Maria L. Lewis’s workspace at the rear of the Office Campus Activities and Student Leadership Development is always buzzing with energy—students checking club events, faculty stopping by for forms and colleagues making pit stops for a taste of her signature optimism. But no matter how busy it gets, Lewis greets everyone with a calm, comforting presence, and a small piece of chocolate to go with it.
As principal office assistant, she handles everything from student club paperwork and event coordination to payroll. But her real job title, according to many, is “campus mom.”
“I love my job,” Lewis, 63, of Selden, said, her eyes lighting up. “I really do. I help with club registrations, selling tickets for events, filling out vendor forms—pretty much anything the students or advisors need to make events happen. I also help students navigate the food pantry when they need it, or just stop by for a chat.”
Lewis has been the heart of Campus Activities for a total of five years. She previously worked under former Director Sharon Silverstein and Frank Vino, who was then the club advisor but has since succeeded Silverstein. Lewis rejoined the office in September 2024 after more than a decade in the physical education department.
“Maria is the ultimate team member,” said Vino, smiling. “She leads with care and kindness to every single individual who walks through our door. Whatever is needed, ‘Mamma Maria’ is there. When students come to use our food pantry, she personally brings them down and makes them feel comfortable. It shows every time a student leaves feeling at ease about using it.”
She gives a ‘comfort zone you can rely on’
That warmth doesn’t go unnoticed by the students she helps everyday.
“I love Maria,” said Ciera Adrien, 21, a peer mentor and member of the Campus Activities Board. “She’s so sweet when I come in, always laughing, always smiling. She’s got that ray of sunshine around her. Even when she’s busy, she takes time to help everyone.”
Lesly Nivelo, also 21, and a team leader for the peer mentors and Campus Activities Board, said Lewis has been a guiding light for her during her first semester in the program and even has inspired her.
“Maria’s the type of person who gives you all her dedication,” Nivelo said. “She’s patient, supportive, and encouraging. She gives you that comfort zone to rely on her if there’s any problem. And that smile—it makes you feel welcome, even if you don’t know her.”
Lewis joined Suffolk in 2008 after taking time off to raise her four children. Before that, she worked for Warner Bros. as an executive secretary in Manhattan, but eventually returned to Long Island to focus on family.
Once her children were grown, she wanted to reenter the workforce. Suffolk gave her that chance. She started as a college aide in executive dean William Conner’s office.
“The executive dean used to lend me out to different parts of the college,” she said, laughing. “I learned so much—central records, admissions, everything.”
Her path eventually led her to the Office of Campus Activities, where she worked under Sharon Silverstein and Vino, who was then the club advisor. “I loved working with Frank,” she said. “He’s amazing and the students—their energy just made me so happy.”
After earning a promotion, Lewis moved to the physical education department, working for over a decade under Chris Casenza, whom she still calls a dear friend. But she never lost touch with Vino. “I told him, ‘When you make director, I’ll come back,’” she said. Years later, when he did, he emailed: “If you’re serious, my principal is retiring.” And she kept her promise.
Family is everything
In addition to her children, Lewis has four grandchildren, with a fifth on the way, and her home comes alive every Friday for “Pizza Fridays at Nana’s and Pop Pop’s,” a tradition filled with laughter, love and joyful family chaos. “It’s my favorite night of the week,” she said. “My kids get a break and I get to be Nana. That’s the best part of me.”
Lewis also finds comfort in crocheting blankets with heartfelt sayings—a hobby she calls her “therapy.” Each one is made with love, often for her grandchildren.
That ‘mom hug’ when you need it
To Lewis, the job has never been about paperwork or forms. It’s about presence. Some students are far from home. Some juggle work, classes, and anxiety. Some simply need someone who notices—someone who sees them.
“I don’t have any great words of wisdom,” Lewis said softly. “But if I can give a student a sense of empathy, a bit of comfort—just that ‘mom hug’ when they need it—that’s everything. Some of them don’t have that. Being a mom is the best part of me. It never gets old.”
