Remembering President Carter

Dear Emory Community,

Today, Emory University has lost a remarkable friend and beloved professor—and the world has lost a beacon for peace, human rights, and justice. Across our community and the world, we are mourning the death of President Jimmy Carter and celebrating his remarkable life of 100 years.

A U.S. Navy lieutenant, a peanut farmer, a humble Sunday school teacher who rose to become a global leader, President Carter carved his own path, advancing from the Georgia Senate to the governor’s mansion to the highest office in the land when he was elected president of the United States in 1976. And he proudly represented the great state of Georgia—his birthplace and home—every step of the way.

Until the end of his life, President Carter responded to some of the world’s greatest challenges through The Carter Center, founded in partnership with Emory University in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope.” In 2002, President Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. During his Nobel lecture, he said, “The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices.” These are words he lived by—choosing hope and common purpose over conflict and discord, time and again.

President Carter had a deep connection with Emory, and we celebrated him with an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1979 and the Emory President’s Medal in 2015. In the four decades following his presidency, President Carter engaged with our community in profound ways. As a University Distinguished Professor, he gave lectures, delighted first-year students with his annual Carter Town Hall, and held luncheons with groups of faculty and staff. He was candid and warm, possessing a one-of-a-kind presence that both inspired people and made them feel at ease.

On my first day at Emory in 2020, I was fortunate to have a phone call with President Carter, and his words of encouragement and advice have stayed with me ever since. He was caring and thoughtful, welcoming me into the Emory family as if he’d known me for years. That was the president: open-hearted and generous. He cared deeply about people—their lives, hopes, and dreams, and that was reflected in his years of compassionate leadership and public service.

We will miss President Carter, but his lessons will continue to guide us far into the future. On behalf of Emory University, I extend our deepest condolences to the entire Carter family. 

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves
President