Former President Jimmy Carter passed away Sunday at the age of 100.

Serving one term in the late 1970s, Carter's legacy blossomed after his time in the highest office in the country.

Not long after his presidential term ended, Carter carved out some time to visit the University of Rochester campus in 1983 and spoke to college students about the issue he spent a lifetime pursuing – human rights.

Two years after leaving the White House, the former President of the United States’ work was far from over as he visited colleges and universities, including the U of R. 

“Tonight, I'm going to put in personal and also in national terms the basic issue of human rights, which I think is one of the most important today on earth," Carter said at the time.

Carter’s efforts to work toward world peace and end human rights atrocities remained his top priorities.

“America did not invent human rights, human rights invented America," Carter said. "Our nation believes in human freedom. Our nation should be unequivocal and forced at all times in the protection and enhancement of human rights on Earth."

Students in attendance had the chance to interact with the 39th U.S. president as he took their questions, even about tough topics – like the Iran hostage crisis, the most profound crisis of the Carter presidency.

“Mr. president, my question pertains more to the Iranian hostage crisis if, I may," one student said. “I’ve heard a lot of different theories as to how come the military option was waited for so long and I was wondering if I can hear it from you and just what the reasoning was that such a strong time was weighted with things are obviously bogged down and not working negotiating?”

"I think this is an appropriate time to say that I spent the first 18 months of my life after I left the White House writing an excellent book called ‘Keeping Faith,’" Carter said. 

Carter welcomed questions and connected with a generation of young adults with his humor, care, wit and intelligence.

"We've got the greatest nation on Earth," he said. "We make mistakes sometimes. Whether we like it or not, the rest of the world looks to us for leadership. And my hope and my prayer is our nation will never forget the subject that I discussed tonight - freedom, democracy, and the end of suffering for all those on earth led by the most powerful, the most influential, and the most blessed nation on earth, the United States of America. Thank you very much.”  

Four decades have now passed since Carter stood before students and faculty at the U of R. It was a time many say he was just beginning to build the most significant part of his legacy.