Michael Lewis ’78 Receives 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award

Author of The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, which served as the basis for the Oscar-nominated movie "The Blind Side," Lewis is the son of J. Thomas Lewis and Diana Monroe Lewis, both members of Newman’s class of 1955.  After graduating from Newman, Lewis earned a B.A. in art history from Princeton University and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics.  He has written numerous bestselling books, including Liar’s Poker (1989), The New Thing (1999), and Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (2003), which he dedicated to Billy Fitzgerald, his former coach who now serves as Athletic Director at Newman.  His most recent book, The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine (2009), addresses the ongoing financial crisis in America.
 
The Distinguished Alumnus award is given each year to a graduate who has made significant contributions in their specific fields of endeavor and taken a vigorous leadership role in their community, bringing honor to the School through their achievements, both professionally and in the community.  Past recipients include actor Bryan Batt ’81, real estate developer Darryl Berger ’65, philanthropists Walda ’54 and Sydney ’45 Besthoff, ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin ’73, and author Walter Isaacson ‘70.  Lewis’s mother, Diana Monroe Lewis, received the award in 1994.