Dean of Students Dr. Gabe Willis has been actively engaging the student body during this time of social distancing. Willis has brought back his giveaways in honor of #LionUpTuesday through platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

On March 25 and April 21, Willis announced on Twitter and Instagram that he would purchase lunch for students who participated in his giveaway. To have a chance at winning, students must post a picture of themselves in their green and gold and tag Willis in the post. 

Willis shared what inspired his student lunch giveaways for Lion Up Tuesday and the kind of feedback he received.

“This is just another way to keep the student body engaged,” said Willis. “I love communicating with students, so this is just another way to keep those lines of communication open. Twitter typically gets the most traction. I would say over 65 to 70 students participated on Twitter, and only about 25 to 30 on Instagram.”

A few students are chosen for each giveaway, and Willis provides the lunch funds via Cash App so they can choose where they receive their food. 

Destiny Richardson, sophomore art major, was one of the giveaway winners. She shared that she enjoyed pizza for lunch and what the impact of Willis’s endeavors were.

“I think it is very admirable that Dr. Gabe is still pushing for us to all participate in Lion Up Tuesday, because it shows that he wants students to value the community we have built from our campus,” said Richardson. “In addition, I’m very appreciative of our leaders like Dr. Gabe and other organizations for keeping us all engaged. It has made me feel a lot more connected and determined to finish the semester strong.”

Ral’Vante Crandle, freshman kinesiology major, was another giveaway winner. In addition to receiving a Subway steak and cheese footlong for lunch, he emphasized the influence Willis has on the university community and himself.

“Dr. Willis is a man for the people,” explained Crandle. “He understands our struggles and tries to help out in a great amount of ways he can possible while dealing with life issues and making sure that his family stays afloat. Dr. Willis is a man of his word and loves what he does. He is a ‘show you better than he can tell you’ type of man. He alone has made me a better young man.”

Willis also indicated that he is sure of holding more ‘Dean Willis Giveaways’ before the semester ends, as well as what his plans are to carry them into the future.

“There will certainly be plenty of them over the summer,” explained Willis. “Most will be dedicated to the incoming class of 2024.”

Anyone interested in participating in upcoming #DeanWillisGiveaways can follow Willis on Twitter @drgabewillis and Instagram @dr_gabewillis.