Owen Lewer ’20 earns Loyola President’s Medallion for service
Inspired by his growth at Carthage, Owen Lewer ’20 is stepping into his passion for transforming lives and making a lasting difference in healthcare.
Mr. Lewer is the director of chapter development for Chicago Street Medicine, a nonprofit that assists those experiencing homelessness through mobile healthcare, research, and advocacy. He led a study on frostbite injuries among the city’s unhoused population and served on an expert panel that presented to the City Council about emergency weather planning.
Between the small class sizes and faculty accessibility he encountered on the way to a degree in biology, Mr. Lewer credits Carthage for paving the way to this point in his work:
- He enjoyed “flipped” classes with Professor David Brownholland, in which students view recorded lectures in advance and then practice the knowledge in the classroom.
- Professor Deborah Tobiason’s Phage Hunters series conceptualized genetics in a hands-on way for Mr. Lewer.
- Traveling with Professor Matt Borden to Guatemala and Spain pushed him to refine his Spanish.
- Assisting Habitat for Humanity with the Carthage chapter’s advisor, Professor Matt Zorn, helped spark his academic interest in housing issues.
- Professor Jeffrey Seymour’s choice of reading “Evicted” about poverty in Milwaukee inspired his work for the underserved.
Mr. Lewer’s work doesn’t end here. He’ll soon be matched with a family medicine residency program.