William T. Lewis, Sr., director of the Office of Institutional Diversity at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts, has been named vice president for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at Virginia Tech. He will assume his new responsibilities Sept. 7.Lewis succeeds Karen Eley Sanders, who has served as interim vice president since December of 2009.

As vice president for the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Lewis will provide leadership in advancing the university’s goal of embracing diversity in pursuit of inclusive excellence. Lewis will collaborate with the campus, alumni, local, and global communities to ensure that Virginia Tech continues to be an inclusive community that nurtures learning and growth for all of its constituencies.

“I am truly excited to be apart of the Hokie family.” Lewis said. “There has been much done at Virginia Tech to ensure that diversity is inclusive, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue that legacy.”

Lewis earned a doctoral degree from Indiana University, and a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Purdue University. He also completed the management development program from Harvard Institutes for Higher Education.

Lewis is a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, and a former member of the New England Resource Center for Higher Education Multicultural Think Tank.