Center for Academic Success & Enrichment

Flyer Success Network

At Lewis, all traditional undergraduate students are part of the Flyer Success Network. Together, Success Coaches and Faculty Mentors guide and mentor students as they navigate their college journey.

How do students find out who their Success Coach and Faculty Mentor are?

Log into myLewis.
Click on Advising & Academic Support.
Click on DegreeWorks.

Under Advisors, Success Coaches appear with COAC after their name and Faculty Mentors appear with FAMA after their name.

MEET THE SUCCESS COACHES

Sarah Alag

Success Coach
Office: LR-349
salag@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
"There are seven days in a week, and "someday" is not one of them."
-Benny Lewis

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
The Godfather, Drop Dead Gorgeous, The Ranking System, and Armchair Expert.

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I spend a lot of time watching my son play soccer. I love taking vacations/trips, hanging out with family and friends, and dabbling in the world of art.

Kevin Buss

Success Coach
Office: LR-323
kbuss@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost" - J.R.R. Tolkien

Favorite Book/Movie:
The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I enjoy reading, writing, and playing games with my family and friends

When did you start working at Lewis?
Summer 2023

Lee Cruz

Success Coach
Office: LR-351
lcruz6@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
"Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love."聽 - Saint Francis of Assisi

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
My favorite movies are It’s a Wonderful Life and Duck Soup, books are classic short stories and western genre novels, and podcast is Farm Progress America.聽聽

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I regularly log many miles of running, attend high school and college athletic events, immerse myself in music, and savor the majestic nature of forest preserves.聽

When did you start working at Lewis?
Spring 2024

Yadira Diaz

Success Coach
Office: LR-333
ydiaz1@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
"If you have a dream, don’t let anybody take it away." - Selena Quintanilla

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
Titanic, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and I also enjoy reading books by Emily Henry or Colleen Hoover.

Podcasts:
I'm a fan of Latino USA, as well as True Crime Podcasts like Crime Junkie and Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast.

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, as well as taking care of my two dogs. Additionally, I find pleasure in cooking, reading, and gardening during the summer months.

When did you start working at Lewis?
I started at Lewis in 2022.

Sean Dwyer

Success Coach
Office: LR-347
sdwyer1@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” - John Wooden

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
My favorite movies are: Back to the Future, Glory Road, Moneyball, and Ted. My favorite book is: What’s Really Important by Brett Ledbetter. My favorite podcast is: New Heights with the Kelce Brothers.

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and our Goldendoodle, playing golf, and watching sporting events, specifically college basketball and baseball.

When did you start working at Lewis?
January 2024

Elizabeth Japczyk-Schuler

Success Coach
Office: LR-353
ejapczykschuler@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’ 鈥� Theodore Roosevelt

Favorite Movies/Books:
Encanto, Coco, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Game of Thrones Series 鈥� George R.R. Martin

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I enjoy hanging out with my family at home, going to museums and theme parks with my son and husband, playing video and board games with friends, and building Lego models.

Stacy Matson

Success Coach
Office: LR-327
smatson1@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
"Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind.聽 Be led by the dreams in your heart."聽 -Roy T. Bennett

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
My favorite movie is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and one of my favorite books is Seabiscuit: An American Legend

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family.聽 I spend a lot of time outside, whether it be just sitting on the patio or taking my dogs on walks. I also love to read when I can find the time!

When did you start working at Lewis?
I started at Lewis in January of 2018.

Ed Schaffer

Success Coach
eschaffer@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote: "Those who say they can, and those who say they can't, are both right"

Favorite Movies: The Godfather (Part I and Part II); Favorite Books: "A People's History of the United States" and "A Confederacy of Dunces"

What I enjoy doing when not working: I'm an avid sports fan who likes to watch/attend professional and college games when I'm not working. I also like to stay active and exercise five days a week. I enjoy traveling and try to go on several trips every year.

Started working at Lewis: January 2021

Sherri Starkus

Success Coach
Office: LR-319
sstarkus@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
“Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway.” -Mother Teresa

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
My favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice and I loved the Harry Potter book series.

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I really enjoy going for bike rides and walks with my husband on nature trails.

When did you start working at Lewis?
I started at Lewis in the fall of 2019.

Liliana Tinoco

Success Coach
Office: LR-329
ltinoco@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character鈥攖hat is the goal of true education.” 鈥擬artin Luther King Jr.

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
"Becoming" and "The Light We Carry" by Michelle Obama

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
Traveling to areas with hot climates! I live for warm weather.

John Tuzim

Success Coach
Office: LR-325
jtuzim@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
“Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love” - St. Teresa of Calcutta

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
My favorite books include the Bible, the WondLa trilogy, and Black Rabbit Hall. I also like some of the classic biblical epics like The Ten Commandments and The Story of Ruth

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I enjoy reading, exercising, listening to music, and trying new foods

When did you start working at Lewis?
Summer 2023

Lydia Whewell

Success Coach
Office: LR-321
lwhewell@lewisu.edu

Favorite Quote:
“Change is the only constant in life. One’s ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life.” Benjamin Franklin

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts:
“Gone with the Wind” 鈥� Margaret Mitchel is favorite book and movie (but I have lots of favorites of both!) and a 聽couple of favorite authors are Jodi Picoult and Sandra Dallas.

What do you enjoy doing when not working?
I enjoy reading, spending time with my family, and traveling as often as I can.聽

When did you start working at Lewis?
I started working at Lewis in August 2018.

Liseth Chavez

Assistant Director, Advising

Favorite Quote: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." 鈥擬aya Angelou

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts: Casino, The Kite Runner, and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

What do you enjoy doing when not working? I love traveling, spending time with family, and working out

When did you start working at Lewis?聽 I started at Lewis in 2008.

Stephanie Enervold-Macier

Assistant Director, Advising

Favorite Quote: “When things get tough (and they will) remember your why.”

Favorite Movies/Books/Podcasts: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, All the Minion movies, Mr. & Mrs. Smith

What do you enjoy doing when not working?聽 When I am not working, I am either spending time with family and friends or I can be found in my yard working (in nice weather). I enjoy reading and have recently found I love audio books, which allows me to do so much more with my day; I combine my love of reading and everyday activities. If I am not listening to audio books, you will find me listening to music. I have a wide variety of music that I listen to, but my favorite is Kenny Chesney.

When did you start working at Lewis? I started at Lewis in 2010.

Success Coaches:

Develop a path to graduation with students.聽
Guide students through the ups and downs of college.
Connect students to co-curricular experiences.
Advise students on courses taken in the first and second year.

Faculty Mentors:

Offer students useful insight in their field/discipline.
Discuss and guide students in exploring career paths and additional areas of study to complement students’ post-graduation goals.
Connect students to research opportunities, internships and department/industry happenings.
Advise students on courses taken during the junior and senior year

Students can find the name and contact information for their Success Coach and Faculty Mentor in Degree Works via the myLewis portal. Students are always welcome to call (815) 836-5593 for assistance or stop in the Learning Resource Center, LR-342 to meet their Success Coach.

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