Excell Lewis III, 32

By Sarah Roberts

Whether you’re a high school student searching for direction or an established professional with years of real-world experience, Excell Lewis wants you.

The Rockford native, who earned degrees at Rock Valley College and Northern Illinois University, currently is working on his most high-profile educational venture yet: XL Academics, an online community that connects high school and college students with educated leaders in various fields.

It’s an ambitious project that had been bouncing around in Lewis’s mind since his days as a grad assistant at NIU. After earning his bachelor’s degree from NIU, Lewis managed a local Target store, then was selected as one of only four people for an executive training program at a marketing company in Hayward, Calif.

But, as he said, “something kept pulling me back to DeKalb.”

Or someone. Lewis credits one of his mentors, longtime NIU professor Willard Draper, with influencing his decision to remain here.

Lewis turned down the lucrative job offer in California for a $7,000 stipend as NIU’s assistant director of student involvement and leadership development. As he started on his doctorate’s degree while working at NIU, Lewis began thinking about XL Academics.

He modeled his idea on a “life success” training program from his days at Target and adapted it for an educational curriculum. His decision to make it virtual stemmed from his own interest in the Internet and the increasing popularity of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

The online community, which celebrated a successful kickoff event in February, connects student learners with mentors in various professional fields. Lewis hopes the connections translate to long-term mentor/mentee relationships that can help meet the region’s future employment needs.

Lewis intends to expand XL Academics on a national level within the next three to five years and is in the process of establishing the XL Foundation, which will promote educational programs and provide scholarships to underserved and underprivileged students.