Dr. William H. Walker: A Champion of Students & Pioneer of Change

There are a lot of reasons why there is a sense of community among students at Methodist University, but one of the main reasons is Dr. William H. Walker.

Joining Methodist in 1997 as the Director of Residence Life, the Fayetteville native moved up the ranks and became the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students in 2011. Walker prides himself on removing as many obstacles as possible for students outside of the classroom.

Walker oversees several departments at MU including Residence Life, Health & Counseling, Student Belonging & Inclusion, Dining Services, Campus Engagement, and Campus Recreation. With Walker’s 25-plus years at the school, he has experienced a lot of memories at Methodist University – including 2016 when Hurricane Matthew caused campus-wide damage.

“I remember I had tears in my eyes with the thought that students could be without power and water. But our staff worked all day and night to support our students to make sure they had what they needed,” he said. “Whatever obstacle has come our way, we get over it.”

Walker’s devout loyalty and care for MU students is undoubtedly noticed by the students themselves. As a pastor of a local church, Walker is proud of the fact that he has officiated the weddings of several students he has built relationships with over the years.

One of the areas of improvement that Walker has noticed the most at Methodist University is diversity, equity, and inclusion. In fact, Walker became the first African American to sit on the MU President’s Administrative Cabinet after becoming a vice president 13 years ago.

“I’ve seen a lot of growth in the University over the years,” Walker added. “We’ve seen more African American faculty and staff. Although there’s more work to be done, I’ve seen a lot of growth among our students in this area. When I first got here, our students may have been diverse, but they stayed with their own groups. Now, when I go to the Green & Gold Dining Hall, I see a blend of students sitting and interacting together. I’m so pleased by it.”

In his valuable time at MU – 27 years since his first day on the job – Walker said his loyalty to Methodist University is due to the love and care from the community.