About Us

75th Anniversary

The 1980s

The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) began offering graduate classes in 1983 with a concentration in Community Health Nursing. In 1985, the Illinois State Board of Education granted K-12 Reading Specialist Certification to the Graduate Program in Reading. Lewis joined the NCAA Division II in athletics and entered the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Arts & Ideas Series was launched to provide educational and cultural programming to students, the Lewis community and the public. Since its inception, hundreds of events have been presented annually, including performances by international and national touring companies, concerts, films, plays, lectures, seminars, dance and more.

In 1989, the airport was sold to the Joliet Regional Port Authority, with continuing arrangements for Lewis students to use the facility for flight instruction and the agreement that the name would continue to be the Lewis University Airport.

The campus deeply mourned the passing of Brother David Delahanty, FSC, who served as President from 1982 until his death in 1987. In his memory, the Brother David Delahanty Awards were established to encourage and recognize academic achievement among student-athletes. A scholarship for first year students, majoring in any of the fine arts, also was established to honor Brother David.

During the 1980s, athletics again put Lewis in the national spotlight as Sports Illustrated did a story on Charles, Tom, Joe and Mark Niego, brothers who all played basketball for Lewis. Mary, Terry and Nancy also made their mark in Lewis athletics as seven Niegos graduated from Lewis University.

To top