His is a face we all know well. We see it everywhere from behind the chapel podium to the campus sidewalks. That’s right, you guessed it: it’s Dr. Walt Mauldin.

While Dr. Conn is on sabbatical this semester, the four vice presidents are operating as president pro tempore on a rotating schedule, and next up is Dr. Mauldin.

While most Lee students could spot him in a crowd any day, not all of us could say that we truly know him. But he has played an essential role at Lee that has affected and still affects student on campus.

To say that Mauldin has been involved at Lee is a vast understatement. As a student, Mauldin’s history began with Alpha Gamma Chi as well as serving as a bass section leader for the Lee Singers. Both of these things kept him busy.

“With [Alpha Gamma Chi] and touring a lot with Lee Singers, which we did extensively in those days, it was about all I could do to go to my classes, ” Mauldin said.

After graduating from Lee with a degree in music education, Mauldin proceeded to get his masters and then his doctoral degree in musical arts from the University of Miami.

“What I wanted to do was be a full time band director and basically tip God and be a part time minister of music, but as I progressed I really felt like the Lord dealt with me and wanted me to get into full time music ministry.”

Mauldin obeyed this call and worked in full time music ministry, while also spending three years teaching at different private schools. But his dreams and goals did not stop at band directing and church music.

“I always felt like I wanted to come back to Lee,” said Mauldin. “One of my ‘kingdom dreams’ was to come back to Lee to direct the Lee Singers. I felt like that the Lord called me to do that.”

Even though as a student, Mauldin felt strongly about this; he admitted that he did not share it with very many people at the time out of fear, but he knew it was something God had called him to. In 1989, God fulfilled this plan when Dr. Mauldin joined the Lee staff as the director of the Lee Singers. This was just the beginning of his legacy.

Dr. Mauldin added the title of director of graduate studies to his list in 1995, after working for 10 months to launch Lee’s graduate program, which started with a masters in church music. After having this approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as well as the National Association of Schools of Music and receiving approval and support from the committee, the program was launched successfully and has added many programs to the graduate catalog since then.

Two years after this, Mauldin accepted the role of dean of the School of Music, and operated as such between 1997 and 2002. In 1994, Mauldin was offered the position of vice president of student life but was unable to accept.

“I didn’t feel like I was ready; I didn’t feel like I was prepared, and I still had this thought that I wanted to be a full professor before I did anything like that.”

This opportunity came shortly after as he stepped into the instruction of music at Lee; then in 2001, when the vice president for student life resigned, Mauldin was faced again with a choice.

“Dr. Conn talked to me again…about being vice president. This time I said, ‘Ok, I’ll do it’.”

So now we know him as the vice president of student life. We know that he has been essential in the growth of Lee. But who is Dr. Mauldin?

When he has time to relax, Mauldin enjoys weightlifting, boating, water skiing and snow skiing. According to this seasoned skier, the best location is a little place called Wolf Creek Pass, Colo. After visiting once, Mauldin attested that no other place compared.

“It’s an awesome place to go skiing. I have gone in West Virginia and North Carolina; those are good, but if you ski in Colorado, everything else is…eh. Colorado is heaven for skiers.”

While he enjoys things like boating and skiing, his true passion lies in his job.

“My favorite thing about my job is seeing lives changed. I have just seen thousands of students…come in not knowing what direction to pursue for their lives and they walk across that stage, and they are forever changed; that’s why I’m here.”

Mauldin’s presence at Lee can be tangibly seen from the graduate program all the way to Honor Choir, summer music camp and Honor Band. Now, as he steps in for a time as president pro tem, he is doing what he does best: serving Lee University.