Isaiah Carter
2018 Student Recipient
Isaiah Carter is the 2018 graduating senior recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. Isaiah will receive his B.A in May as a Program II major focusing on biopsychosocial aspects of wellness. His nominators each spoke to his strong personal character. The Sullivan Award seeks to perpetuate the excellence of character and humanitarian service of Algernon Sydney Sullivan by recognizing and honoring such qualities in others.
Isaiah, the son of educators with strong Christian values, believes in service to others. He has been a role model and highly valued Cardea Fellow, living his personal philosophy that “life moves at the speed of relationships”.
Nominated for his outstanding leadership that is supported by his depth of spirituality, Isaiah can be found making his mark on the Duke and Durham communities in various ways. He serves as a minister and mentor through Every Nation Campus, sings with United in Praise, tutors chemistry, teaches Bible study with Kingdom Builders at Duke (an organization that he founded his freshman year), provides geriatric care at Durham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and served on the President’s Council for Black Affairs. These are just a few of Isaiah’s commitments and interests.
All of Isaiah’s outreach stems from a desire to love, understand and unify. A common theme amongst all of his nominations is Isaiah’s ability to love and reconcile with others. He has displayed a depth of compassion, understanding and willingness to forgive that has left a lasting impression on those with whom he interacts. He strives to be a change agent and will do so as a doctor, setting up wellness programs in communities and implementing research driven interventions that work and track results.
When notified that he was selected as this year’s recipient, Isaiah ended his thank you message with this Erma Bombeck quote. It seems fitting to end today’s introduction the same way.
“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.” -----Erma Bombeck