Educator Shares Passion and Philanthropy

Dr. Karen Wheel-Carter’s passion for education spans a decades-long career that started with her being an attorney before working in higher education. She has served at public institutions in Ohio and Georgia as a director of development, an advancement executive, department chair—and now as an associate dean at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College. Equally important to her is philanthropy, with Perimeter College high on her list of charitable giving.

At the end of a busy fall semester at Perimeter College, Wheel-Carter paused to answer a few quick questions for our Perimeter Connection audience:

Your charitable contributions include gifts to Perimeter College as well as those outside the university. Why is giving so important to you?

I truly believe that my calling is as a servant leader. As a servant, sometimes it is doing the work and other times it is being able to make financial gifts that help others do the work that they believe in.

You have been a big advocate for the Mario A.J. Bennekin Symposium at Perimeter College. Your leadership gifts helped to name the symposium in Bennekin’s name and also to sustain the event. Tell us more about this.

Mario was one of my dearest friends. We shared a belief in creating space for students to learn about and from their courses in history, supporting faculty development  and creating more opportunities for civic and service learning across the college.  It is an honor to continue to advance this work in his name. Each year as we consider who might be the keynote, the committee is thinking about how to maximize the impact and learning.

What is the most important knowledge you have gained in your journey as a leader in higher education?

This is not solo work, it is a team effort to support the mission of the institution. It is a daily commitment to serving our students, faculty and staff, meeting them where they are, and asking what can I do to help them reach their goals. I love learning, I love sharing and I want this passion to be experienced by all with whom I work.