Michael H. Lewark Student-Athlete Scholarship

The Michael H. Lewark Student-Athlete Scholarship is available through the University of Central Missouri Alumni Foundation for a student in good academic standing who is a student athlete on a UCM NCAA recognized team and has a minimum GPS of 3.0. This scholarship is made possible by way of generous gifts from the family of Mike Lewark ’82.

Michael H. Lewark was born on August 16, 1943, to William H. Lewark and Billie Louise Lewark in McAllister, OK. He grew up in Coffeyville, KS, attending Field Kindley Memorial High School. Mike graduated from Kansas State College of Pittsburg (now PSU) in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, minoring in Chemistry. Mike also played baseball for PSU, as well.

He was accepted for Officer Training School for the United States Air Force in September 1966. As a 2nd Lt., he was selected for Communications/Electronics Warfare Officer Training, which he completed in 1967. He served in various assignments during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1971. He then joined the Kansas Air National Guard Unit at McConnell AFB, KS, where he served for 5 years as commander of the 184th Communications Flight. The unit was recognized as the Outstanding Communication Flight in the nation in 1973 under his leadership.

In 1977, he transferred to the USAF Reserves and was assigned to the USAF Academy at Colorado Springs, CO, as an Academy Liaison Officer where he served until his retirement in December 1994. During this time, he was promoted to Major, then Lt. Colonel, the rank at which he retired after 29 years of Active and Reserve Duty.

Mike began working for the U.S. Postal Service in 1973 as a city carrier and was quickly promoted to an Internal Auditor (PSE) in 1974. He served as acting postmaster in Pittsburg, KS, St. Joseph, MO, Kansas City, KS, and Shawnee Mission, KS. He was appointed Postmaster at Warrensburg, MO, in January 1979. Also in 1979, Mike married the love of his life, Mary E. (Jabben) Lewark.

While in Warrensburg, he obtained his Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Economics in 1982 from Central Missouri State University (now UCM). He was selected as the University’s Outstanding Graduate Student in 1982 and was also recognized as the Outstanding MBA Graduate. Mike continued to work for the Postal Services as Director of Field Operations in Wichita, KS, and then Director of Operational Support in Denver, CO, until retirement in 1999.

At that time, he and Mary relocated to Pittsburg, Kansas. He then began a new career as General Manager of Columbus Ford for several years followed by serving as Vice President of Marketing for UNB Bank before fully retiring in 2011. He was very active in the community and with Pittsburg State University. Mike was a member of numerous service organizations and advisory boards and was an avid supporter of athletics.

Mike passed away on February 8, 2021. The family of Michael H. Lewark are pleased to extend their generational legacy to include the University of Central Missouri by means of this philanthropic investment in his memory.