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- Stephen R. Lewis, Jr.
President, Carleton College
Stephen R. Lewis, Jr. became the ninth president of Carleton College and a professor in the Carleton economics department in 1987. A specialist in economic policy and planning in developing countries, he has served since 1975 as economic consultant to the Government of Botswana, which awarded him the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service in 1982.
At Carleton, Lewis is credited with increasing the level of alumni stewardship and appreciation of the College and placing a greater focus on faculty development. His many accomplishments include helping to lead Carleton through its largest-ever fundraising campaign; creating a Multicultural Alumni Network and revitalizing an admissions program using alumni representatives; and increasing diversity among the faculty and senior administration. During Lewis’ tenure, Carleton has renovated several buildings and constructed four new ones: an admissions and alumni guest house, a computing and mathematics building, a biological sciences hall, and a recreation center. A combined academic and dining hall and student townhouses are currently under construction.
Lewis is well known for participating in student life. He maintains a healthy sense of humor about good-natured student pranks, including the recent painting of his profile on Carleton’s water tower. He participates in Carleton’s annual Halloween concert, appearing in costume at midnight each year to direct the student orchestra. He dedicates time each week when students are invited to his office for informal conversations.
Lewis graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in political economy from Williams College in 1960 and received his doctorate in economics from Stanford University in 1963. He joined the Williams faculty in 1966, served twice as provost of Williams (1968-71 and 1973-77), and was the Herbert H. Lehman Professor of Economics from 1976 to 1987. He also has taught economics at Stanford University, Harvard University, and the University of Nairobi in Kenya.
In addition to his work in Botswana, where he lived in 1977 and 1978 and again from 1980 to 1982, Lewis served as economic advisor to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning of the Government of Kenya (1971-74 and 1983-85) and as research advisor to the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics in Karachi (1963-65). He is a trustee of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Lewis holds honorary doctorates from Williams College and from Doshisha University in Japan. He has received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America and serves on the executive committee of the Indianhead Council.
His major publications include numerous articles and several books, among them "The Economics of Apartheid" (1990) and "Policy Choice and Development Performance in Botswana" (1990). In 1994, Lewis spoke on trade and investment in southern Africa at the White House Conference on Africa.
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