When Dr. Willard Lewallen accepted the post as superintendent/president for Hartnell College in 2012, he and his wife Michele soon realized that the Central Coast was to become their forever home.
“We fell in love with Hartnell College, the community, the people, the climate,” Dr. Lewallen said. “We were blessed to learn about the area early on to know it was our place.”
The Lewallens immersed themselves in everything that had to do with Hartnell College, including athletics, theater arts, Foundation events, student activities and more.
“We never missed a Western Stage performance,” said Dr. Lewallen. “We are athletes ourselves and so we were at just about every local game supporting the student-athletes.”
“We are a package deal,” said Michele, who the community has learned to know and love. She accompanied her husband at just about every social and District event plus was always happy to entertain at their home.
For them, giving comes easy. Dr. Lewallen said that it is important to lead by example. On his first week on the job, he approached the Hartnell College Foundation to ask how he and Michele could start a recurring donation. Since then, they have become big supporters of athletics, the arts, scholarships, and have donated their timeshare in Maui to raise over $60,000 for Party in the Library.
“The goal is to strengthen families,” Michele said. “What can we do to help the lives of these students and their families?”
“Even now that we are not there, we continue to be active donors,” said Dr. Lewallen. Willard and Michele are not only active donors, but they have named Hartnell College in their Estate Plan.
In addition, in 2019, the Hartnell College Foundation voted to establish the “Willard Lewallen Scholarship,” an endowment with a starting investment of $100,000.
“I am so honored,” he said. “My commitment is to offer scholarships to undocumented students with this endowment.”
A highlight during his tenure at Hartnell was the passing of Measure T. The $167 Million bond can be seen in action in Castroville, Main Campus, Soledad, and King City.
“I have a sense of pride in getting those projects started and the impact they will have in the community,” Dr. Lewallen said.
Willard is a native Californian and a product of the California public education system where he graduated from Garey High School in Pomona. He completed a B.S. degree with honors at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. He was a member of the 1976 national championship baseball team that was inducted into the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. He was also honored by Cal Poly Pomona as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2018.
He completed two master’s degrees at Purdue University and a Ph.D. at UCLA. In 2019 he received the Distinctive Service Award from Purdue University. In 2019 the STEM Center Building at Hartnell College was renamed the “Willard Lewallen STEM Center.”
Following retirement, Dr. Lewallen works as a consultant with Community College Search Services and has been working as a consultant for the Monterey County Office of Education.
He and his wife of 37 years, Michele, met at Purdue University. She is an Indiana native and also a graduate of Purdue University. She is a retired community college coach and health and kinesiology professor along with being a certified yoga instructor.
The Lewallen’s have three grown children: Jennifer, Kasey, and Parker. They are the proud grandparents of Mina.
They enjoy living in Salinas, CA where they feel it is easier for their children to visit or for them to go where they are at.
The Lewallens love to travel and thus in 2021, after they are vaccinated, they plan trips to Cabo San Lucas, Tokyo for the Olympics, China, Indiana, and Hawaii. Another exciting event this year is their daughter’s wedding in fall.
“Even during the pandemic, we make sure to continue spending time together,” said Michele. “We have our Tuesdays as ‘date nights’ even if they take place in our home.”
He and Michele lead physically active lifestyles that include a commitment to physical fitness and health. They have both completed the Los Angeles Marathon and Michele has completed several other marathons and triathlons.
When Dr. Willard Lewallen accepted the post as superintendent/president for Hartnell College in 2012, he and his wife Michele soon realized that the Central Coast was to become their forever home.
“We fell in love with Hartnell College, the community, the people, the climate,” Dr. Lewallen said. “We were blessed to learn about the area early on to know it was our place.”
The Lewallens immersed themselves in everything that had to do with Hartnell College, including athletics, theater arts, Foundation events, student activities and more.
“We never missed a Western Stage performance,” said Dr. Lewallen. “We are athletes ourselves and so we were at just about every local game supporting the student-athletes.”
“We are a package deal,” said Michele, who the community has learned to know and love. She accompanied her husband at just about every social and District event plus was always happy to entertain at their home.
For them, giving comes easy. Dr. Lewallen said that it is important to lead by example. On his first week on the job, he approached the Hartnell College Foundation to ask how he and Michele could start a recurring donation. Since then, they have become big supporters of athletics, the arts, scholarships, and have donated their timeshare in Maui to raise over $60,000 for Party in the Library.
“The goal is to strengthen families,” Michele said. “What can we do to help the lives of these students and their families?”
“Even now that we are not there, we continue to be active donors,” said Dr. Lewallen. Willard and Michele are not only active donors, but they have named Hartnell College in their Estate Plan.
In addition, in 2019, the Hartnell College Foundation voted to establish the “Willard Lewallen Scholarship,” an endowment with a starting investment of $100,000.
“I am so honored,” he said. “My commitment is to offer scholarships to undocumented students with this endowment.”
A highlight during his tenure at Hartnell was the passing of Measure T. The $167 Million bond can be seen in action in Castroville, Main Campus, Soledad, and King City.
“I have a sense of pride in getting those projects started and the impact they will have in the community,” Dr. Lewallen said.
Willard is a native Californian and a product of the California public education system where he graduated from Garey High School in Pomona. He completed a B.S. degree with honors at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona. He was a member of the 1976 national championship baseball team that was inducted into the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. He was also honored by Cal Poly Pomona as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2018.
He completed two master’s degrees at Purdue University and a Ph.D. at UCLA. In 2019 he received the Distinctive Service Award from Purdue University. In 2019 the STEM Center Building at Hartnell College was renamed the “Willard Lewallen STEM Center.”
Following retirement, Dr. Lewallen works as a consultant with Community College Search Services and has been working as a consultant for the Monterey County Office of Education.
He and his wife of 37 years, Michele, met at Purdue University. She is an Indiana native and also a graduate of Purdue University. She is a retired community college coach and health and kinesiology professor along with being a certified yoga instructor.
The Lewallen’s have three grown children: Jennifer, Kasey, and Parker. They are the proud grandparents of Mina.
They enjoy living in Salinas, CA where they feel it is easier for their children to visit or for them to go where they are at.
The Lewallens love to travel and thus in 2021, after they are vaccinated, they plan trips to Cabo San Lucas, Tokyo for the Olympics, China, Indiana, and Hawaii. Another exciting event this year is their daughter’s wedding in fall.
“Even during the pandemic, we make sure to continue spending time together,” said Michele. “We have our Tuesdays as ‘date nights’ even if they take place in our home.”
He and Michele lead physically active lifestyles that include a commitment to physical fitness and health. They have both completed the Los Angeles Marathon and Michele has completed several other marathons and triathlons.