Findlay, Ohio, Aug. 28, 2000 – Beth Sweitzer-Riley, Ph.D., assistant vice president for student development at The University of Findlay, was named the 2001 recipient of the "Make a Difference" Award at UF.

Sweitzer-Riley was selected as a result of recommendations by faculty, staff and students. They cited her for her eagerness and willingness to help students and colleagues, knowledge of her work and the desire to create a positive atmosphere of change.

In her position with UF, Sweitzer-Riley provides joint leadership for all Student Affairs offices. She has been with the University since 1985, serving as coordinator of counseling services from 1985-92, dean of academic support services from 1992-98 and assistant vice president for enrollment services from 1999-00. She has held her current position since 2000.

Prior to coming to Findlay, Sweitzer-Riley was coordinator of student services at State University of New York at Binghamton from 1982-85, assistant coordinator of student services at the same institution from 1979-82 and director of housing and area coordinator at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, Pa., from 1975-79.

Sweitzer-Riley earned her bachelor’s degree from Elizabethtown College in 1974 and her master’s degree in education from Millersville State University, Millersville, Pa., in 1978. She received her doctorate degree in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University in 1993.

Active in her community, Sweitzer-Riley is a member of Red Cross board and participates in the United Way Day of Caring. She was the first recipient of the Audrey L. Rentz Women’s Leadership Fellow in Higher Education Award in 1998 and was named an honorary member of Tau Omega Phi that same year. Also in 1998, she was awarded the American Association of University Professors’ "In the Trenches" Award.

She and her husband, Jim, live in Findlay.