New T.W. Lewis Center seeks to train next generation of principled Christian leaders 

Liberty University held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new T.W. Lewis Center for Student Success at the School of Business on Oct. 30. 

The center, located near the Center for Entrepreneurship, will integrate leadership principles into existing business courses, offer personal and professional development workshops, host multiple speaker series each semester, provide personal assessments through Indigo Education Company, and more. 

Liberty welcomed the center’s namesake, Tom Lewis, a philanthropist and entrepreneur from Arizona who spent a significant portion of his career in residential home building. Lewis and his wife, Jan, founded the T.W. Lewis Foundation in 2000 and have been generous benefactors of Christian universities and nonprofit organizations around the country. Tom Lewis is the author of “Solid Ground: A Foundation for Winning in Work and in Life.” 

Liberty Executive Vice President of Development Brian Mentzer recognized Lewis’ career success and continued humanitarian work for the Gospel. He said the new center will champion the same ideals Lewis has followed in both his professional and charity work. 

“It is our privilege to partner with him and incorporate some of the principles of his book in a number of our courses so that you can benefit and win at work and at life,” Mentzer said. “And these principles work. They’re like the laws of nature, and nature’s God. There are some things that just work because they do — honesty, integrity, character, hard work, perseverance. And he shares it in such a way that you can grasp it and understand it.”  

Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Hicks thanked Lewis for his willingness to share the wisdom he has gained in his career. He also noted Lewis’ incredible generosity and servant-hearted attitude toward God and others. 

“We just want to thank you for your vision and your mission and your commitment to serving Him right where you are and allowing us to be a small part of what you will do for these students,” he said. 

Lewis shared how he continues to use the platform God has given to him through “Solid Ground” to impact the next generation of Christian leaders. 

“I spent 25 years trying to accumulate some wealth and have a successful career,” he said. “And then once I did that, my wife and I spent the last 25 years giving it away. I think it’s the right thing to do, but it also feels really good. I’m not just giving it away, but partnering with organizations like Liberty University, which is a world-class higher education institution with a lot of great leaders and a lot of great students.” 

He said the book was his effort “to try to figure out what I did differently than my high school buddies who didn’t do as well as I did and to address exactly what the principles were that I followed and executed that led to my success.” 

Liberty President Dondi E. Costin closed the ceremony by noting the incredible impact the book can have on helping others navigate their own careers and faith walks. 

“I look forward to seeing what the T.W. Lewis Center for Student Success is going to do in the coming generations,” he said. “Because you have heard, seen, and you have experienced what is being called a vibe shift. There is a revival happening. This is perhaps the best time, in my lifetime at least, for these principles to take root in a culture that is looking for the way to go.” 

After the ribbon cutting, Tom Lewis met with students and signed copies of his book. Later that afternoon, he held a special session for LEAD 112: Self-Leadership Development students in a private dining room at the Reber-Thomas Dining Center where he shared more about the principles he has remained faithful to throughout his life. 

Lewis donated 1,000 copies of his book to the School of Business to be incorporated into residential coursework. Thousands of electronic copies are also available for online courses. 

Indigo CEO and founder Sheri Smith also attended the event. Annually, 3,000 students can take the Indigo assessment, attend workshops, and meet with Indigo Certified faculty and staff for meaningful interpretation of results. The workshops and one-on-one sessions focus on student self-awareness, purpose, and career development informed by individual strengths and an understanding of the student’s intrinsic value as God’s creation. 

Contact Professor Dr. Roger W. Mackey, director of TW Lewis Center for Student Success, at rwmackey@liberty.edu for more information or to get involved with the center.