Illinois Valley Community College alumnus, former U.S. diplomat, and author Gordon Duguid will headline a book talk and career discussion at 1 p.m. on April 2 in IVCC’s Jacobs Library Active Learning Space, according to a press release.

The presentation, titled “Pages and Passports: Adventures of an Author and Foreign Service Officer,” is free and open to the public thanks to the event’s sponsors, the IVCC Foundation and Alumni Association.

“We’re hoping that by having him here we can try to open up windows for the students to see the possibilities of being an IVCC student and what you can do after going here,” Alumni and Donor Relations Coordinator of the IVCC Foundation Susan Monroe said.

Duguid, an IVCC Hall of Fame inductee, served as a U.S. diplomat for more than 30 years.

“As an IVCC alum, we appreciate him exposing our students to the possibilities of things they may not ever see in their lifetime,” Monroe said. “A foreign service officer is a niche, and you don’t always get the opportunity to hear about those kinds of careers.”

Duguid is a visiting professor in Diplomacy and International Relations at Illinois State University and the author of “Counter Narrative,” a political thriller, according to the release.

Copies of his book will be available for purchase at the event.

Duguid will address a class of international education students, sit down for a one-on-one interview and meet with IVCC administrators in addition to the presentation.

For more information, call 815-224-0465.