College of Arts & Sciences Staff Honored with University Awards
Each year, American University recognizes staff whose dedication, expertise, and creativity make an extraordinary difference in the life of the university. This year, four members of the College of Arts and Sciences were celebrated: Matthew Lantry, recipient of the 2025 Maria Bueno Lifetime Achievement Award; Rachel Weiss, recipient of the Inclusive Excellence Award; and Michael Harvey and Erica Lesto who were members of the team that received the Staff & Faculty Collaboration Award.
The winners’ work illustrates the many ways that staff are the backbone of American University. From scheduling courses and advising students, to managing budgets, running programs, supporting research, and building community, staff are at the heart of everything that AU does.
For Lantry, that has meant nearly three decades of service in the College, where he has become known as a steady hand, trusted colleague, and advocate for students navigating the complexities of course schedules and requirements. For Weiss, it means leading an ambitious, cross-institutional research initiative while emphasizing collaboration and innovation. And for Harvey and Lesto, it’s an opportunity to expand research opportunities and partnerships for greater AU global brand recognition.
“This year’s award winners exemplify the values that define the College of Arts and Sciences,” says Linda Aldoory, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Their hard work reflects excellence, collaboration, and a deep commitment to serving others—qualities that make a lasting impact on our students, colleagues, and community. Congratulations to Matthew Lantry and Rachel Weiss on their individual awards, and to Michael Harvey and Erica Lesto for being part of the team receiving the Staff & Faculty Collaboration Award.”
Matthew Lantry | 2025 Maria Bueno Lifetime Achievement AwardA Legacy of Knowledge, Consistency, Care
When he first arrived at American University in 1996, Matthew Lantry supervised a small bookstore tucked inside what was then the “new” law school building at Spring Valley. From there, he moved to the main campus store, working on the textbook team. But he really found his home at AU when he joined the College of Arts and Sciences in 1999 as office manager for Academic Advising, a role that marked the beginning of a decades-long commitment to supporting AU students and faculty.
Over the years, Lantry has held a variety of positions within CAS, and along the way, he even became a CAS student, earning his master’s degree in history from AU. Today, he serves as director of Undergraduate Programs and Academic Scheduling, where he assists the deans and faculty with curriculum development, scheduling classes, and other logistical support roles.
And nearly 30 years after that first day in the Spring Valley bookstore, Lantry’s dedication to the CAS community has been recognized with the 2025 Maria Bueno Lifetime Achievement Award. Erica Lesto, Adjunct sociology instructor and CAS undergraduate academic advisor, describes Lantry's work as equal parts “lawyer, professor, referee, and advocate”—a mix that captures how Lantry can coordinate complex tasks like the intricate “Tetris pieces” of the course catalog. “His work with each department to schedule classes and classrooms allows for our students to have access to a well-organized catalog each semester when the anxiety inducing registration period begins,” she says.
Colleagues add that Lantry’s blend of skill, dedication, and kindness is what makes him indispensable. As Lesto says, “I truly believe that he is more than just a member of our team but also a friend. He is dependable, and we can always count on him both inside and outside the office.”
For Lantry, the greatest reward has been the chance to grow alongside colleagues and witness the university evolve. “For 30 years, I’ve been able to work alongside an amazing team of brilliant educators and administrators who have embraced me as a colleague and allowed me to share in their experiences in a variety of fields,” he says.
Rachel Weiss | Inclusive Excellence Award Prioritizing People, Finding Solutions
Rachel Weiss has built her career at American University around connecting people, ideas, and resources to drive meaningful change. She now serves as program manager for the largest externally funded award in AU history, the Multiscale Resilient, Equitable, and Circular Innovations with Partnership and Education Synergies (RECIPES) for Sustainable Food Systems. Funded by the National Science Foundation, this $15 million research network spans 16 institutions and more than 100 researchers working to make global food systems sustainable.
Before joining the College, Weiss served as staff assistant in AU’s Office of Finance and Treasurer, supporting initiatives like Breaking Bread, the Sophomore Experience, and the Health & Safety Task Force. She also earned her MS in Sustainability Management from Kogod, where she founded and served as president of the Kogod Sustainability Club.
Over the past several years, as Weiss helped guide RECIPES, she has been recognized for her ability to bring people together and make them feel heard. “Her ability to find creative solutions, manage complexity, and maintain a positive atmosphere has been nothing short of extraordinary,” says Professor and RECIPES PI Sauleh Siddiqui.
Her leadership, Siddiqui emphasizes, has been “essential to the project’s success and growth.” She has built systems and processes from the ground up, integrating budgets, coordinating student engagement, and strengthening partnerships, often in spaces where no framework previously existed. She has modeled what it means to innovate within complex institutions: challenging convention while keeping equity and inclusion at the center.
Chemistry Professor and RECIPES PI Matthew Hartings agrees. “Every organizational step runs through Rachel. Every dollar spent runs through Rachel. Everyone relies on Rachel, and Rachel is the glue that holds the entire network together,” he says.
Michael Harvey, Erica Lesto, Jolie Roetter, Ethan Merritt, KellyJo Bahry
Staff & Faculty Collaboration Award Collaborating to Raise AU’s Global Profile
The winning team, including College of Arts and Sciences staff Michael Harvey (director of AU’s Audio Technology Program) and Erica Lesto (sociology instructor and CAS undergraduate academic advisor), exemplifies the power of collaboration across disciplines, across schools—and across oceans.
This partnership between AU Abroad and the University of Westminster expanded research opportunities, strengthened international partnerships, and raised AU’s global profile, particularly for majors that are underrepresented in the United Kingdom. This award highlights how staff and faculty working together can create meaningful, lasting impact for students and the university community.