Campbell University Board of Trustees Chairman Gene Lewis ’94 and Patricia Harmon-Lewis ’90 have committed to supporting members of the Sound of the Sandhills Marching Band through two complementary scholarship funds.
The Lewises are establishing the Gene & Patricia Lewis Marching Band Endowed Scholarship Fund alongside a companion direct aid scholarship fund. The direct aid fund will provide scholarship assistance while the endowment is being funded and becomes eligible to make awards. Together, the funds will support current band members and build lasting support for future student musicians at Campbell.
“A marching band can add so much to the campus experience and to alumni engagement,” shared University President Dr. William Downs. “At Campbell the Sound of the Sandhills brings our events to life with energy, pageantry, and musical excellence. I’m grateful that Gene and Patricia Lewis have invested generously in the future of Marching Band at Campbell, and with their help we will be giving more opportunity to more students for many years to come…that’s an enduring legacy that we can all celebrate!
Both funds will support full-time undergraduate students who are members of Campbell’s marching band.
“The direct aid and endowed scholarships established by Gene and Patricia Lewis will provide immediate and enduring support for our hard-working marching band students,” said Michael Wells, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Sound of the Sandhills Marching Band is open to Campbell students across all majors who play an instrument or participate in color guard. The band performs at home football games, parades and competitions.
“For our students, the direct aid and endowed scholarships help make it possible to pursue their education while continuing to participate in an activity they love,” said Brayden Coats ’23, director of athletic bands. “We are grateful to Gene and Patricia Lewis for investing in our musicians and helping us build and sustain a program where students can grow as performers, develop as leaders, and find a lasting sense of belonging at Campbell University.”
For Patricia Harmon-Lewis, the commitment reflects a connection to music and the arts that began during her time as a Campbell student. A 1990 graduate with a degree in Mass Communication, she participated in various fine arts programs, the Wind Ensemble and the Pep Band each of her years at the University.
“Although I did not major in music, the Fine Arts program played an important role in my college years,” Harmon-Lewis stated. “I was able to enjoy my love for playing flute and piccolo and singing through the programs available at Campbell and received high level instruction that has served me throughout my adult life,” Harmon-Lewis concluded.
As a member of the greater Buies Creek community, she has continued to support the arts and its programs at Campbell, singing in the Campbell University Choral Society. She also has stayed involved in Harnett County, serving as a member of the Harnett County Arts Council and working with the fine arts programs in the school system during her 26 with Harnett County Schools.
Gene Lewis earned his degree in Trust Management with a minor in financial planning in 1994. He has served on the University’s Board of Trustees since 2019 and as chair since 2023. He also chaired the presidential search committee that selected Dr. William M. Downs as Campbell’s sixth president in 2025. His term as board chair concludes in December 2026.