INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
I N T R O D U C I N G T H E N E W E X E C U T I V E D I R E C TO R O F I N S T I T U T I O N A L A DVA N C E M E N T
TOURE CARTER
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NEW FIELD - SAME OBJECTIVE People tend to think that a game begins and ends on a field. In sports, a fan might prepare for one particular game. Their anticipation leads them to support and cheer for their chosen team, and once it’s done, there’s a level of finality. A sense of completion. But, when you’re on a field, and both you and the opposing team have the same objective, all of the competitors know that the real game started months before we met. True plans of action are a result of observations, studying, strategizing, preparing, sweating, training, and hoping for the best, but making sure that we plan for every perceivable worst case scenario. For nearly a decade, after obtaining his Bachelors from Ashland University in Electronic Media and Business Marketing, and his Masters of Science from American University in Athletic Administration, Touré Carter's abilities on the field evolved from being a player on the field, to a coach. As brutal as the turf could be, the goal was always to be forward thinking. When you’re in a stadium filled with thousands of screaming fans, and an opposing team just as stacked as yours, it can become intimidating, but you never allow yourself to lose sight of the prize. He adopted the mantra: “It’s not what you’re capable of, but what you’re willing to do. There are many people who are capable, but there are few that are willing.” As the benchmark motto in his life, the idiom enhanced his focus between maneuvering from the 16 | LIFEWEST.EDU/MAGAZINE
gridiron field, all the way to the Office of Development at Stanford University. Whether he stepped on a field, or into an office, he knew the true measure of success would be predicated on his abilities to cultivate initiatives that propelled forward momentum, partnered with willing determination to go above and beyond, to obtain the necessary gains. The same can be said for the Department of Institutional Advancement at Life West. The actions that take place to continue to move forward are only possible by cultivating strategies based on past observations and innovative preparations. Though his role in football is different than his role at Life West, his motivations are still the same: to be moving forward to keep reaching multiple levels of success. Along with an innate ability in athletics, Touré's true life’s mission has always been to look ahead, to recognize what the goal is, study the means and techniques to achieve it, and then put that plan into action. From playing sports, to coaching, and now, being the Executive Director of the Institutional Advancement Department, the conditions of the field are different, but the goal is always the same: progress forward, until you are able to achieve your objective. But just like in sports, winning one game does not mean the end of the season. You have to prepare and keep working and tailor your strategies based on
the next opponents. Then, you start the play again, new team, same game, same goal. Your mind is always focused on the task at hand, but you know that you have to be cognizant of the next one, and your next opportunity to advance. It’s also beneficial to have a team that works with you, as you each allow your individual talents, and joint passion to move you forward in unity. Life West has been an institution that is a strong presence in the chiropractic world, and Touré is honored to be a part of it. Within each classroom, office, and facility on campus, we are a team. With each individual talent, we work in unity to not only help each generation of students to achieve their goals of helping people through chiropractic, but to also expand our reach through initiatives, inclusion and open communication for continuous progression. Touré's time at Life West, so far, has been focused on studying the past plays, seeing what works, and finding new ways to bypass any obstacle that might attempt to stop our ability to score. Just like in a stadium full of awaiting fans, to his new family with Life West, Touré's goal is to make you proud. To allow you the opportunity to brag to anyone who will listen, how Life West has been able to tackle hindrances, and keep a forward momentum toward the end zone. As the clock is resetting for a new year, he wants us all to suit up, because once it's “game time,” that’s when we can truly see how far our training can take us, and know how strong we truly are.
