NCSU Professor Speaks on Globalization at VGCC

A North Carolina State University professor will speak on globalization and its effects on North Carolina on Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. until noon at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center. VGCC students, staff, faculty and the community are invited to attend the presentation, which is offered free of charge.

The guest speaker, Dr. Roland F. Stephen (pictured above), is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at North Carolina State University and is also the Assistant Director for Research and Policy at the university’s Institute for Emerging Issues. After graduating from Downing College, Cambridge University, England with a B.A. in Economics and History, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles. Dr. Stephen specializes in the area of international and comparative political economy. In particular, he is interested in the economic consequences of globalization for North Carolina. His applied research seeks to identify the policy responses available through economic and community development that will help North Carolina to adapt to a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive global economy. Dr. Stephen teaches international relations, international political economy and applied political economy. His research interests focus on the political logic of economic development, public policy and European political and economic integration. Among his publications is Vehicle of Influence: Building a European Car Market.

Dr. Stephen’s presentation is sponsored by the VGCC Global Awareness Committee in partnership with the University of North Carolina’s World View program. According to VGCC Dean and Global Awareness Committee chairman Bobby Van Brunt, the speech is the first installment in a planned International Speakers Series, which the college intends to offer each fall and spring semester.

For more information, call Van Brunt at (252) 738-3412.