Olajuwon Lewis brings nine years of professional experience in technical recruiting, talent development, and workforce strategy. He currently serves as a Technical Recruiting Manager, where he helps lead recruiting efforts focused on engineers, data analysts and scientists, and cybersecurity professionals. His experience includes identifying top talent, building strong professional relationships, and supporting organizational growth through strategic hiring.

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Olajuwon earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. One of his proudest professional accomplishments was being promoted into management and entrusted with helping lead the direction of a company’s growth efforts. On a personal level, he is especially proud of committing to therapy, an experience that helped him work through past trauma, better understand himself, and remove barriers that once stood in the way of his personal and professional growth.

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A former student-athlete who played college basketball, Olajuwon has a deep appreciation for the opportunities sports can create, as well as the importance of preparing young athletes for life beyond the game. After graduating from college, he found himself facing uncertainty about his future. Although he had earned an Accounting degree and experienced success as a college athlete, he had limited internship experience and no clear direction for what life after basketball would look like.

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That experience became a major influence on his desire to give back. Olajuwon wants young student-athletes to understand that their athletic talents can serve as a powerful platform, but that education, career preparation, personal development, and exposure to additional opportunities are equally important. He hopes to encourage young people to pursue their dreams while also equipping them with the knowledge and resources to build successful and fulfilling lives beyond athletics.

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Olajuwon became involved with Rising Stars Restored Hope because its mission immediately aligned with a responsibility he had felt since graduating from college: to share what he has learned through his own journey and help the next generation navigate theirs with greater confidence and preparation. After hearing the vision for the organization, he saw an opportunity to turn that responsibility into meaningful action.

As Operations Director, Olajuwon hopes to use his perspective as a former student-athlete and experienced professional to help strengthen the organization’s programs, support its growth, and create meaningful opportunities for the people it serves. By openly sharing both the challenges and lessons from his own journey, he hopes to educate, encourage, and inspire young people while helping Rising Stars Restored Hope continue building a strong foundation for long-term community impact.

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Looking ahead, Olajuwon would like to see Rising Stars Restored Hope become a true beacon of hope within the community — supporting not only individual student-athletes and families, but creating a lasting network of education, opportunity, mentorship, and support for the community as a whole.