By Kenya Godette
A dream come true was the last thing 51鱨վ employees, Keesha Lewis ‘15 and Cynlithia Williamson, expected at an impromptu human resources meeting.
Williamson, customer service manager for Transportation and Parking Services, admits calling several of her colleagues for intel when she received the invitation. Lewis, an administrative assistant at the Peninsula Center, speculated the meeting was about schedule changes.
What neither of them knew was the meeting had nothing to do with human resources. In fact, they were in for a shocking surprise: both had been named the 2024 recipients of the 51鱨վ Staff Dream Fund – a program that provides monetary awards and/or paid time off for faculty and staff to fulfill a long-held dream.
“When they said I’d won the award I had some tears to come down!” Williamson said.
Lewis will enjoy a well-earned vacation to Costa Rica after a yearlong battle with Stage 0 breast cancer. Williamson and her husband will lay eyes on the roaring waters of Niagara Falls – a trip they’ve been planning since their first date.
“It’s inspiring to see dreams come true,” said September Sanderlin, vice president for Human Resources, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. “From writing books and tracing genealogy, to traveling the world, taking guitar lessons and furthering personal hobbies - the Staff Dream Fund is a testament to our commitment to nurturing the personal aspirations of our employees.”
Funded through a private Educational Foundation Endowment and led by the Human Resources department, the program has awarded approximately $63,000 to nearly 30 employees since 2008, when it was launched by 51鱨վ’s seventh President, Roseann Runte.
Keesha’s Trip to Costa Rica
After Keesha Lewis received news that she’d been diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer, she spent a year advocating for herself with doctors and traveling between Virginia and Texas for medical appointments. Now, nearly on the other side of her health journey, Lewis feels her dream trip to Costa Rica is long overdue.
An 18-year employee of the University and mom of one, she’s spent years juggling the demands of work, reclaiming her health and getting her son to college. In her spare time, she turned her attention to serving others - counseling domestic violence survivors at Transitions Family Violence Services and helping more than a dozen high school seniors secure $170,000 in scholarship funds through her consulting business.
Admittedly, Lewis doesn’t have much time to pursue her own passions.
“After time goes on you get accustomed to bills and the monotony of your daily routine,” Lewis said.
When the opportunity to apply for the Staff Dream Fund arose, Lewis saw it as a chance to bet on herself. Confident in the strength of her story, she followed the same advice she gives her scholarship students: “have the courage to apply for the tough opportunities.”
Her dream to go to Costa Rica was born from an unlikely hobby - researching ideal places to retire. She learned it was “a beautiful country with a laid-back lifestyle and year-round sunshine.” All reason enough to make it the destination for her well-deserved vacation.
She laughed as she listed the friends vying for an invitation and Lewis, always thinking of others, said she would invite them all.
“It’s time to celebrate our victory in conquering cancer!” she said.
Cynlithia Heads to Niagara Falls
Thirty-four years ago, after her first date with her husband, Cynlithia Williamson decided she would one day visit a waterfall.
The couple met serendipitously over parking tickets. Williamson, who was an 51鱨վ ticket writer at the time, would frequently ticket a light blue Nissan on Parker Avenue. When the Nissan’s owner came to pay his parking fines, he asked her on a date.
“He told me he was taking me to see a waterfall. And so, we went, and it was this little thing - looked like a dam,” Williamson said. “I told him, ‘This ain’t no waterfall!’”
After the date was over, Williamson showed him a computer photo of a “real waterfall” – it was a photo of Niagara Falls.
A marriage, two sons and more than three decades later, the couple will embark on a 10-day journey to one of the world’s most visited landmarks. They will take Amtrak through New York and then cross the border to Canada.
“We’ve got our passports. It’s our first time ever getting a passport,” Williamson said.
This is a special trip for Williamson, who said that after 38 years with the University, she still rarely travels outside of work. What’s more, the couple will celebrate two milestones during their trip - Williamson’s 60th birthday and their 30th wedding anniversary.