Kevin Carter ’10 has worked for the University of Central Arkansas for five years. He began his career as grounds supervisor and was later hired as the recycling and custodial manager. But Carter’s job doesn’t stop there. “It all started with people talking and asking questions,” Carter said. “I like service and trying to help people, so I do my best to represent the employees here at the Physical Plant and serve as a channel of communication for them.” His determination to help others is what got Carter involved with so many different avenues of service on campus.
“When I first started at UCA, the Veterans Committee needed a representative from the Physical Plant, and I was picked to be on the committee,” Carter said. “I really enjoyed being a part of that, so I’m still on it to this day. It’s really neat to get UCA and the city of Conway together to celebrate the veterans who served our country.”
Carter doesn’t just serve on the committee; he can be found at every Veterans Day celebration manning the grill and serving up hot dogs and hamburgers. “We have maybe 500 to 700 people attend our Veterans Day celebration, so I want to help keep the community involved in any way that I can.”
Carter is vice president of Staff Senate and will be president next year. He also serves on the Sustainable Environment and Ecological Design Committee, the Strategic Planning and Resource Council, the Strategic Budget Advising Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee. “Serving on Staff Senate is a great avenue to be able to represent the staff body, and I see it as a way to get myself involved,” Carter said. “I’m a UCA alum, and I really love UCA. It’s a very close community, like a family, so I want to be involved as much as possible.”
Keeping UCA up and running is a challenging endeavor. “We’re like a small city,” Carter said. “For the most part, physical plant is made up of skilled and unskilled laborers, and I never want them to feel like their job isn’t important. They play a huge role on campus. When prospective students tour this campus, the first thing they notice is the grounds and the facilities. When it comes down to it, the person who takes the trash out plays a huge role at the University because first impressions are huge.”
That’s where Carter’s motivation lies. “I want to be an advocate for these outstanding, hard-working people,” he said. “I have a heart for this team, and they work really hard. It drives me to get involved so I can represent our team. I want them to know that someone is working for them as hard as they’re working for our campus.”