Background

David Hudgens is a Clinical Associate Professor of International Business at the Sonoco International Business Department. He has more than thirty years of experience as an international educator, researcher, clinician, counselor and consultant to firms, governments, institutions of higher education worldwide and related international organizations in the fields of human development, cross-cultural communications, international education, and international business with a focus on policy and geopolitical contexts of economic development and international affairs.

Dr. Hudgens currently teaches Introduction to International Business and Globalization & Business, and the seminar Transnational Organizations and Social Innovation. He also leads several short form graduate and undergraduate courses, including Transition Economies in Southeast Asia in collaboration with the Foreign Trade University (FTU) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Dr. Hudgens also serves on the faculty of the South Carolina Honors College where he directs student theses.

Dr. Hudgens is the Faculty Director for the Responsible International Leadership (RIL) undergraduate IB Cohort Program in partnership with ESSEC Business School in Cergy, France, and the International Business & Chinese Enterprise (IBCE) Cohort Program in partnership with the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He closely works with many programs and institutions worldwide, including Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico, Foreign Trade University in Vietnam, the Mandarin Training Center at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, and the Beijing Language and Culture University in China.

Prior to joining the University of South Carolina, he served in government as a Trade Development Specialist with the International Trade Division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce. In addition to his academic training in the behavioral and social sciences, and international affairs, Dr. Hudgens has advanced clinical training in psychoeducational studies. He is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the State of South Carolina & holds national certification (NCC) from the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC).

Research

Dr. Hudgens’ current research includes a formative project on international careers, mental health, and resilience. In addition, he is working on an ongoing project that addresses emerging markets, specifically related to public policy and poverty involving cross-sectoral collaboration in the public, private and non-profit sectors. He is a principal investigator on a team of researchers located in the Americas and Southeast Asia researching poverty alleviation programs and innovative roles in the private sector. Fieldwork for this project has included research efforts in Southeast Asia, notably in the Philippines. Other projects have addressed economic development, globalization and changing patterns of education. He also serves as an editor on a digital curriculum project for curating international business cases for use in undergraduate, graduate, and executive education

Education

• EdS, Education Specialist, University of South Carolina (2008)
• PhD, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Cultural Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh (2001)
• SAIS – Certificate, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University (1995)
• MA, Cultural Anthropology, Comparative Economy & Society, University of Connecticut (1991)
• BS, Sociology, College of Charleston (1987)