Background

Vance is a southern boy from Oak Ridge, North Carolina.  Acquainted with horticulture as a youngster, he began growing pumpkins for sale when he was five years old.  He later became an avid 4-Her, which eventually led him to NC State University to gain a B.S. in Horticultural Science and a B.S. in Ag. Business Management.  Vance has a desire to travel and recently spent seven weeks in Ghana, West Africa during the summer of 2002.

Current Research

Vance is currently a Master's student under Dr. Stan Hokanson.  He is working with shrub roses, attempting to genetically characterize the black spot fungus (Diplocarpon rosae).  He hopes to aid the Woody Landscape Plant Breeding and Genetics program in developing hardy, disease-resistant shrub roses for the nursery trade.