DELAND, Fla. — Former President Jimmy Carter will be laid to rest in January. The 39th president died Sunday, Dec. 29, at the age of 100.
In Florida, people are reflecting on the memories they have with the late president.
President Carter visited Stetson University in DeLand in 1992.
Dixon Sutherland, professor emeritus of Religious Studies at Stetson University, started teaching at the school in 1991.
When he was in graduate school, he spent time specializing in Hebrew and its interpretation of texts throughout centuries.
His career took him to Europe, then he called Stetson home for many years, where he led a program called the Institute for Christian Ethics.
“It was a joy to teach at Stetson. Stetson was a place where we could utilize our freedom to teach, how we wanted, what we wanted,” Sutherland said.
Being back on campus means a lot to Sutherland.
He said in the ‘90s, Stetson was still developing its identity as a university.
Having President Carter visit felt like an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“Our mission and values were circulating and are circulating around values of diversity and inclusion. This is what we saw in him,” Sutherland said.
Sutherland had the stamp of approval from the president of the university to try to bring President Carter to campus.
It wasn’t easy, but Sutherland was determined.
“I talked to President Lee again and told him I wanted to fly to Atlanta and see what I can do,” Sutherland said.
After a conversation with the president’s assistant, Sutherland was told President Carter would come to Stetson.
President Carter made other stops on campus.
The topic of his speech later that day was Christian Ethics in Secular Society, We Are What We Do.
Although Sutherland had brief moments with the president, they’re ones he will never forget.
“I think his legacy will probably be more substantial than most presidents,” Sutherland said.
Below is a collection of photos from the Stetson University Archives of Carter's visit: