Myria Carpenter, BS’97, is president of the Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni, her latest role in a tradition of service and support for Vanderbilt. She has also been an alumni interviewer, class agent and chair for her 25th class Reunion.
“I support Vanderbilt financially and stay engaged because of the difference it made for me,” she says. “I continue to have experiences in my life because I went to Vanderbilt: I learned to experience the world beyond what I always knew, and that made me the person I am today.”
As president of AVBA, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, Carpenter takes a broad community approach to engagement.
“No matter where you are—student, professor, alum—I want to know how you’re doing, and I want us to help you be the best you can be,” Carpenter says.
In recent years, she and other AVBA board members have partnered with groups and programs that work to cultivate dialogue and understanding across cultures. For example, they collaborated with Vanderbilt’s Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center to host a panel discussion about Black women in the workforce.
“For someone to say that you model what Vanderbilt strives to be, it’s such an honor.”
From Carpenter’s perspective, Vanderbilt has always dared to grow. She grew up in Nashville hearing stories from her aunt, who attended Vanderbilt during integration in the 1960s. By the time she arrived on campus in the 1990s, she says, the diversity among students and programs such as those offered by the Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center provided a welcoming and nurturing environment.
As a volunteer, Carpenter contributes to continued progress. In addition to alumni outreach, she hopes to expand student support, which speaks to her own growth mindset and her leadership philosophy as president.
“To dare to grow means to take risks. Go outside your comfort zone. Learn about something or someone. Challenge yourself,” she says.
“If you think you can only run a mile, try for two.”
—Connie Harris
