The 2026 GLOBAL VISION AWARD
HONORING
Dr. Fred Carter
on Tuesday, December 1, at the Columbia Museum of Art
You are cordially invited! The annual Global Vision Award Gala is the Council’s only fund-raising event, generating critical operational funds needed to continue our mission to keep SC globally connected and competitive in the year ahead. Each year, the gala is attended by South Carolina's esteemed leadership in government, law, business, education, arts, and our globally engaged community. Please join us for the special evening and help support South Carolina's global impact - Tickets & sponsorship opportunities below.
The Columbia World Affairs Council is pleased to present the 2026 Global Vision Award to Dr. Fred Carter, president of Francis Marion University (1999-present), executive director of the SC State Budget & Control Board (1991-1999), chief of staff to Governor Mark Sanford (2003), and senior executive assistant to South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell (1987-1991). Dr. Carter will be honored at a black-tie gala on Tuesday, December 1, at the Columbia Museum of Art. This is our 33rd year recognizing a leader whose contributions have made a significant impact on projecting South Carolina globally.
“Fred Carter is a master of bringing people of different backgrounds together for the common good,” said Fred Monk, chair emeritus of Columbia World Affairs Council. “His leadership on the state level forged South Carolina’s global reputation. Since then, for the past three decades, he has helped create thousands of first-generation college graduates in South Carolina who are now imbued with a global perspective.”
Dr. Carter is the longest serving university president in South Carolina. During his presidency, he has lead FMU through a period of extensive growth and development. He has presided over the start of two dozen academic initiatives, including the development of three doctoral programs and the creation of a School of Health Sciences. Under Dr. Carter’s leadership, FMU’s International Programs excelled to include 11 semester-long exchange programs with universities in seven different countries and travel studies to unique instructional and research sites, such as FMU’s Wildsumaco Biological Research station in Ecuador, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau in Germany, the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada, Carlow College, St. Patrick’s in Ireland, the University of Burgos in Spain, De Montfort University in England, and the Rennes School of Business in France.
“This is a very special honor, made all the more meaningful by the fact that Governor Carroll Campbell, Governor David Beasley and Senator Hugh Leatherman also received it,” Carter said. “Those three were truly masterful at charming our international partners. But of course, all of those collaborative efforts would have been for naught if the Columbia World Affairs Council and college faculties across the state hadn’t been so successful in sustaining them.
“Four decades ago, Carroll Campbell reminded us that our future as a great country was dependent upon having other great countries stand alongside us. That observation has never been more relevant or timely.”
During his time leading the State Budget & Control Board, Dr. Carter helped establish many of South Carolina’s international state relationships, including the agreement with Rhineland Palatinate, Germany, which celebrates 30 years of partnership in 2027. Currently, he chairs the South Carolina Commission for International Cooperation and Agreements, which he helped establish, and now oversees many of the state partnerships he helped forge. Dr. Carter also supported SC’s World Class Partnership project, an international high school cultural and teacher exchange program which created more than 25 international sister schools from Socastee to Pendleton.
“President Carter continues to have a tremendous impact on the State of South Carolina,” said Bob Coble, chair of Columbia World Affairs Council Board of Directors. “The relationships he forged during his public service, and continues to nurture through his academic leadership, have positioned our state as an exemplar of prosperous international cooperation shaping the next generations of global pioneers.”
Among Dr. Carter’s numerous awards and recognitions are the South Carolina Order of the Palmetto and honorary degrees from the College of Charleston, Lander University and The Citadel. Carter served on active duty as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve.
The Global Vision Award was established in 1994 and the first recipient was Governor Carroll A. Campbell. The 2025 Global Vision Award was given to David M. Beasley, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the World Food Programme in his role as executive director (2017-23), South Carolina Governor (1995-99), and now Distinguished Professor of Practice & Public Service at the University of South Carolina School of Law.
“Fred Carter is a master of bringing people of different backgrounds together for the common good,” said Fred Monk, chair emeritus of Columbia World Affairs Council. “His leadership on the state level forged South Carolina’s global reputation. Since then, for the past three decades, he has helped create thousands of first-generation college graduates in South Carolina who are now imbued with a global perspective.”
Dr. Carter is the longest serving university president in South Carolina. During his presidency, he has lead FMU through a period of extensive growth and development. He has presided over the start of two dozen academic initiatives, including the development of three doctoral programs and the creation of a School of Health Sciences. Under Dr. Carter’s leadership, FMU’s International Programs excelled to include 11 semester-long exchange programs with universities in seven different countries and travel studies to unique instructional and research sites, such as FMU’s Wildsumaco Biological Research station in Ecuador, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau in Germany, the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada, Carlow College, St. Patrick’s in Ireland, the University of Burgos in Spain, De Montfort University in England, and the Rennes School of Business in France.
“This is a very special honor, made all the more meaningful by the fact that Governor Carroll Campbell, Governor David Beasley and Senator Hugh Leatherman also received it,” Carter said. “Those three were truly masterful at charming our international partners. But of course, all of those collaborative efforts would have been for naught if the Columbia World Affairs Council and college faculties across the state hadn’t been so successful in sustaining them.
“Four decades ago, Carroll Campbell reminded us that our future as a great country was dependent upon having other great countries stand alongside us. That observation has never been more relevant or timely.”
During his time leading the State Budget & Control Board, Dr. Carter helped establish many of South Carolina’s international state relationships, including the agreement with Rhineland Palatinate, Germany, which celebrates 30 years of partnership in 2027. Currently, he chairs the South Carolina Commission for International Cooperation and Agreements, which he helped establish, and now oversees many of the state partnerships he helped forge. Dr. Carter also supported SC’s World Class Partnership project, an international high school cultural and teacher exchange program which created more than 25 international sister schools from Socastee to Pendleton.
“President Carter continues to have a tremendous impact on the State of South Carolina,” said Bob Coble, chair of Columbia World Affairs Council Board of Directors. “The relationships he forged during his public service, and continues to nurture through his academic leadership, have positioned our state as an exemplar of prosperous international cooperation shaping the next generations of global pioneers.”
Among Dr. Carter’s numerous awards and recognitions are the South Carolina Order of the Palmetto and honorary degrees from the College of Charleston, Lander University and The Citadel. Carter served on active duty as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve.
The Global Vision Award was established in 1994 and the first recipient was Governor Carroll A. Campbell. The 2025 Global Vision Award was given to David M. Beasley, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the World Food Programme in his role as executive director (2017-23), South Carolina Governor (1995-99), and now Distinguished Professor of Practice & Public Service at the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Please join us for the special evening using the ticket link below & read on for sponsorship opportunities
Join our network of passionate global advocates in celebrating Dr. Carter & support the future of South Carolina’s global visibility as a world-class state.
Join our network of passionate global advocates in celebrating Dr. Carter & support the future of South Carolina’s global visibility as a world-class state.
Have a Global Impact:
Become a 2026 GLOBAL VISION AWARD SPONSOR today!
Become a 2026 GLOBAL VISION AWARD SPONSOR today!
Sponsorship Levels & Benefits
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Presenting Sponsor
Amount: $20,000 | One opportunity available The Global Vision Award Dinner, presented by [Sponsor Name]
Diplomatic Sponsor
Amount: $5,000 | Up to six opportunities available
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Global Sponsor
Amount: $10,000 | Up to three opportunities available
Community Sponsor
Amount: $2,500 | Up to twelve opportunities available
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The Columbia World Affairs Council is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 non-partisan organization.
All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Our Federal tax id is 57-0972662.
For more information, call 803.665.9420 or email [email protected]
Payment for sponsorships accepted with credit cards, checks, or online.
Make checks payable to:
Columbia World Affairs Council | PO Box 5593, Columbia, S.C., 29250
All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Our Federal tax id is 57-0972662.
For more information, call 803.665.9420 or email [email protected]
Payment for sponsorships accepted with credit cards, checks, or online.
Make checks payable to:
Columbia World Affairs Council | PO Box 5593, Columbia, S.C., 29250
Or if you would simply like to make a gift donation, please click the banner below:
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2025 GLOBAL VISION SPONSORS
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PAST GLOBAL VISION AWARD HONOREES
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2025
Governor David M. Beasley See photos HERE! 2024 USC International Business Programs, honoring William R. Folks, Jr., Kendall Roth & Dean James F. Kane See photos HERE! 2023 Coach Dawn Staley See photos HERE! 2022 Dr. Jim Chow See photos HERE! 2021 George Wolfe See photos HERE! 2020 Harry Huge 2019 Dr. Henry N. Tisdale See photos HERE! 2018 Senator Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. See photos HERE! 2017 Mayor Joe Riley See photos HERE! 2016 Governor Nikki R. Haley See photos HERE! |
2015
Dr. Harris Pastides 2014 Inez Moore Tenenbaum 2013 Governor Richard W. Riley 2012 Bobby Hitt SC Secretary of Commerce 2011 Senator Lindsey Graham & Congressman James E. Clyburn 2010 Paula Harper Bethea 2009 Ambassadors Robert V. Royall Jr. & David Wilkins 2008 Dr. Andrew Sorensen & The Honorable Bob Coble 2007 Ed Sellers BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina 2006 Ms. Sabine Lang Director, Lang-Mekra, N.A., LLC |
2005
Satch Krantz Riverbanks Zoo and Garden 2004 US Senator Fritz Hollings 2003 Jasper Salmond Community Activist 2002 Governor John C. West 2001 SC State Ports Authority 2000 Ambassador Phil Lader 1999 Fred Monk 1998 Governor Robert McNair 1997 Sister Mary Jacob 1996 Ambassador Richard Walker 1995 Astronaut Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. 1994 Governor Carroll Campbell, Jr. |