A Full Circle Moment For Bonow '69
11/4/2024 12:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Robert Bonow '69 has long been an avid fan of Lehigh men's basketball. Having played on the team from 1966-69, Bonow tries his best to attend at least one game in person every season. However, this year's season opener will hold even more significance for him.
After earning a degree in engineering at Lehigh, Bonow made a significant switch and went on to attend medical school. He currently works as the Max and Lilly Goldberg Distinguished Professor of Cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and is considered one of the world's most renowned cardiologists.
"About three quarters of the way through [my degree], I wondered what this was going to lead to… eventually I started thinking about other careers," said Bonow on his engineering education. "I wanted to find something that would be meaningful for me and have direct implications in making the world a better place for people."
After graduating from Lehigh, Bonow received his doctorate of medicine from Penn in 1973, going on to take an internship and residency at their hospital. Bonow then took on a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., where he would work for more than a decade.
Eventually, Bonow's work at NIH led him to his current position at Northwestern, where he both serves patients and teaches cardiology to students. During his time in Evanston, Bonow has become a supporter of the Wildcats basketball team, for which he holds season tickets. Despite this, Bonow will be cheering on another team inside Welsh-Ryan Arena tonight after spending over 30 years at Northwestern.
The Mountain Hawks are slated to open their season at Northwestern this evening, marking only the third-ever meeting between the two schools. Their first matchup came on January 4, 1993, a game that Bonow was in attendance for.
"I told [Dr. Brett Reed] that I'm not going to wear purple," said Bonow. "I usually wear purple cause I've got season tickets, but I'm giving up those seats and will be sitting in the Lehigh section."
When Bonow learned about the game, he originally couldn't attend due to travel plans. He quickly shifted around his schedule to ensure he wouldn't miss the game.
"I was supposed to be in Italy," said Bonow. "I changed my flight schedule and I'm here for the game, going to Italy a day later. Clearly, I didn't want to miss this game."
Although Northwestern and Evanston have been Bonow's home for decades, he still credits Lehigh as a big influence in his life that helped shape who he is today.
"Lehigh was a very important component of my life," said Bonow. "It steered me in directions I didn't think I could go. Lehigh gave me the confidence to pursue new things and feel like I could mix it up in not only sports, but also something like medicine."
Tonight's game tips off at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CST) and will be streamed exclusively on Peacock.
For more on Bonow's medical background, check out the story HERE.
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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After earning a degree in engineering at Lehigh, Bonow made a significant switch and went on to attend medical school. He currently works as the Max and Lilly Goldberg Distinguished Professor of Cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and is considered one of the world's most renowned cardiologists.
"About three quarters of the way through [my degree], I wondered what this was going to lead to… eventually I started thinking about other careers," said Bonow on his engineering education. "I wanted to find something that would be meaningful for me and have direct implications in making the world a better place for people."
After graduating from Lehigh, Bonow received his doctorate of medicine from Penn in 1973, going on to take an internship and residency at their hospital. Bonow then took on a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., where he would work for more than a decade.
Eventually, Bonow's work at NIH led him to his current position at Northwestern, where he both serves patients and teaches cardiology to students. During his time in Evanston, Bonow has become a supporter of the Wildcats basketball team, for which he holds season tickets. Despite this, Bonow will be cheering on another team inside Welsh-Ryan Arena tonight after spending over 30 years at Northwestern.
The Mountain Hawks are slated to open their season at Northwestern this evening, marking only the third-ever meeting between the two schools. Their first matchup came on January 4, 1993, a game that Bonow was in attendance for.
"I told [Dr. Brett Reed] that I'm not going to wear purple," said Bonow. "I usually wear purple cause I've got season tickets, but I'm giving up those seats and will be sitting in the Lehigh section."
When Bonow learned about the game, he originally couldn't attend due to travel plans. He quickly shifted around his schedule to ensure he wouldn't miss the game.
"I was supposed to be in Italy," said Bonow. "I changed my flight schedule and I'm here for the game, going to Italy a day later. Clearly, I didn't want to miss this game."
Although Northwestern and Evanston have been Bonow's home for decades, he still credits Lehigh as a big influence in his life that helped shape who he is today.
"Lehigh was a very important component of my life," said Bonow. "It steered me in directions I didn't think I could go. Lehigh gave me the confidence to pursue new things and feel like I could mix it up in not only sports, but also something like medicine."
Tonight's game tips off at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CST) and will be streamed exclusively on Peacock.
For more on Bonow's medical background, check out the story HERE.
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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