I U

Northeastern University 617·373-5426

NEWS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1 CONTACT: Terry Yanulavich APRIL 14,1994 Janet Hookallo

NU TO AWARD REGGIE LEWIS POSTIWMOUS HONORARY DOCTORATE AT JUNE COMMENCEMENT

Former and Celtics star R.esgie Lewis will receive a posthumous honorary doctorate degree during the university's co11U1'lencement exercises on June 18 at the Garden.

The degree will be presented by the University's President John A. Curry to l.Rwis' widow, Dot\1'\A Harri&-Lewis, who met her husband at Northeastern while the two w~ students in the mid·1980's.

"Reggie brought honor to Northeastern through his accomplishm@nts on the basketball court, but even more importantly, through his commitment to community service. He was a powerful role model for adults, teen-agers and childr~" said C~rry.

Lewis, who died last July of heart failure, also was voted a posthumous bachelor's degree by Northeastemts College of Criminal Justice faculty. That degree will be presented to Harris Lewis at the June 18 ceremony. Lewis had returned to classes at Northeastern after joining the Celtics, and was on track to graduate this June.

Northeastern's career leader in scoring average, Lewis Jed the school to tour consecutive North Atlantic Conference titles and four consecutive appearances in the NCAA post-season tournament from 1983 to 1987.

A first round draft pick of the Celtics in 1987, he became team captain after 's retirement in 1992. He collapsed and died July 27 while shooting bflskebl at Brandeis Univusity.

Since Lewis' death, Harris-Lewis has served as chair of the Reggie Lewis FoWldatio~ a non-profit organization created to oversee charitable projects that benefit Boston-area residents.

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