Scholar Travels to China to Enhance Teaching Instruction and Cultural Interaction

Vincent F.A. Golphin, an assistant professor of English at Rochester Institute of Technology, has been selected by the government of China to serve as an instructor and American cultural ambassador at Capital Normal University, the national teacher’s college, for the Spring 2010 term.

Golphin will teach courses in creative writing and African American culture, while also conducting several speaking engagements and tours designed to enhance Chinese understanding of American society and culture. He will also work with administration officials to develop future opportunities for collaboration and exchange of students and faculty between Capital Normal and RIT.

“Professor Golphin’s rich teaching experiences and his achievements as a writer and cultural researcher will be a tremendous resource for both the faculty and students of Capital Normal University,” says Liang Juan, the school’s dean.

“I am very honored to have been selected for this prestigious assignment and look forward to learning as much from my students as they learn from me,” notes Golphin. “The relationship between China and the United States is and will continue to be a central focus for both of our societies and it is my hope cultural exchanges such as this will assist in improving understanding and interaction between our nations.”

Golphin is the author or editor of seven books and his writings have appeared in The Washington Post, National Catholic Reporter and Emerge. He is currently the managing editor of about…time magazine and previously served as a syndicated columnist for Newhouse and the New York Times News Service. As a scholar he is noted for his work in African American culture and identity, which includes contributing to The African American National Biography co-edited by Henry Louis Gates.