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The Lews—Mitchell, Amanda, Troy and Deena—are a truly Trojan family.
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Investing in the Future
Mitchell and Deena Lew found more than a top-notch education at USC. They found each other.
Mitchell Lew (B.S., biological sciences, ’83; M.D., ’87) met Deena
Inouye (B.S., business, ’85) in front of Doheny Library in 1980, early
in their undergraduate careers. Twenty-five years later, the Lew family
lives in Anaheim, where Dr. Mitchell Lew serves as president of Genesis
Healthcare, a medical group. After working as a teacher, Deena Lew is a
full-time mother to their two children, Amanda, 15, and Troy, 12.
USC gave the Lews a start on their careers and love, and now they’re
giving back. Said Mitchell, “We’re giving back to the school that
educated us, allowed us to make lifelong friends and, of course, to
meet each other.” The Lews donated to the USC Associates — and
designated the money to benefit Trojan causes that mean the most to
them.
A quarter of their gift funded scholarships for USC College students
intending to pursue careers in medicine. “My time at the College was
the four best years of my life,” Mitchell explained. “We feel it’s
important to provide educational opportunities for the next generation.”
Another quarter went to the USC Marshall School of Business for its
Career Advantage Program, a year-long mentoring program that connects
business undergraduates with successful Marshall alumni in Southern
California.
As a physician, Mitchell has seen firsthand how cancer devastates
sufferers and their families. As a result, the Lews decided to direct
one-fourth of their donation to USC/Norris Cancer Center. USC/Norris is
one of only 39 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National
Cancer Institute, and a leader in cancer treatment, research,
prevention and education.
Mitchell and Deena, respectively of Chinese and Japanese descent, also
dedicated a quarter of their gift to the Asian Pacific Alumni
Association. “We are very proud of our heritage and were involved with
Asian organizations when we were in school,” said Mitchell. “The
students we see now were us 25 years ago, and we want them to have
similar opportunities.”
The Lews’ philanthropy provides a unique personal benefit to the couple
themselves. Their investment in USC’s future deepens their connection
with the alma mater that has meant so much to their past and present.
“USC is regarded as one of the top schools in the country,” said
Mitchell. “There are opportunities all over the world in association
with USC, and we want to be part of them.”
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