Spring Break
Friends remembers Lewis' life as one of leadership, self confidence
By: Lindsey Coyne
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: News
Lauren Elizabeth Lewis, senior science and math education major, loved and lived by words once sung by Dolly Parton.
"I said you'd better get to livin', givin', be willing and forgivin', cause all healing has to start with you."
Lewis died Monday after a car accident just outside of her home town of Tyler, Texas. She was 20.
Lewis, a native of Louisiana, was heavily involved on campus serving as a chair of the Freshman Leadership Development Retreat, as well as service director for Maggie's Women's Leadership Organization. In January, she was a delegate for the Memorial Student Center Abbott Family Leadership Conference. In addition to all of these commitments and her schoolwork, Lewis volunteered for HOSTS and The Lincoln Center, and was employed as a student worker at the University PLUS Frame Shop.
Shelley Maranitch, junior biomedical science major, has known Lewis since the fifth grade.
"We attended different middle schools and reconnected in high school. Little did we know that our friendship would continue through most of our college career," Maranitch said.
Over the past 10 years, Maranitch has countless memories from the friendship she and Lewis had and even more containing life lessons Lewis taught her along the way. "She has helped me understand that it's important to be comfortable with yourself so that you may be comfortable with others," Maranitch said. "She taught me not to be afraid of loving people and letting those people know that you love them."
Lewis' friends said that service and leadership by example defined her life and her actions.
"I am challenged daily to be a better daughter, sister, friend, Maggie and Aggie by the example she set in my life," said Emily Knippel, senior finance major and vice president of Maggie's.
At the end of the spring semester 2007, when Amanda Knippel, junior telecommunication media studies major, was selected to be a member of Maggie's, she and Lewis became fast friends.
"I said you'd better get to livin', givin', be willing and forgivin', cause all healing has to start with you."
Lewis died Monday after a car accident just outside of her home town of Tyler, Texas. She was 20.
Lewis, a native of Louisiana, was heavily involved on campus serving as a chair of the Freshman Leadership Development Retreat, as well as service director for Maggie's Women's Leadership Organization. In January, she was a delegate for the Memorial Student Center Abbott Family Leadership Conference. In addition to all of these commitments and her schoolwork, Lewis volunteered for HOSTS and The Lincoln Center, and was employed as a student worker at the University PLUS Frame Shop.
Shelley Maranitch, junior biomedical science major, has known Lewis since the fifth grade.
"We attended different middle schools and reconnected in high school. Little did we know that our friendship would continue through most of our college career," Maranitch said.
Over the past 10 years, Maranitch has countless memories from the friendship she and Lewis had and even more containing life lessons Lewis taught her along the way. "She has helped me understand that it's important to be comfortable with yourself so that you may be comfortable with others," Maranitch said. "She taught me not to be afraid of loving people and letting those people know that you love them."
Lewis' friends said that service and leadership by example defined her life and her actions.
"I am challenged daily to be a better daughter, sister, friend, Maggie and Aggie by the example she set in my life," said Emily Knippel, senior finance major and vice president of Maggie's.
At the end of the spring semester 2007, when Amanda Knippel, junior telecommunication media studies major, was selected to be a member of Maggie's, she and Lewis became fast friends.
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