About Us

75th Anniversary

The 1990s

Programs for adults took the spotlight in the 1990s as Lewis introduced an accelerated degree completion program for working adults, offering evening and weekend classes at the main campus, satellite centers and sites throughout northern Illinois. Master's degrees programs were developed in Counseling Psychology, School Counseling & Guidance and Leadership Studies. The College of Nursing introduced a master's degree program in Case Management that can be taken on site or on line.

As part of the Strategic Plan, adopted in the mid '90s, Lewis established a Scholars Academy that allows eligible undergraduate students in every major to enhance their educational opportunities through intensive projects arranged through contract with faculty members, as well as through conferences, immersion seminars and travels.

The Lewis campus was transformed in the 1990s, thanks to a comprehensive $60 million campus construction / renovation program, launched in 1989 by Brother James Gaffney, FSC, president, and the Board of Trustees, resulting in new construction, major renovations in current facilities, updating of equipment, and campus beautification. Among the major achievements were the construction of the state-of-the-art Harold E. White Aviation Center; renovation of Benilde Hall to house the College of Business with its undergraduate and graduate programs and the Center for Professional Education and Outreach Initiatives; construction of the Student Recreation and Fitness Center with its swimming pool, indoor track, fitness center and fieldhouse featuring four full-sized courts; renovation of the Student Union; the new Neil Carey Arena in the JFK Sports Center; and the construction of North Hall, the first new residence hall on the Lewis campus in nearly three decades.

Les Stoklosa, an international student from Poland, won the first national championship in the NCAA in 1993, winning the steeplechase and starting a new and exciting tradition among the Track and Field teams.

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