Finding his place: How alumnus Jacob Carter found belonging at GCSU

For double-alumnus Jacob Carter, stepping onto the Georgia College & State University campus for the first time came with an unmistakable feeling: He was at the beginning of something truly important. 

For Carter, that feeling grew both on campus and throughout the local area. Simple experiences such as volunteering with the math team at the local middle school, frequenting a favorite local Vietnamese restaurant and taking walks along the Oconee River Greenway quickly anchored him to Milledgeville. Meanwhile, on campus, key university initiatives and mentorship programs helped play a central role in helping him find his footing. 

"I give a lot of credit to Leadership Programs and the Honors College," Carter said. "I met so many mentors who would later become great friends ... peers like Julian Lopez, Kendyl Lewis, Noah MacDonald and Max Harley (who are all exceptionally successful alumni of GCSU) supported and challenged me throughout college and gave me the confidence to pursue further opportunities." 

That network expanded to include the faculty with whom Carter worked alongside. He said that while having a single supportive professor can transform a student’s college experience, he was fortunate to have nearly a dozen faculty members advocating for him, a testament to the culture of mentorship nurtured across GCSU’s campus. This backing gave him the confidence to present at national conferences and deliver a talk at TEDxGeorgiaCollege during his undergraduate career. 

Among those influential figures was Dr. Harold Mock, whom Carter met through the Leadership Academy (formerly Emerging Leaders). 

"He treated me as a true student of the world and encouraged me to ask and pursue important questions," Carter said, highlighting a shared core value that learning carries a responsibility to share knowledge with others. "He held me to a high standard and taught me what it means to be a professional. I felt so supported in the years that I was at GCSU, and I continue to feel that support from him as an alumnus." 

Looking back on his journey, Carter, who earned his B.S. in mathematics with a concentration in education in May 2023 and completed his M.A. in teaching in secondary education a year later, credits his time at GCSU with shaping his personal confidence. He hopes incoming students recognize the unique environment GCSU offers and that they take full advantage of their time on campus.

Carter’s experience is just one example of how student success extends far beyond standard classroom coursework. The Foundations of Excellence Fund fuels the transformative, high-impact experiences that happen outside the classroom, ranging from undergraduate research and conference presentations to leadership academies and community involvement. By funding the "more" in every student's journey, this fund ensures Bobcats have access to these opportunities. It is this dedicated support that enables students like Jacob Carter to find their place.

"There is truly not a better place to be interested in a myriad of different things," Carter said. "I hope that new and current students can and will seek to take classes outside of their normal degree, study abroad and work with a professor on undergraduate research and have their mentors turn into their closest friends."