The former President was given the Spendlove Award for Human Rights and Justice. It was presented by local philanthropist Sherri Spendlove. She said, "He's such an incredible humanitarian and global leader."
But the former President's visit was a low key event not like last summer's commencement address by Michelle Obama. And many students weren't aware of Carter, or his visit. But the 39th President was familiar with the UC Merced Campus.
Carter said, "I understand it's the most dives of all ... ethnically here, minorities here with a mixture of student who came from poor families, farm families around here and different ethnic groups. They comprise our nation and make our nation strong."
Even those who didn't hear his speech were impressed that a man of his stature would visit their campus.
Soren Umstat a student from the Bay Area thought the visit by Carter and Obama helped put the new campus on the map. "And it's great because we're getting a lot of political figures to UC Merced and it's good for the college and let's people know what we're all about."
Some Republican students on campus were upset by the former President's visit. They say having Democrats Jimmy Carter and Michelle Obama here is unfair and they are working to get conservative strategist Karl Rove to come for a visit.
