David Carter named professor emeritus
Mississippi University for Women has awarded theatre professor David Carter the title of professor emeritus of theatre. With a career in higher education spanning 25 years, Carter is recognized for his contributions to theatre both at The W and beyond.
“Professor Carter is well deserving of this tribute to a career defined by scholarship, mentorship and enduring impact,” said W President Nora Miller.
Carter came to The W as an assistant professor of theatre design and production in 2001. In 2014, he was named chair of the Department of Theatre and in 2023, he was named director of graduate studies in theatre education.
“I am extremely honored and grateful to be granted emeritus status,” Carter said. “It is gratifying that the University recognizes my years of service and has rewarded me in this way. I look forward to be a continuing representative of The W for the foreseeable future.”
Throughout his career, Carter has received numerous honors and recognitions, including being listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, being a Kennedy Center Design Fellowship nominee and recipient of the Outstanding Contributions to Theatre Award from the Mississippi Theatre Association.
Carter has a host of presentations and publications during his time at The W including, “Portfolio Development;” “The Design Process;” “Photoshop for the Stage;” “A Method for Creating Low-Memory Digital Images for the Stage,” from Yale Technical Briefs; “Model making tips;” “Aging techniques for stage makeup;” “3D printing for the stage;” “From page to stage;’ and “Embrace the Plastic: Tips and Techniques for Painting the 3-D Printed Model.”
He was respected by fellow members of the Department of Theatre, including Kathy Newman.
“In all facets of his work, Professor Carter models the ethos of creative teaching: combining vision with empathy, technical rigor with imagination and education with artistry,” Newman said. “He has not only inspired students to excel but has also elevated the reputation of theatre education within the institution and throughout the region.”
Carter earned his master of fine arts in scene design from North Carolina School of the Arts. He holds a bachelor of arts in general theatre from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.