Preceded by Mildred Garcia Succeeded by Mildred Garcia Spouse(s) Betty | Preceded by Milton A. Gordon Full Name Willie J. Hagan Education University of Connecticut | |
 | ||
Children Lynea; Danny and Steven (stepsons) Alma mater University of Connecticut
UCLA | ||
Willie j hagan investiture csudh 2014
Willie J. Hagan is an American educator and public university administrator. He is the 10th president of California State University, Dominguez Hills, a public university located in the city of Carson, California in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
Contents
Early life and education
During much of his youth, Hagan was predominantly raised by his mother, Dorothy Marie Hagan, while for six months a year, his father served in the United States Navy aboard a nuclear submarine, during the Cold War.
Hagan holds a doctorate in psychology from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Fine Arts from UCLA.
Career
Hagan served as associate vice president for administration at the University of Connecticut; and as a lobbyist for the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Board of Governors for Higher Education at the state and federal level. He also led the United States' political delegations to London and Taiwan as a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders.
Having joined CSU Fullerton, in 1996, as vice president for administration and later as interim vice president for university advancement, he subsequently served as vice president for administration and finance and chief financial officer. On January 9, 2012, Hagan then began serving as interim president at California State University, Fullerton, upon the retirement of university president, Milton A. Gordon.
On June 11, 2012, Hagan began service as the interim president of CSU, Dominguez Hills. In May 2013, he was named the permanent president and on May 2, 2014, he was inaugurated as the tenth president of the university.
Tenure
Hagan has advanced the Male Success Alliance (MSA) program at CSU, Dominguez Hills. It is a nationally recognized program which targets the low graduation rates of African-American and Latino males from college and high school.
In addition, there are several college-bound initiatives which he promotes: the "Promise Program," where the university goes into middle and high schools and works with students to complete their academic requirements and gain admittance to the university; the "Summer Bridge Academy," which works with students who have academic deficiencies in their core courses; "Super Saturday," a day-long college fair for middle and high school students, parents, families and friends to learn about colleges, majors, programs and available resources; and "Super Sunday," another outreach program where the university goes into churches to bring the college fair experience directly to students and their families there.
On August 10, 2016, California Campus Compact announced that its executive board had selected Hagan, and University of San Diego president, James T. Harris III as new members. Their three-year terms, began retroactively, on July 1, 2016.
Honors and awards
On February 3, 2016, Hagan was among those honored by the City of Los Angeles, with the Hall of Fame award. Hagan was the recipient of the award for “Outstanding Achievement in Education” for his role in “reinvigorating” CSU Dominguez Hills' mission for its students and communities it serves.
Personal life
Hagan is married to his wife, Betty, who is a retired speech pathologist and special education teacher at Katella High School in the Anaheim Union High School District, after a career of over 35 years. He has a daughter, Lynea and two stepsons, Danny and Steven. Steven and his wife, Traci, have a daughter, his granddaughter, Katie.