Dr. Dwight Erwin Lewis

Dr. Dwight Erwin Lewis, 70, died peacefully, Tuesday, February 28, 2023 in West Lafayette, Indiana, after his multi-year fight with behavioral-variant Frontotemporal Degeneration/Dementia.

Dr. Lewis was born January 12, 1953, in Canton, Ohio, to Henry Harding Lewis and Ida Moore Lewis. He was one of nine children.

On June 19, 1982, he married Deborah Hopkins of Greenwood, Mississippi. To their union were born Jamilia, Broderick and Quentin.

After his graduation from McKinley High School in Canton, Dwight entered Purdue University, where he studied Microbiology and Molecular Biology. He also ran track and played football. Later, the Oakland Raiders (who won the Superbowl the year prior) drafted him. He declined the draft to continue his academic studies. He received his Bachelor of Science, two masters and a doctoral degree from Purdue.

Dr. Lewis defined his life by his commitment to expanding educational opportunities to broad and diverse students. He had a profound impact on Purdue University with his outstanding leadership, extensive administrative accomplishments in fundraising and development, strategic planning, research, supervision, collaboration, and retention programs.

Among many roles, he was the director of Multicultural Programs in the graduate school; president for many years of Purdue’s Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff, leading successful fundraising for scholarships; and a persistent advocate and visionary for underrepresented students in STEM.

His work changed the face of Purdue University and the broader science and engineering fields. Dr. Lewis developed nine pathway programs to support success for underrepresented graduate students. He founded one of the nation’s first summer programs: Purdue’s successful Historically Black Institution (HBI) Visitation Program, and Sloan Chemistry and Native American programs. As one former student recalled, “Dr. Lewis played a significant role in Purdue’s HBI Visitation Program. That’s what brought me to Purdue for graduate school. The magnitude of his work lives on through so many people.”

As a result, the institution became the nation’s leader in graduating underrepresented Ph.Ds. in chemistry, and increased underrepresented graduate enrollment from 153 to over 1000 graduate students of color. Additionally, his work aided in raising over $15 million for educational achievement of students of color in higher education. He profoundly made a difference in the lives of the many students. He “truly made an impact with all the students he mentored and helped at Purdue,” a mentee noted. “I am truly grateful that he touched my life.”

He is survived by his wife Deborah of 40 years, two sons and their wives, Broderick and Katelyn Lewis; and Quentin and Kemi Lewis; six brothers and two sisters.

Preceding him in death are his daughter, Jamilia; parents, Henry and Ida Lewis; and sister, LaVerne Mattox.

Memorial contributions may be made in Dwight’s name to either Research for Frontal Temporal Dementia and Degeneration or the Neurobehavior and Memory Clinic at Northwestern Medicine.

The celebration of Dr. Lewis’s life will take place Thursday, March 9, 2023 at the Soller-Baker Funeral Home, 400 Twyckenham Blvd, Lafayette, Indiana 47909. Public viewing shall be from 1-2pm eastern, with the funeral service at 2 p.m. eastern.

Following the service, join family and friends from 3-6p.m., at the Ross-Ade Stadium Shively Club, John Wooden Drive, located at the Purdue University football field, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906.