One of Arizona’s most storied homebuilders did not have a college home for his philanthropy, which supports children and families in need and various nonprofit organizations. But after learning about the pillars of Grand Canyon University, seeing the smiles on students’ faces on their way to classes, and hearing about the vision of President Brian Mueller and other leaders, Tom Lewis felt right at home.
“The real power of Tom is not his checkbook, even though he is very generous,” said Kevin Youngblood, an entrepreneur who introduced Lewis to GCU. “The real power of Tom is his knowledge and his character and his beliefs. So you pass those down through mentoring, disciplining and training, and he’s doing that at GCU on a platform. “He’s been welcomed to speak to the students and have that intimate relationship where you can pass on those values. He’s got a lot to give to all strata of life. … He has that sweet spot for the college age.”