By LORETTA FULTON

As if being named a T.B.Maston Scholar weren’t enough, Madison Lewis added another significant award to her resume at Hardin-Simmons University.

She recently received the Altom Christian Service Award, named for the first recipients in 2001, Bill and Janis Altom. The Altom award is based on “devotion to the Lord and active service to Him.” Madison’s resume at Hardin-Simmons makes it easy to see why she was selected. She is a leader in Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) and served with Reach 22 over spring break last year. Among the group’s projects were helping a local church hand out Bibles at a trailer park and praying for the residents and painting a house for a local woman.

“It was a fun and impactful week,” Madison said, “even though my friend sprained her ankle when we were painting the house!”

Madison has a double major in Christian Studies and Strategic Communication. She is on track to graduate in December and hopes to work in media for a local nonprofit.

In the photo at right, Madison Lewis receives the Altom Christian Service Award at Hardin-Simmons University. Pictured with her are her parents, Greg and Jill Lewis, and her brother, Matthew Lewis. Submitted photos

BIO
Name: Madison Lewis
School status: Hardin-Simmons University senior (Graduate in December 2023)
School activities: Circle K International, Co-President and leader in the Baptist Student Ministry
Family: Parents, Greg and Jill Lewis. Brother, Matthew Lewis
Birthplace: Burnet, Texas
Where you grew up: Marble Falls, but I graduated from Goldthwaite High School
Education: Goldthwaite High School; double major in Christian Studies and Strategic Communication at Hardin-Simmons University
Plans after graduation: I want to work for a nonprofit as their media director, hopefully staying in Abilene.

Q Receiving the Altom Christian Service Award is quite an honor. What does that mean to you?

A I feel very honored to receive the Altom Award, especially because it is not awarded every year and I am one of the few current students to receive it. Getting an award like this isn’t just a feel-good thing or something to add to my resume. The Altom Award truly makes me feel honored and humbled in a way I honestly can’t express.

Q You also were named a Maston Scholar, so you obviously are both committed to Christian service and are very bright! How do you plan to combine those attributes?

A Being a Maston scholar was a phenomenal experience. The Maston Foundation recently changed from doing lectures to doing a formative and hands-on learning week. I was heavily impacted by that week. I  plan on using the skills and lessons I have learned from Christian service to better the world through media. I love photography and videography, and what better way to use those skills than to glorify God?

Q What are some of your duties as a leader in Baptist Student Ministry at Hardin-Simmons?

A The Baptist Student Ministry, or BSM, has had a great deal of impact on me, especially since I have had some leadership roles. We recently had a change of directors, so the BSM overall functions differently now, but in Fall and Spring of 2022  and Fall of 2023, I was the co-leader of the Small Groups team. We planned and led men’s and women’s Bible Studies weekly. Now, I serve as a general leader in the BSM, and will lead a discipleship group of around four to six women in the Fall. 

Q Have you gone on any mission trips while at HSU? If so, describe some of your experiences. (this might be getting used to a different culture, encountering unforeseen obstacles, being blessed in an unexpected way, etc.)

A I actually did not get to go on an international mission trip while at HSU, but I have served at Reach 22 during spring break last year. Reach 22 was essentially a mission trip to the community. We helped a local church reach out to a trailer park by passing out Bibles and praying for the residents. We also painted a house of a local woman who needed help as well as going to Midland to help a community college’s BSM with their outreach to students. It was a fun and impactful week, even though my friend sprained her ankle when we we painting the house!

Q What type of nonprofit organization do you hope to work for after you graduate?A I would love to work for a Christian nonprofit, but I am not opposed to working for another organization that shares similar values as I do. Either way, I hope to do some sort of media within the organization I work with, because I have quite a bit of experience doing so with my job at Media Services on campus. I would also like to stay in Abilene if at all possible, because I have found a great church community and I think Abilene is a wonderful place to live.