Non-traditional Students at UNCP Benefit From the Generosity of Tom Lewis

Tom Lewis’ late wife Lois was known as a wonderful storyteller.

“She told a good story,” Tom Lewis said. “She came from a family of good storytellers and grew up with the art.”

The story of Lois Lewis’ life is likely every bit as compelling as the yarns she used to spin, and it’s one of the main reasons Tom Lewis made a blended gift that included a planned-giving component to establish the Lois C. Lewis Endowed Scholarship at UNCP. The scholarships will benefit students like Lois Lewis—non-traditional students who face unique challenges in pursuing a college degree.

Lois Lewis had six children before her marriage to her first husband ended. After her youngest child started kindergarten, Lois returned to college as a single mom while also juggling a full-time job and her kids’ busy lives.

By the time Lois and Tom met in 1973 and eventually married, Lois had completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She worked first as a speech therapist and later as a special education teacher, all fueled by a drive to learn and the ability to connect with people. Lois was especially adept at finding those who needed special attention and giving them extra help to succeed, Tom says.

As he considered how to honor his wife’s legacy following her death, Tom returned to her tenacity and generosity. And he firmly believed a scholarship award that would help students overcome obstacles was a fitting tribute.

“Lois was extremely charitable, and she made me more charitable,” Tom said. “She also liked the underdog. Lois would think this scholarship is the greatest thing in the world because of how the students’ lives will be changed during their time at UNCP. I see it as a real memorial to her because she went down this same road before them.”