Te Lewis Legacy


Photo by: Amy Hart From the university's announcement of Lowe's and Ally as


inaugural partners in the Charlotte Talent Initiative, an immersive cohort program designed to change the economic trajectories of local high school graduates and families, to its partnership with Atrium Health to expand health and wellness resources on campus, investments in multidisciplinary programs, and the creation of the Center for Digital Equity as a part of the Mayor's Racial Equity initiative, President Lugo believes that Queens is poised to take its place as one of the new forerunners of American higher education. "The histories and growth of Queens and Charlotte are intrinsically linked with significant partnerships throughout the years. For 165 years Queens has been an engine of not only individual opportunity, but of social change and innovation," he said. "We are a leader and convener in Charlotte, and our move to D1 provides enhanced visibility for the impactful work we do day in and day out — both for our students and for the broader community. We would not have made it to this point without the courageous vision, support and commitment of our Charlotte partners and civic leaders who understand that the move to Division I is about so much more than athletics."


When T.J. Lewis ’97 was recruited in 1993 to play basketball at Queens, he never imagined that a small school would have such a huge impact on his life. Though he met the love of his life, Charmain Lewis ’98, before his time as a Royal, their relationship fully blossomed when


they attended Queens. They married in 1998 and now have three sons. Though T.J., who serves as the senior


director of supplier diversity and sustainability at Ally Financial, recently stepped away from the Queens Board of Trustees after 16 years of service, the Lewis legacy continues as Dillon Lewis ’24 has stepped up to the plate. The oldest of three boys, Dillon is an athlete


like his father. In 2020, after Queens Head Baseball Coach Ross Steedley saw him play, he knew right away he wanted Dillon at Queens. "For years, Dillon didn't want to come to Queens because it didn't have baseball," T.J. said. "My advice to him was to go where he felt most comfortable. But when Coach Steedley wanted him, Dillon made the choice. I stayed out of it." Both Charmain — who serves as associate


director of digital engagement in the Office of University Advancement at Queens — and T.J. won't deny that they were thrilled by Dillon's choice. "The decision was less of my father attending the school and more of the opportunities he was able to provide for me because of his involvement in Queens," said Dillon. "It's been very cool to watch full circle how


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people wanted him to come to Queens just as they did me years earlier," T.J. said. "The most surreal moment was at Dillon's first game. It was the ninth inning, Queens was down by six with two outs, and he hit the game-winning single! At that moment I realized that Queens is part of my family." T.J. calls his time on the Board of


Trustees, "the honor of a lifetime." "Watching the profile of Queens grow and the caliber of the board get stronger as it takes on monumental projects like the transition to Division 1 is just incredible," he said. "It's elevating Queens way beyond sports. I'm proud to have been a consistent part of the value the institution brings to the community." "It's hard to put into words how excited I am


for the upcoming baseball season," said Dillon. "The opportunity for every one of us to put our skills on display on the national stage is something that not many people get to experience."


—Keith Pierce Winter 2023 7


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