SWU graduate in the ‘right place at the right time’
Jason Lewis comforts a woman after she collapsed in an Evans, Ga. Walmart. Brittany McKee, a registered nurse, took this photo. McKee and Lewis assisted the woman until paramedics could arrive. Lewis, a SWU graduate, is the Walmart’s e-commerce manager. (Used with permission of Brittany McKee).
Images of a manager at an Evans, Ga. Walmart helping and comforting an elderly woman who collapsed in the store quickly went viral on social media – a simple act of kindness that stood out in a world often clouded by controversy.
“I was going up to her to see if she was okay,” said Jason Lewis, a Southern Wesleyan University graduate. “I caught her from hitting her head. I just propped her up and used my side and back as a support.”
A registered nurse had walked up on the scene and asked the woman about medications she was taking, and also checked her vital signs. As the woman tried to get up, Lewis and the nurse advised her not to do so. They stayed with her until paramedics could arrive. As they waited, another man came and prayed over the woman.
According to Lewis, the nurse later visited the hospital to check on the woman, who by then was alert and improving.
Lewis learned about Southern Wesleyan University from a professor he had as an undergraduate at another college. The professor, who Lewis looked up to as a mentor, was teaching at Southern Wesleyan’s North Augusta education center as an adjunct.
“I got enrolled and went to class one night per week. Going to school and working a full time job, balancing school with his home life and family life – it was very convenient,” said Lewis, adding that being able to take many of his courses online added to the convenience. He graduated in 2012 with his MBA.
While attending Southern Wesleyan was convenient, Lewis also gained a lot personally from being part of the university’s faith-filled community.
“One reason I chose SWU is that they are in tune with what I believe. I wanted to make sure I was involved,” Lewis said. “Starting (classes) with devotionals was key to my life.”
Lewis enjoys keeping in touch with his classmates.
“I was actually the youngest person in my cohort by far. I was 28 at the time; I’m 32 now. It was good to get those life experiences and to see how they handled different situations.”
Lewis is currently an e-commerce manager at the Evans Walmart, handling site-to-store transactions.
Links to Jason’s story are on WRDW TV, Pressfrom (Australia) and Good Housekeeping.
With regional education centers conveniently located across South Carolina, as well as fully online programs for select degrees, Southern Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered, student-focused learning community devoted to transforming lives by challenging students to be dedicated scholars and servant-leaders who impact the world for Christ. For details about degree programs, visit swu.edu.
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