Alumni Association Home > Past Issues > 2007 > November-December 2007	Print View

Margaret S. Carlson and Quincy Lewis (Photograph by Mike Lee)

Quincy Lewis was a household name in 1997. As a sophomore, he was named the CBS/Chevrolet Player of the Game in Minnesota’s surprise win over UCLA in the NCAA Midwest Regional tournament, leading the Gophers to the Final Four. But this golden memory was tarnished in March 1999, when news broke about academic fraud in the Gopher men’s basketball program. Quincy wasn’t involved, but several of his teammates were. The NCAA stripped the U of its 1997 Big Ten title.

Quincy gave his best shot at finishing his degree, registering each quarter for two more classes than were required of student athletes. Still, he left the U about 20 credits short of graduating to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA. He spent three seasons with the Utah Jazz and has played on pro teams in Israel, Greece, and Spain.

Keeping the promise that he made to his parents to complete his degree, Quincy returned to the Twin Cities in the off-seasons to take classes at the U. He says he’ll be eternally grateful for the advice of Dorothy Anderson, a professor in the Department of Forest Resources. She encouraged Quincy to finish his last three credits by independent study while he was overseas.

While in Israel, Quincy became fascinated by Middle Eastern policies and politics regarding water and took on this topic for his final research project. He earned his undergraduate degree in natural resources in 2004, nine years after starting at the U. Now he’s enrolled in a summer study master’s program in sports management at the U. He’s preparing for life after pro ball, entertaining dreams of coaching, being an athletics director, running a sports training camp, or leading a nonprofit organization.

Knowing that only 2 percent of Division I basketball players go on to play professionally, and that those who do often have very short careers, Quincy has always believed that education was the ticket to his future. He also believed that he should give something back to the university that did so much for him. So, on a warm day in July, Quincy’s friends and colleagues gathered to witness his signing of the document to establish the Quincy L. Lewis Endowed Scholarship. All were impressed by Quincy’s desire, so early in his life and career, to share his good fortune with his alma mater.

It’s my hope that Quincy’s story will inspire other alumni to help future generations of U students as well. Contributions of $25,000 or more are eligible for the President’s Scholarship Match program, which will double the impact of your gift, as it did Quincy’s. You may make a gift to the University-wide scholarship fund or designate your contribution to a specific college or department.

For more information, call the University of Minnesota Foundation at 612-624-3333 or the Minnesota Medical Foundation at 612-625-1440, or visit www.giving.umn.edu/scholarships.