Willis came to SCU in the Fall of 1978 as a freshman electrical engineering and computer science student. While studying, he found employment as a student lab assistant at the university's first academic computer lab. Upon graduation, he was hired by the university to manage, maintain, and develop computer programs for the academic computer lab. Later, he also developed programs for the university's first IBM PC labs. As the computer network industry was developing, Willis designed and laid the groundwork for the first SCU campus computer network linking personal and mainframe computers. Willis currently maintains the SmartPrint pay-for-print system on campus. Willis' other interests include photography, astronomy, astrophotography, electronics, saxophone playing, saxophone restoration, roller skating, and community service.