General Lewis Blaine Hershey, a 1914 Tri-State graduate, served as director of the US Selective Service System through World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

In 1911, at the age of 18, Hershey enlisted as a private in the Indiana National Guard. In 1913, his company elected him to the rank of 2^nd lieutenant. In June 1916, his Guard unit was called to active duty at the Mexican border—he and his unit remained there until December 29, 1916. Called up again for duty in World War I, Hershey’s unit became part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEP) in France. The Guard promoted him to the rank of captain on May 10, 1918.

Following World War I, Hershey transferred to the regular Army, where he served at several stateside posts, studied one year at the Army War College, and completed a tour of duty on the Hawaiian Islands. In 1936, he joined the War Department’s general staff, working in manpower.

In October 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Hershey brigadier general and executive officer of the Selective Service System. In July 1941, Roosevelt named Hershey the director of the Selective Service System and charged him with implementing the nation’s first peacetime draft law. General Hershey’s tenure as the director of the Selective Service System lasted until February 1970.

To cap off his military career, General Hershey served three years as advisor to the president of the United States on Manpower Mobilization. On April 10, 1973, at age 79, he retired from military service as a four-star general.

Lewis Hershey was a native of Hell's Point district in Steuben County and a graduate of Pleasant Elementary School, which was located on County Road 500N. (Interstate 69 now covers that site.) Hershey graduated from Fremont High School as valedictorian of the class of 1910.

After completing a 12-week course in elementary education at Tri-State College in the summer of 1910, Hershey taught the 1910-11 school year at the Dewey Elementary School in northern Steuben County. He then returned to Tri-State as a full-time student. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in 1912, he earned bachelor of arts and bachelor of pedagogy degrees in 1914. From 1914 to 1916, he was the principal of Steuben County's Flint High School. He married Ellen Dygert of Angola, and they raised four children.

A nationally renowned speaker, well known for bringing Hoosier wit and philosophy to audiences, Hershey received numerous awards including the prestigious Distinguished Service Medal of Indiana.

General Hershey served as a member of Tri-State's Board of Trustees from January 1950 until his death in May 1977. Tri-State awarded him an honorary doctorate, as did seven other universities, including Indiana University and The Ohio State University.