Building CommUNITY Through Music, Faith, and Courage
When Shantée Lewis ‘22 arrived on the campus of Valparaiso University as a non-traditional student, she sat in her car for 20 minutes, pondering her life-altering decision. At 45 years old, she was stepping into a new world filled with classes, academic expectations, and the challenge of balancing the pursuit of a college degree with family life. A wife, mother of six children, caregiver, pastor’s wife, and lifelong musician, Lewis wondered if she truly belonged. “I sat in my car crying, asking God, ‘Why am I here?’” she recalled. “And He said, ‘I’m going to show you.’”
Years later, Lewis not only earned her degree in vocal music from Valpo, but returned to campus to reintroduce and lead the Valparaiso University Gospel Choir, which was initiated by Rev. Dr. Judith Erwin-Neville 30 years prior. The mission is to display UNITY at the heart of the Gospel message in song and to positively impact the lives of both the members and the listening audiences. “Creating a welcoming space to make music, rooted in love, belonging, encouragement, and respect, is key for building commUNITY,” she stated. For Lewis, Gospel music has always been a major source of influence that has shaped who she is today. Nurtured by her mother, Shella Mae Robinson, she has been singing since childhood in both church and her family choir, and writing original music since her preteen years. Her solo EP release, VerStyle, debuted in 2014. A singer/songwriter and recording artist, she knew that if she ever returned to school, it would have to be for music. “I didn’t want to go to school for anything else,” she said. “Music is what I love.”
Unfortunately, fear of balancing a new life kept her from taking the leap for years. Married to her husband of 30 years, Bishop James A. Lewis II, Lewis devoted much of her life to raising their children, Jamesha, James III, Shantel, Shanice, Judah, and Jamaria (her first choir), while caring for her family and serving alongside her husband in ministry. She applied to Valpo after years of prayer and encouragement from her family. A scholarship offer, arriving soon after her acceptance letter, gave her family the assurance they needed to move forward. “That scholarship mattered,” Lewis said. “I was a commuter. At times, the finances helped with purchasing books; at other times, with gas for my commute. More than that, it reminded me that someone believed in students like me. My donors were a blessing in disguise.”
As a non-traditional student, Lewis often found herself surrounded by classmates the same age as her own children. Rather than feeling disconnected, she embraced the opportunity to build relationships across generations. “I became the ‘Valpo mom,’” she said with a laugh. Whether encouraging classmates during study sessions, mentoring students through difficult moments, or handing a hungry student a banana and a honey bun before class, Lewis became known for creating spaces of care and support. “Don’t go to class hungry,” she remembered telling one student. “Your stomach will speak louder than your professor.” Currently, her Valpo “children” are still in touch with her today.
Lewis credits Valpo’s professors, like her mentor, Professor Maura Janton-Cock, Dr. Sky Macklay, Dr. Sunghee Kim, and a close-knit community with helping her champion the fear she initially carried into the classroom. “My professors were very supportive,” she said. “Their sincere backing and patience helped eliminate the fear.”
Her time at Valpo was also marked by profound personal moments. During her coursework, Lewis helped care for her mother, Shella Mae Robinson, who was battling kidney and heart failure. Robinson attended one of Lewis’s performances in the Dusenberg Recital Hall, where Lewis performed a French piece entitled “Les Berceaux” by Gabriel Fauré. After the performance, students and guest attendees were welcomed to encourage any of the performers. Robinson stood and encouraged not only her daughter, but every student in the room. “There were no dry eyes in the room,” Lewis said. “My classmates and professors remembered her and offered their sympathy after she passed.” Robinson died during Lewis’s final semester, just months before Lewis performed her senior recital, which included repertoire in five different languages. Looking back at a recording of the recital with her sister later, Lewis saw more than herself on stage. “I looked just like my mother,” she said. “She was a beautiful singer in her own right.”
After graduating magna cum laude in 2022, Lewis hoped to continue serving students at her alma mater. Though several job applications did not work out, an unexpected email changed everything. Lewis was invited to reintroduce the Valparaiso University Gospel Choir through the Division of Calling and Spiritual Life. The opportunity was deeply aligned with the vision she had carried throughout her time as a student. From the beginning, and with the full support of the CSL team, Lewis knew exactly what kind of Gospel choir she wanted to build. “Anyone is welcome,” she said. “I don’t care about your race, ethnicity, background, or how you identify; everyone is welcome here.” Lewis personally recruited students across campus, handing out flyers, speaking with students in dining halls and common spaces, encouraging anyone with an interest to give it a try. “You don’t have to be perfect,” she said. “You just have to come.”
Today, the Gospel Choir continues to grow as a space centered on faith, music, and commUNITY. One of Lewis’s favorite memories is of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation 2026 performance that united the members of the VUGC, choir members of First United Methodist Church of Valpo, and River Forest High School Choir. The singers ranged in age from 8 to 85 years old. “The diversity, the cultures, the generations – it was beautiful to witness and a blessing to lead,” Lewis said. “That’s what commUNITY looks like.”
Now a proud grandmother of seven, Lewis continues to encourage students the same way she encouraged herself years ago: one step at a time. Her advice to other non-traditional students is simple. “Do it anyway,” she said. “Pursuing your education might be a bit intimidating, but take it one day at a time. Use your resources. Ask for help. Celebrate the small successes.”
As she states in the motto which she uses to revitalize her musicians, “START STRONG! END STRONG! IN THE MIDDLE, STAY STRONG!” GO BEACONS!
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