Lenoir Community College Going Global

Tariffs are lifted against imported steel. Hurricanes wreak havoc in Central America. Internet coffee houses introduced in Iran. When events happen around the globe, there usually is a direct impact on Lenoir County. Recognizing the need to educate students about the interdependence of societies around the world, Lenoir Community College is fashioning a new emphasis on global education.

Through its newly formed Global Education Committee and efforts of the entire staff and faculty, no student will leave LCC without a better understanding of the broad forces that shape the world, the nation, and the county. “We want to achieve a dual objective of making students aware of how they are impacted by events around the globe and also to give them the specific skills they will need to survive in an increasingly globalized economy," said to Bobby Van Brunt, chair of the Global Education Committee. "We think the Committee, with its wide representation from campus and the community, is well-equipped to provide that direction.”

The Committee was formed last Fall and is already making its presence felt on campus. Upcoming events this Spring include the international film Kandahar which depicts the oppression of women in fundamentalist Islamic regimes. Aired in the local language of Afghanistan, it will have English subtitles. The presentation will be at 7 p.m. April 21 in the auditorium of the Administration Building and is free to the public.

Also on April 21 a presentation will be made at noon in the Administration Building lobby honoring all the foreign students that have attended LCC since 1958 with the unveiling of national flags representing more than 50 countries that have had representation in the LCC student body. “These activities along with international clocks and other visual symbols of global interaction are only an esthetic arrow pointing to what we believe will be the ultimate impact of our efforts - the incorporation of globalization topics in every class taught on the campus," Van Brunt said. "It is essential that our graduates understand the impact of the global economy on the local economy and can successfully compete in an increasingly interdependent world.”

The Jamaican flag, shown, is one of 50 that will be permanently displayed in the Administration Building at LCC. Pictured left to right are: Dr. Cecilia Bianchi-Hall, Bud Vick, Dr. Shirley Dove, Ian Stevens, Bobby Van Brunt displaying the national flag of Jamaica, Mickie Braswell, Jay Carraway and Rebecca Foyles.