After being selected a MacArthur Fellow - a fellowship given out by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for exceptional creative work in any field, according to the Foundation's Web site - Charles Lewis joined the School of Communication faculty this year as Distinguished Journalist in Residence. He teaches a new course in International Investigative Reporting.
"Professor Lewis is creating courses and special projects that will explore the future of serious news in the digital environment," Larry Kirkman, dean of SOC, said.
After quitting his job at "60 Minutes," Lewis founded the Center for Public Integrity at his house in 1990. Now, the largest non-profit journalism organization in the world, the Center has won 35 national journalism awards in Lewis' 15 years as director. The Center was also the first to break controversial news stories, such as the war contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan awarded to Halliburton, Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, Lewis said.
With decades of guest teaching and working with students, Lewis' transition to teaching was natural.
"The exuberance and idealism are infectious," he said. "We're only talking about the future of the world here."
Lewis' long history in journalism began when he served as editorial editor of his high school newspaper.
"What's not to like?" Lewis said. "Asking irreverent questions, investigating the bastards, standing up to power."
Despite his passion for the field, he worries about the future of journalism, an issue he's currently documenting in a new book.
"Journalism is undergoing a historic transformation, a crisis in which thousands of reporters have been laid off in recent years," Lewis said.
He said the future success of journalism lies in the hands of today's youth.
"Nearly all social and political change in our nation's history has come from young people, their creative ideas, idealism, outrage over injustice, ability to take personal risks, etc.," he said.
Lewis also spoke of the necessity of journalism acting as a check on power.
"Those in power, public and private, absolutely must be held accountable," he said. "And quite simply, journalism makes this possible"
