Athens State University honors former Alabama State Representative Tommy Carter, who played a significant role in integrating the institution into Alabama’s public higher education system. His wholehearted support helped ensure Athens State’s continued operations in a time of desperate need, earning him the designation as “modern day founder” of Athens State University. Tommy’s portrait hangs in the Founders Hall parlor along with the Hobbs family, the original founders of the University, as well as with all former Presidents of Athens State.
In 1975, Carter and other state legislators championed the college’s incorporation into the Alabama public education system, which the Alabama State Board of Education supported on the condition that state funding would be secured. After much lobbying and persistence, the state legislature later approved operational funding, establishing Athens State College as Alabama’s only two-year upper-division institution, dedicated to serving graduates from the state’s community colleges and technical institutes. This move was pivotal in expanding higher education accessibility within Alabama’s public system, helping Athens State develop into a unique institution within the state’s higher education landscape.
Athens State named the campus gymnasium the “Carter Physical Education Center” in 1979, honoring the unwavering dedication and support of Representative Tommy Carter and his wife, JoAnn, throughout the years.
Carter passed away on Sunday, November 3 at the age of 89. His legacy will forever be imprinted within Athens State’s history, with his good deeds positively impacting students for generations to come.