Langston University

LANGSTON, Okla.–President Ruth Ray Jackson announced Wednesday that distinguished alumnus Sherman L. Lewis will serve as the speaker for the 126th Commencement of Langston University on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 10 a.m. in W.E. Anderson Stadium. Lewis will also receive an honorary doctorate degree during the ceremony.

Lewis is a proud alumnus and long-time supporter of LU. He has served the university for more than fifty years in various capacities, including as the current chair of the Langston University Board of Trustees for the Urban Campuses and a member of the LU Foundation Board. He was a trailblazer in the field of conservation, a successful entrepreneur, and he is the most prolific individual donor in the university’s history

“Langston University is proud of the work Mr. Sherman Lewis has done for Oklahoma and the agriculture industry, and we are grateful for all the ways in which he gives back to his alma mater,” Dr. Jackson said. “Over the years, his generous donations have helped countless LU students pursue their degrees while also enhancing the student experience. He is the single largest donor in the university’s history, but he also gives his time through his work on the Board of Trustees for Urban Campuses, the LU Foundation Board and his participation in various events throughout the year.”

Lewis grew up on a farm near Beggs, Oklahoma, and earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics with a minor in mathematics from LU in1964. After graduation, he spent two years in the military before joining the USDA Soil Conservation Service, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in 1967.

He was quickly recognized for his outstanding service, and in 1971, Lewis became the first Black District Conservationist in Oklahoma, serving as the District Conservationist for Rogers County. He continued to rise through the ranks, and he eventually became Director of the Conservation Planning Division in Washington, D.C. In 1997, he retired as Deputy Administrator for Management and Strategic Planning for NRCS.

Lewis returned to Langston University as the Director for the Center for Outreach Programs, where he focused on recruiting students, providing technical assistance to producers and minority-owned businesses, and developing partnerships with federal and state agencies to secure scholarships, internships and career opportunities for students.

After eight years at LU, Lewis decided to venture into the private sector. He and his family started several businesses in Houston, Texas, including quick service restaurants, construction project management, real estate, wholesale and retail gas distribution and a Mexican restaurant.

Lewis was awarded the Heart of the Lion Award in 2014 and received the 1890 Career Exemplar Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities in 2015. In 2022, he and his family established the Sherman and Berniece Lewis Endowment, which was the largest single donation in university history. Shortly after, the university renamed the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences to the Sherman Lewis School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences. In 2025, he received the first ever Langston University Presidential Award of Excellence.

For more information about Langston University’s commencement ceremony, please visit langston.edu/commencement.