20 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN Michael Patrick O’Neill ’88 said he had a “lightbulb moment” two decades ago while working as a senior analyst at Visa International and pursuing scuba diving and underwater marine wildlife photography as a hobby. When he began to get paid for his magazine articles on scuba diving and his photographs, he thought, Hey, this is very cool and a lot more fun than working long hours in an office. “So on a pivotal day in my life in October 2001, I just resigned. My family said, ‘OK, so what are you going to do now?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to write a children’s book, and I’m going to illustrate it with my photography.’” Taking Risks “Fishy Friends: A Journey through the Coral Kingdom” was his first book. O’Neill, who had taken a lot of writing-intensive courses at Lehigh while pursuing his degree in international relations, assumed the publishing risk as well, creating Batfish Books. With an initial print run of 5,000 books, he put in plenty of miles driving to trade shows to sell them. Then Barnes & Noble agreed to put the book in 100 stores, and he would spend Saturday mornings doing author visits with kids in the stores. O’Neill said he grew his business with a “Let’s Explore” series of books that featured his photos of sharks, sea turtles and coral reefs. Sales picked up, and soon he was invited to present programs at Barnes & Noble for schools. “I would Diving into Books A marine wildlife photographer and book publisher, Michael Patrick O’Neill aims to inspire the next generation of conservationists. CULTURE | ALUMNI ’88 do my photo slideshow, take my dive gear, and talk not just about writing but also the math and physics behind scuba diving,” he said. Before long, he was asked to present at school assemblies. Word spread, and with the help of a booking manager he hired, he has presented to more than half a million children in 26 states. O’Neill and a colleague also have formed the Into the Blue Foundation to fund educational programs at cashstrapped schools, especially those serving underprivileged children. He hopes to get funding to expand the program’s reach. “To do this for a living is a blessing,” O’Neill said. “And I think it’s a cool legacy. It’s my way of giving back.” —Cynthia Tintorri “I USE SUBJECT MATTER THAT ALL CHILDREN LOVE—SHARKS, SEA TURTLES, DOLPHINS— TO TEACH READING, WRITING, SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION.” —Michael Patrick O’Neill ’88 O’Neill with youngsters in Florida. He grew his business with a “Let’s Explore” series of books that featured his photos. Some of his photos are shown above.
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