out there for women in those settings. Rather than looking for the answers and keeping them to myself, I figured I could put them into a blog.”
7. She is an outspoken introvert. Since its creation, The Corporate Sister has expanded to include videos, a podcast, and an online store. Lopes has also branched out by participating in speaking engagements on financial topics and matters related to work-life integration. “As an introvert, putting yourself out there like that is quite challenging for me,” she said. “Being a teacher helps, but it’s a continuous task of unveiling part of who you are. It forces me to rise to the occasion.”
8. She pays it forward. Lopes credits Urban Ventures for helping her further develop The Corporate Sister after she initially created the platform. The nonprofit in Rhode Island helps minority- and women-led businesses succeed through various forms of support. “In turn, I’ve given back to them and now chair their board,” Lopes said. “I think I’m most proud of working with that organization to help establish businesses that are sorely needed in urban areas.”
9. She lives a life full of light. Outside of her work at Stonehill and with The Corporate Sister, Lopes spends her time reading books, attending her children’s sporting events, and taking care of her Labradoodle Lab mix. “Our puppy’s name is Lux,” she said. “My daughter named our dog. Lux is Latin for ‘light.’ It’s fitting because Stonehill’s motto is Lux et Spes, Light and Hope.”
10. She leads with courage. Reflecting on her journey as an accountant, educator, business owner, mother, and dog owner. Lopes is proud that she has taken steps to create a career that fits her unique definition of success. “I try to convey to my students that you always have a choice,” she said. “You can develop a vision for what you want, and if it doesn’t work out, you can always change your mind. All it takes is a little bit of courage.”