Homeless man readmitted to university to finish his degree decades later

A homeless man, who has often been seen panhandling near the University of Texas at Austin campus, will soon rejoin the ranks of students thanks to the help of a sophomore at the school.

David Carter, 65, was able to complete 87 hours of credit toward a studio art degree, according to the Alcalde, the alumni magazine of The University of Texas at Austin. The artist, who arrived at the school in 1971, only had to complete one more semester to graduate.

But during his senior year, Carter severely injured his hand when he was intoxicated and lost his ability to draw, the Alcade reported. This incident was at the beginning of Carter’s struggle with addiction.

Ryan Chandler, a journalism and government student who initially wrote about Carter and his experience, explained that the former UT-Austin student’s accident diminished his drive to finish school, and he dropped out.

"His hope for a degree was replaced with destitution, disability and dependence, a fateful combination that left Carter on the street, just as it does to so many other homeless individuals," Chandler wrote in a story for the Texas Ledger, as part of a class assignment in 2018.

However, with Chandler's help, Carter was able to obtain his transcripts, the Alcade reported. The College of Fine Arts set Carter up with an adviser to help him on his journey to earn his degree. The university agreed to pay for his application fee as well.

Six years ago, Caritas of Austin, a nonprofit helping the homeless, was able to help Carter start his life again. He now lives in affordable housing, where he is responsible for part of the rent, he has been working on his sobriety and he takes work where he can find it, according to the Alcade. When he wasn't working, he frequented Perry-Castañeda Library, the University of Texas at Austin's flagship research library, to study art history and classic literature.

After he graduates, Carter said he hopes to become a published author.

My dream is to write a great novel. I've been writing for 30 years now," Carter told the Alcalde. "I want to be sure I make a contribution to posterity."

"Nobody owes me anything… but people on campus have blessed me time and time again," Carter said. "It's just a miracle… so many good friends here on campus. That's the only way I've made it."

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