New Orleans - Xavier University of Louisiana has named Ms. Joyce Carter (’69) its 2023 Alumnus of the Year. The South Holland, Illinois resident and native of Mobile, Ala., received the esteemed Victor H. Labat Sr. Alumnus of the Year award at the university’s annual Homecoming banquet. The award recognizes a Xavier alumnus who emulates the legacy of its namesake with the same faithful, long, and dedicated service and support to the university and their local communities. It is administered by Xavier’s Board of Governors of the National Alumni Association based upon recommendations submitted by the Awards and Recognition Committee using established essential criteria for nomination and selection.
“I’m just an ordinary citizen,” Carter said about receiving the award. “I am deeply honored and privileged to receive this award, and I accept it on behalf of all our committed and hardworking alumni, families, friends, staff, and administrators of this world-class institution of education. I am deeply humbled and privileged to be able to stand on the shoulders of those who came before me – each of us is working in concert to lay a solid foundation for our aspiring young people.”
Carter remains dedicated to Xavier as a Chicago Alumni Association chapter member. She and her late husband and college sweetheart Frederick J. Carter (‘69), RPH, tirelessly devoted themselves to raising funds for the Chicago Alumni Association and Xavier University of Louisiana, a commitment she maintains. She also created the Post-Holiday Party and In-Coming Student Reception and is a mentor and advisor to the chapter and current Xavier students and graduates. This unwavering support of her alma mater made her stand out as this year’s award recipient.
Xavier’s National Alumni Association President, Chantel Shackleford (’90), said she is encouraged by Carter’s humble giving spirit.
“Mrs. Carter taught us how to serve without shining,” Shackleford shared. “She taught us how to give without bragging and how to be silent when we wanted to speak up. Because of her silent service that she has been faithful and consistent with, we are standing here today as her legacy and will continue to serve for years to come.”
Upon receiving her Bachelor of Arts in music from Xavier and her Master of Music from the Roosevelt University of Chicago, Carter, a mezzo-soprano, embarked upon a fruitful career in the performing arts that found her working alongside legendary artists, bestowing music knowledge and skill upon younger generations, and living out her dreams on stages across the world. A former opera singer, concert artist, and full-time educator, Carter now works as a piano and voice instructor who also donates considerable time to serving her community as she is a shining example of what it means to commit yourself to something greater than your own dreams.
Highlighting her excellence as a Xavierite, the award bestowed on Carter was named for Mr. Victor H. Labat, a professor and chairman of the now-bygone Department of Industrial Arts at Xavier University who served the university for more than 45 years in various capacities. Labat developed the Alumni Affairs Office and
served as its first director. He served as an emissary for Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in the fields of education, social and civic service and as an officer and liaison partner with the national and local alumni council of the United Negro College Fund. Labat received many awards recognizing his humanitarian contributions to the betterment of the local community and humankind. Labat, who passed away in 1997 at age 92, was a positive example of what it means to be a Xavierite, and the legacy lives on through alums like Carter and other awardees.
An active member of the Chicago community, Carter is a 29-year member of the Links Incorporated, South Suburban Chicago Chapter, where she served as a two-term vice president and two-term chapter president. She is chapter president of The Society, Incorporated Chicago Chapter for the Arts, a board member, treasurer, and the National Chair of Ethics and Standards of the Harold C. Jones Memorial Center of Chicago Heights, and a member of The Nathaniel Dett Music Association. She serves on the African American Network Advisory Board of the Chicago Symphony Center. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she previously served as chair of the Arts and Letters committee. Further community commitments include her loyal and longtime membership at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Chicago. Her past memberships include the National Council of Negro Women and a 20-year tenure in South Suburban Jack and Jill leadership roles, including vice president and two terms as president.
She is the proud mother of Dr. Jocelyn A. Carter (Christopher), a physician-scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital, and James F. Carter (Lisa), an investment banker and Central Regional Director of Academy Securities.
