President Lewis Announced as Commencement Speaker

Houghton President, Dr. Wayne D. Lewis, Jr., will serve as the commencement speaker this May for his alma mater, St. Augustine High School. As a 1998 graduate of the New Orleans high school, Lewis will also be celebrating his 25th high school reunion.

My time at St. Augustine was the most formative educational and personal experience of my life. So much of who I am was shaped there by teachers, mentors, and classmates I will forever be indebted to.

During his time at St. Augustine, Lewis was a dedicated and talented saxophonist, becoming the section leader for the school’s marching band, the Marching 100. In his senior year, President Lewis was elevated to drum major. Since then, Lewis taught in K-12 public schools of Louisiana and North Carolina and served as the inaugural Dean of the School of Education at Belmont University before becoming the sixth president of The Wesleyan Church’s oldest established higher education institution. Lewis continues to be a champion for students and was named by Buffalo Business First to the Power 100 Business Leaders of Color. 

Lewis eagerly anticipated his return to where his love of education began. “I had the privilege of serving as class speaker at my 1998 commencement ceremony but never imagined that I would have the opportunity to return 25 years later to deliver another commencement address. I am incredibly humbled by President Taylor’s invitation.”