Golden LEAF Critical Conversations

What happens when opportunity meets rural community pride? In this episode of Golden LEAF Critical Conversations, host Scott T. Hamilton talks with a current Golden LEAF Scholar, a Scholar Alumna, and an internship site host to show exactly how the Golden LEAF Scholarship and Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative change lives and shapes communities across North Carolina. You will hear from three inspirational guests: Current Golden LEAF Scholar Joe Bullock, a future educator, who discovered that the scholarship did more than ease college costs; it opened doors to real relationships with school leaders back home. Golden LEAF Alumna Lyric Locklear reflects on how internships turned into employment, affirmed her sense of purpose, and helped her build a meaningful career serving rural mental health needs. Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative site host Prince Dugba of Monarch Bioenergy offers a behind-the-scenes look at why hosting Golden LEAF interns isn't just good for students, it's smart for rural businesses preparing the workforce of the future. Together, their stories paint a powerful picture. This scholarship program isn't just about paying for college. It's about building confidence, creating career pathways, and proving that impactful, innovative work can and does happen in rural North Carolina. If you are interested in how scholarship funding, education, and internships come together to strengthen rural North Carolina communities, this conversation offers insight, inspiration, and a case study on how this model works.

In this first podcast episode, Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton is joined by two leading economic voices: Tom Barkin, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and Dr. Mike Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus at NC State University. Together, they unpack a year marked by uncertainty, described as "driving through fog," and explore why the economy has proven more resilient than many expected. From national trends like productivity growth, inflation, and interest rates to North Carolina's record-setting job creation, workforce growth, and housing expansion, the conversation connects the dots between policy, people, and place. Listeners will hear insights on: Why North Carolina continues to stand out nationally for job, workforce, and housing growth What record-breaking job announcements mean for communities across the state How agriculture, agribusiness, and workforce development may evolve in 2026 The risks and opportunities ahead as economic uncertainty begins to lift