Molly Vass Lehman

Molly Vass Lehman was inducted into the College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. She was previously inducted into the College of Education and Human Services Hall of Fame in 2012.

Vass Lehman earned three degrees from West Virginia University, completing her bachelor’s degree in 1974, her master’s degree in 1976, and her doctor of education in 1978. She went on to a nationally recognized career in counselor education and holistic health. She served for more than 20 years on the faculty of Western Michigan University, where she directed the Holistic Health and Contemplative Well-Being Program. In addition to her academic leadership, she maintained a private psychotherapy practice for over 30 years, specializing in psychospiritual counseling.

She was a founding fellow of the Fetzer Institute. She played a key role in several national initiatives, including the Emmy-winning PBS series Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers. In 1995, she and her husband, Rob Lehman, founded the GilChrist Retreat Center in Michigan, a contemplative space for people of all backgrounds seeking rest, reflection, and renewal. She is the author of Seeds of Awakening: Cultivating and Sustaining the Inner Life and GilChrist: A Place to Remember.