University of the Incarnate Word
10/03/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/03/2024 14:24
UIW Receives Transformative Gift of $5 Million
Gift set to be used for the Restoration and Renovation of Founders Hall
San Antonio - October 3, 2024 - The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that it has received a pledge of $5 million to support the development and renovation of Founders Hall. The transformative pledge comes to UIW from the Elma Dill Russell Spencer Foundation, managed by the family of Jack Lewis III, former chair of the UIW Board of Trustees and longtime supporter of the University.
Envisioned as a hub of academic excellence and gateway to global understanding for the community, Founders Hallis the future home of the Liza and Jack Lewis Center of the Americas, also named for the Lewis family. The Lewis Center works to promote better relations and grow understanding among the people and nations of the Americas. In addition to the Lewis Center, Founders Hall will also house a community events center, the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, the School of Media and Design, International Affairs, a new Student Health Center and the UIW Police Department along with other areas to be determined as the project expands.
"I am deeply grateful to the Lewis family for their whole-hearted support of UIW and long-time friendship," said Dr. Thomas M. Evans, UIW president. "During his 12-year tenure as a Trustee, Jack co-chaired the capital campaign committee for the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine, co-chaired the last comprehensive $100 million campaign and served as treasurer, vice chair and, ultimately, chair of the board. In every role, he helped guide UIW through many challenges and toward even more triumphs, including helping us navigate through the pandemic. In addition to his support of Founders Hall and the Lewis Center, he has also sponsored individual students for whom a UIW education would not have otherwise been possible."
Evans also noted that Lewis has been one of UIW's most ardent ambassadors, welcoming new friends and benefactors into the UIW community in hopes that they come to appreciate the work that is done at UIW as much as Lewis does.
As Lewis himself once stated, "I have loved UIW forever. We are changing lives. I have seen all the good that the university has done for students over the years. I'm a believer."
This latest gift is the third seven-figure gift toward the Founders Hall project. The nine-story, 380,000-square-foot, 10-acre property represents the largest renovation project in UIW history. It was designed by noted architect Atlee B. Ayers in the 1950s and expands UIW's footprint by 20 percent.
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About UIW
With over 140 years of tradition, the University of the Incarnate Word is committed to educational excellence in a context of faith in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. UIW programs constitute a liberal education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical consequences of our ideas and actions. Founded in 1881, UIW is the largest Catholic university in the state and the fourth largest private university in Texas. UIW students can choose from degrees offered at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. The University is committed to graduating students with the lowest amount of debt load possible and to help them secure a career that lifts their lives, their families and their communities. With a beautiful main campus in the heart of San Antonio, in 2019, UIW purchased a 10-acre landmark property at 4119 Broadway which increased the footprint of the UIW Broadway Campus by 20%. The building is now known as Founders Hall. UIW has locations throughout San Antonio, two campuses in Mexico and a European Study Center in Strasbourg, France. UIW is a leader in international education, with over 146 "sister schools" in 45 countries and it is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution. The University is a member of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference and is proud to have 25 teams representing 14 different sports. UIW is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.