President Dr. Mark L. Walker’s inauguration to take place Friday
Photo by Christopher Vega.
On April 23, 2021, President Mark Walker will be inaugurated as the 17th president of Lee University.
“The inauguration will start in the Walker Arena at 10 a.m. on Friday,” said Val Berger, assistant to the president. “The inauguration will be a ceremony of consecration and celebration for Dr. Walker officially becoming the President of the University.”
While the event was originally scheduled for August 2020, when he first took office, the celebration was postponed due to health and safety concerns.
“This is long overdue since we obviously have been unable to celebrate him because of the pandemic,” said Berger. “Now we are in a place where we believe we can do this safely, so we are going to celebrate him and give him the introduction to the Presidency that he deserves.”
Lee’s previous president, Chancellor Dr. Paul Conn, was sworn in 35 years ago, making this upcoming inauguration the first the university has seen since 1986.
“The importance of the inauguration is a passing of the torch,” said Paul Bembry, student worker and sophomore discipleship ministry major. “It is an official swearing-in of the new president as he takes on the role of accomplishing and continuing the work here at Lee University.”
Within the office of the president, student workers will ensure the day’s events run smoothly and safely for those in attendance.
“Our office has been working long hours the past few weeks working out all the details for the week,” said Tristan Miller, student worker and sophomore business major. “Details ranging from finding hotels for those coming from out of state, ensuring there is enough parking for each event and perfecting the schedule of events for the actual inauguration service. Everyone has been working very hard to make sure the significance of Dr. Walker’s inauguration shines through the service.”
Those employed in Walker’s office have not only been preparing for the major event, but they have also seen firsthand the last several months of Walker’s presidency.
“He has had a rough introduction to his presidency, but he has taken it in stride,” said Berger. “I have seen him operating under the tremendous pressure he has been operating under for the past eight months, and it is within this time of pressure that I have seen his leadership shine. He has led our university in a way that makes me proud to work for him.”
The event will include everyone on campus, and some parts of the day will be a surprise for both President Walker and all those in attendance.
“The inauguration will be composed of a day celebration with a ceremony on Friday morning where all students will be excused from class to attend the inauguration or live stream the service,” said Miller.
The inauguration and official swearing-in of President Walker will be one to remember.
“Celebration is a part of who we are at Lee,” said Berger. “So how much more should we celebrate Dr. Walker, the man who has led this university through this pandemic, through his own father’s passing, through more difficult and complex circumstances than we have ever seen this university face before.”
Walker’s inauguration will take place on Friday at 10 a.m. in the Conn Center. In-person services will be available with limited seating in Conn Center, Dixon Center and Pangle Hall. Students who attend these services will receive a Chick-Fil-A meal card and a commemorative t-shirt.
The inauguration live stream can be found here.
