Dr. Walt Collins began his career at USC Lancaster in August 2002 as an Instructor of French and English. Rising quickly through the ranks to Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Collins began serving as Regional Campus Dean of USC Lancaster on April 15, 2013.

A native of Clinton, North Carolina, Collins earned his BA in French Literature from Wake Forest University, his Master of Arts in French Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of South Carolina Columbia in 2004.

Collins' academic accomplishments are many: He has authored one book and edited two additional volumes; he has a wide variety of article and chapter publications and scholarly presentations to his credit as well as several grant awards in support of teaching, research and scholarship. Service to the profession includes numerous workshops, committees, panels, and conferences he has chaired and awards he has garnered; Professor of the Year, SGA Servant's Heart Award and Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant in a Doctoral Program. In addition to his duties as Regional Campus Dean, Collins carries on a long-standing USCL tradition as a teaching administrator, by offering classes in French and English.

Dr. Collins has been affiliated with several professional organizations: Southern Comparative Literature Association, National Association of Branch Campus Administrators, Regional and Branch Campus Administration, and the Council of Colleges of Arts and Sciences. In the local community, he is a member of the Board of Directors for Springs Memorial Hospital and Olde English Consortium. He is a member and past officer of the Lancaster Breakfast Rotary Club where he received the Paul Harris Fellow. Dr. Collins and his wife, Ashley, have four children and reside in Lancaster, South Carolina.