As a universal language, music often has the power to connect people across borders. Recent Florida State University graduate Amelia Rivers is advancing that idea in Rionegro, Colombia, where she’s using education and the arts to build intercultural community as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. 

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s premier international exchange initiative designed to foster mutual understanding between U.S. citizens and people around the world. Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant recipients are selected each year for their academic or professional excellence and demonstrated leadership potential in their fields, with the program operating in over 160 countries. The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award places recipients directly in classrooms abroad to assist local English teachers and facilitate intercultural exchange. 

“Fulbright is an opportunity giver,” she said. “Now that Fulbright has happened, the doors have opened.” 

Rivers, who earned a master’s degree in musicology from the College of Music in 2025, has been teaching English at the Universidad Católica de Oriente (UCO) since the summer through the ETA. For her, Fulbright offers more than the chance to teach abroad —it’s also an extension of lifelong commitments to global learning and citizenship through music. 

“I love meeting new people, knowing their stories and sharing my story,” she said. “The ETA is all about that exchange.” 

As the daughter of a pilot, Rivers grew up traveling to places like China, Egypt, New Zealand and Peru with her family — an experience she refers to affectionately as “cultural whiplash.” She taught her brother how to count on the Great Wall of China and learned how to play guitar from local kids in the Andes Mountains, experiences she said primed her for a future full of global endeavors. 

“I was able to have those conversations about cultural exchange at a very young age,” she said. “It really encouraged me to become a cultural ambassador for the United States.” 

Back in the U.S., Rivers joined a traveling choir, the Spivey Hall Children’s Choir, in middle and high school, blending her love of seeing the world with her passion for music. She once performed in a choir for Pope Francis in Vatican City, an experience that she says was her “window to the world.” 

“Choir has always been a source of community building for me,” she said. 

After earning a bachelor’s degree in music arts and English from Mercer University, Rivers decided to blend these interests further and pursue a master’s degree in musicology from FSU’s College of Music. 

At FSU, Rivers engaged with other cultures through one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive World Music Ensemble programs, where she learned and performed Andean, Brazilian and Balinese Gamelan music traditions. Her master’s thesis focused on the political significance of “joropo,” a folkloric dance genre native to the llaneros of Colombia and Venezuela. 

“I wanted to learn more about the music in the world,” she said.  

This research brought her to Bogotá, Colombia, for the first time in 2023, where she visited music libraries, interviewed joropo artists and attended the “Joropo en el Parque” (Joropo in the Park) music festival.

“I fell in love with the culture of hospitality in the community,” she said. 

Rivers had heard of Fulbright through her grandfather. He studied French medieval literature in Germany in 1962 through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, an experience that she said changed his career. 

“I’ve always felt that my grandfather and I had a kindred mind,” she said. 

As a Fulbright ETA, Rivers is responsible for hosting presentations and activities, facilitating interactions between students and helping hone their grammar skills. Tailoring her methods toward music, Rivers also plays the piano and sings in a rock band with her students, helping them learn English through songs by bands like Green Day and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

“We’re playing mostly American rock music because they want to practice their English, and I’m their English teacher,” she said. “There’s a big rock scene in Colombia.”  

At the other end of the exchange, Rivers is learning more about local music from the Colombian community and her peers. She’s joined two choirs during her experience — “Coro Polifónico” (polyphonic choir) at the Universidad Católica de Oriente and a professional women’s choir called “Polimnia.” Through Coro Polifónico, she’s performed at UCO’s cultural festivals and Christmas concert series and has toured across Medellín and Bogotá with Polimnia.  

“I’m trying to soak up as much as I can,” she said. “It’s been easy to plug into the local music culture because of the knowledge FSU gave me.” 

To bridge the arts with impact, Rivers has additionally been collaborating with the “Huracán de Sueños” foundation, an after-school center that brings classes and activities to vulnerable children in the area. There, she is helping to run a music program and assisting the kids with their English homework.  

“Music is the way that I interact with others in Colombia, because everybody loves music here,” she said. “It’s such an easy and fulfilling starting point for cultural exchange.” 

Rounding out her role as a cultural ambassador, Rivers is also interning with the U.S. Embassy and Education USA, which helps students in Colombia earn a college education in the U.S.  

While Rivers is not yet sure where her passions will take her following the Fulbright award, she hopes to continue riding the international wave. 

“I’ve been bitten by the Fulbright bug,” she said. 

For now, she believes that Rionegro is where she is “meant to be.” 

“I feel like I have my dream job in my dream location,” she said. “I’m still trying to convince myself that this is real.” 

Interested in applying for a Fulbright? 

Graduate students: Contact Keith McCall, assistant director of the FSU Office of Graduate Fellowships and Awards, at kmccall2@fsu.edu.  

Undergraduates and recent graduates: Contact Bonnie Garcia-Gloeckner, assistant director of the FSU Office of National Fellowships, at bjgarcia@fsu.edu. 

Faculty: Contact Peggy Wright-Cleveland, director of FSU Faculty Development, at mwrightc@fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University welcomed the former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs for a lecture last week, where he spoke to students, staff and faculty about the shifting global order and opportunities to shape future paradigms.  

Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. delivered the lecture “Strategic Leadership in the 21st Century: How You Can Shape the Emerging Global Order” March 26 in the Globe Auditorium as part of the Center for Global Engagement’s Engage Your World Speaker Series and the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s Ruth K. and Shepard Broad International Lecture Series. 

“I wanted to speak to all of you, especially as students, about the kind of world that you’re going to be sailing into and the kind of impact you can have in that world,” Shannon said. 

Shannon’s diplomatic career spans nearly 35 years, from 1984 until his retirement in February 2018. Before his term as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, he held positions including U.S. Ambassador to Brazil and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.  

The Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the third-ranking position at the State Department, reports to the Secretary of State and is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations at the Department of State, including managing international crises and U.S. foreign policy. Shannon served in this role from 2016 until his retirement in 2018. While in this role, Shannon helped manage the 2017 presidential transition and led bilateral and multilateral foreign policymaking and implementation. 

Having served in multiple presidential administrations and embassies, Shannon offered insight into what he calls a “transformative” global era and challenged audience members to consider their place within it.  

“The nature of this moment means that we are capable of changing the world around us,” he said. “We’re capable of rethinking our national political purpose, but also how we project ourselves into the world.” 

Shannon argued that while states are central to the global order, societies and cultures will play an increasing role in defining the future.  

“A country like the United States, which is really one of the few global countries in the world, not just cosmopolitan, but global, is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this kind of environment and uniquely positioned to be able to communicate beyond our frontiers,” he said. “Not just government to government, but society to society and people to people.”  

Shannon also cited technology as the medium for driving global engagements, maintaining that the ability to evolve with these changes will determine state success. 

“With the kinds of dramatic technological advances we’re going to see today, lack of access or inequality is going to become a defining feature of almost all political dialogue and engagement,” he said. “The successful politicians and the successful countries are going to be those that empower societies, empower individuals, and that open access to the kinds of changes that we’re going to see in the world.” 

He emphasized that future generations have a responsibility to both answer and shape the world’s shifting demands.  

“It doesn’t matter where you are. You could be a hermit living in a cave with a goat, and the world is going to come and find you, and it’s going to ask you to participate in this larger effort,” he said. “You are going to be called upon. People are going to want to know what you think. People are going to want to know how things should be resolved. And this is an opportunity that is rarely given.” 

After the lecture, Shannon sat down with Mark Schlakman, the senior program director for the FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, to answer questions about current affairs and the United States’ interests. 

“I want you to understand that there is a significant shift taking place in how the president and his party are thinking about the U.S. position in the world, and what it is we need to be focused on, and how we need to be protecting it,” Shannon said. 

Shannon’s lecture served as both a lesson and a roadmap to students as they prepare to navigate an interconnected world.  

“This is not a time to be fearful,” he said. “This is not a time to be doubtful. This is a time to understand that we are in a moment of change and that this change is going to be profound. It’s not only going to be profound for our nation. It’s going to be profound for how we relate to the world and therefore, how the world progresses.” 

For more information about the Center for Global Engagement, visit their website at cge.fsu.edu. To learn more about the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, visit their website at cahr.fsu.edu. For more information about the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, visit their website at cosspp.fsu.edu.  

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Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon Jr., former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, will speak at Florida State University at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26, on “Strategic Leadership in the 21st Century: How You Can Shape the Emerging Global Order.” 

During his lecture, Shannon will explore the forces driving global transformation, the fluid nature of today’s world, the enduring influence of the U.S. in shaping global order and how emerging generations will define the future. This event is co-sponsored by the FSU College of Social Sciences and Public Policy’s Ruth K. and Shepard Broad International Lecture Series and the Center for Global Engagement’s Engage Your World Speaker Series.  

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in The Globe Auditorium, 110 S. Woodward Ave. A reception will take place beforehand at 4 p.m. in the lobby of The Globe. 

The Under Secretary for Political Affairs reports to the Secretary of State and is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations at the Department of State, including managing international crises and U.S. foreign policy.  

Shannon received his master’s and doctorate in politics from Oxford University after graduating with honors from the College of William and Mary in 1980, where he studied government and philosophy.  

Shannon’s diplomatic career spans nearly 35 years, from 1984 until his retirement in February 2018. Before his term as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, he held positions including U.S. Ambassador to Brazil and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.  

Attendees can park in either the Traditions Parking Garage or the Pensacola Parking Garage without an FSU permit after 4:30 p.m.  

For more information, visit calendar.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University’s Ukraine Task Force (UTF) recently welcomed a leading analyst, lecturer and scholar on international relations to deliver a lecture and speak to classes about the everchanging political landscape of Eastern Europe.  

Kateryna Shynkaruk, a senior lecturer at Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service in Washington D.C. and nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, delivered the talk “Ukraine and European Security: War, Identity and the Future of the International Order” Tuesday, March 10, in The Globe Auditorium as part of the Center for Global Engagement’s Engage Your World Speaker Series.  

“My lecture was about European security and how it is affected by the Ukraine war and basically how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has completely overturned the European security architecture,” Shynkaruk said. “I thoroughly enjoyed the questions and answer session with students. They clearly were engaged and I was positively impressed by how closely they followed it.” 

Shynkaruk has published more than 30 articles on the topics of post-communist transformations in Ukraine and across Eastern Europe. She spent seven years working as a political analyst at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and six years covering Ukraine’s foreign and security policy as a senior research fellow at the Kyiv-based Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.  

She was grateful to be able to share her knowledge gained from these experiences with faculty, staff and students. 

“My hope is that there is this interest actually in European affairs, that it is strengthened through engagements like my visit and generally that there is more interest in Ukraine, in European security and European affairs built here among students,” Shynkaruk said. “My meetings with faculty members were another very positive experience, seeing how the faculty is interested in exposing more perspectives on European affairs. If I have inspired any of them [students] to follow our potential avenues that I mentioned, that would be an amazing outcome.” 

Housed in FSU’s Learning Systems Institute (LSI), the UTF was established in 2022 as part of the university’s broader internationalization strategy and aims to forge partnerships between FSU and Ukrainian scholars and educate the FSU community about Ukraine. 

One of the goals of the UTF is to reach FSU students and educate them about Ukraine, its current and historical relationships with Europe and Russia, and its relevance to American security and economic interests. In 2025 alone, the UTF hosted 21 Ukrainian visitors and offered 17 educational events. 

“I was hosted graciously by the Ukraine Task Force here at FSU. I was positively impressed by the work they’re doing,” Shynkaruk said. “When teaching students, I do believe that direct information is always better than interpretations through second and third-hand perspectives. So, whenever you have a Ukrainian expert or a Ukrainian coming from Ukraine at the table in the classroom, you will have students exposed to a real-life experience and perspective rather than reading about it.” 

Most recently, FSU signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) last semester to expand global connections and outreach. The UTF also hosted two Ukrainian scholars last semester through the BridgeUSA Ukraine Program for Resilience Reconstruction (BridgeUSA UPRR), an exchange program funded by the U.S. State Department that connects Ukrainian and American researchers.  

“The work they [the UTF] are doing and the fact that they also bring people from Ukraine directly — some cultural presence, some academic presence — there is no better way to learn than to learn from the perspective of the ground,” Shynkaruk said. “The resilience of Ukrainian people, the challenges, the political landscape, all these pros and cons. If you don’t have a Ukrainian at the table, then this is an abstract conversation.” 

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, LSI develops industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

For more information about the UTF, visit the UTF webpage on LSI’s website. To learn more about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University’s Susana Santos, the Jim Moran Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, has been inducted as a Justin G. Longenecker Fellow of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) — one of the highest honors in the field of entrepreneurship.

Induction into the Longenecker Fellows recognizes individuals who have demonstrated sustained excellence in entrepreneurship education, research and service, and whose careers have made a lasting impact on the discipline. Admission is highly competitive and by nomination only, with each fellow having made sustained contributions that advance both entrepreneurship scholarship and practice.

Santos was nominated by Michael Morris of the University of Notre Dame, who highlighted her record of leadership and service to USASBE, including roles as a board member, conference chair, editor and doctoral program leader. He also underscored her scholarly contributions, particularly her research examining how entrepreneurship can help uplift communities and combat poverty through sustainable economic development.

“Dr. Santos exemplifies the spirit of the Longenecker Fellows,” said Jeff Hornsby, chair of the Fellows and professor at the University of Missouri Kansas City. “Her scholarship advances a global dialogue on the role of entrepreneurship in addressing poverty, while her leadership within USASBE has strengthened our community and helped shape the next generation of entrepreneurship scholars. She has made a lasting and meaningful impact on our field.”

Santos’ research focuses on poverty alleviation, community-level entrepreneurship and inclusive innovation, contributing to a deeper understanding of how entrepreneurial activity can serve as a mechanism for social and economic mobility. Her work has been published in leading academic journals and informs both policy and practice across diverse global contexts.

“We are incredibly proud to see Dr. Santos recognized as a Longenecker Fellow, one of the highest honors in entrepreneurship education,” said Susan Fiorito, dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. “Her dedication to research, teaching and service exemplifies the excellence of our faculty and reflects the Jim Moran College’s commitment to advancing entrepreneurship that creates real and lasting impact.”

“We are incredibly proud to see Dr. Santos recognized as a Longenecker Fellow, one of the highest honors in entrepreneurship education. Her dedication to research, teaching and service exemplifies the excellence of our faculty and reflects the Jim Moran College’s commitment to advancing entrepreneurship that creates real and lasting impact.”

– Susan Fiorito, dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship

Morris reflected on Santos’ leadership within the USASBE and the impactful research she provides.

“Susana’s career has been defined by intellectual rigor and purposeful impact,” Morris added. “She is a thought leader whose work pushes us to rethink how entrepreneurship functions in contexts of poverty and disadvantage, and her leadership within USASBE has strengthened the infrastructure that supports entrepreneurship education worldwide. She is profoundly deserving of this honor.”

Santos becomes the third FSU faculty member inducted as a Longenecker Fellow. Eric Liguori, Jim Moran Professor and Associate Dean, was inducted in 2021, and Wendy Plant, retired executive director of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, was inducted in 2024.

The honor further underscores FSU’s leadership in entrepreneurship education and scholarship, and the Jim Moran College’s growing influence in shaping the global conversation around entrepreneurship as a force for economic development and impact.

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Speaking in front of a packed crowd at the Florida State University College of Law Rotunda, former U.S. ambassador Mark Brzezinski offered effusive praise for FSU’s legacy in international politics while promoting the importance of global diplomacy.

Brzezinski served as the featured speaker at the fourth annual D’Alemberte & Palmer Lecture in International Human Rights. The well-attended lecture included FSU Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs James Clark giving the welcome address to a crowd that included members of the local community as well as FSU faculty, staff and students. He was followed by FSU Law Associate Professor Tahirih V. Lee, who welcomed Brzezinski and felt a connection to his work in Poland after her own grandfather emigrated from the Central European country to the United States.

Brzezinski’s presentation, “U.S. Embassies as ‘Force Multipliers’ for Democracy and Human Rights: The Case of Poland 2021-25,” described U.S. embassies as the most effective operational tools for advancing human rights. Stemming from his time as U.S. Ambassador to Poland (2021-24) and Sweden (2011-15), Brzezinski argued that embassies are positioned to advance democracy through daily, tactical engagement.

“The broad lesson is clear,” Brzezinski said. “Embassies aren’t ancillary, they’re the operational core. For half a century, they’ve done this work in context ranging from post conflict reconstruction to stable democracies.”

Brzezinski lauded former FSU President Sandy D’Alemberte (1994-2003) and the work he did with The Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI). D’Alemberte played an essential role in creating an organization that oversaw the American Bar Association’s (ABA) programs that promoted the development of fair and open election laws in 21 countries.

“I am fortunate to have known Sandy D’Alemberte,” Brzezinski added. “He was a force of nature. Sandy was president of the American Bar Association in 1991 when the Berlin Wall was crumbling. Under Sandy’s leadership, the ABA initiated one of the most creative overseas assistance initiatives ever.”

“I am fortunate to have known Sandy D’Alemberte. He was a force of nature. Sandy was president of the American Bar Association in 1991 when the Berlin Wall was crumbling. Under Sandy’s leadership, the ABA initiated one of the most creative overseas assistance initiatives ever.”

– Mark Brzezinski, former U.S. Ambassador

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Florida State University’s Department of Classics recently celebrated a banner night at the Archaeological Institute of America’s (AIA) Annual Meeting in San Francisco.  

Nancy de Grummond, the M. Lynette Thompson Professor of Classics and Distinguished Research Professor and director of Excavations and Research at the Cetamura del Chianti archaeological site in Tuscany, was recognized with the 2026 Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Archaeological Achievement.  

Two FSU graduates and alumni of the FSU Archaeological Field School at Cetamura del Chianti were also honored at the ceremony. 

“The AIA awards dinner in San Francisco offered a snapshot of what FSU Classics is all about: a department filled with pathbreaking and influential professors who inspire excellence in their students, who in turn become pathbreaking and influential scholars, thus ensuring that the field remains at the forefront of the humanities,” said Tim Stover, chair of the Department of Classics.  

The AIA supports archaeologists, their research and its dissemination, and the ethical practice of archaeology while promoting archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster an appreciation of cultures and shared humanity. The Gold Medal, awarded to one archaeologist each year, recognizes distinguished contributions to the discipline through research and fieldwork. It’s considered analogous to a lifetime achievement award. 

De Grummond has served as director of Excavations and Research at Cetamura since 1983, leading generations of FSU students to the site each summer. The site was discovered in 1964 by Italian archaeologist Alvaro Tracchi, and students from FSU’s Department of Classics started excavating the site in 1973 after the FSU Florence program obtained a permit from the Italian government.  

Now known as the Archaeology in Tuscany Program, FSU students live in a Chianti hill town close to the site and excavate artifacts, study stratigraphy and learn how to process their finds while taking courses examining a variety of approaches to archaeology in the field, the lab and the museum. It is administered by International Programs.  

“It is hard to describe the joy and satisfaction that comes with this kind of recognition,” de Grummond said. “In addition, the thrill of receiving the award was magnified when I found out that two of my students were sharing the podium at the ceremony. We are all so fortunate to have had the FSU International Programs and Department of Classics create the environment where our potential was nurtured.” 

Two FSU alumni were also honored at the AIA’s Annual Meeting. Melanie Godsey (B.A. ‘13) was recognized for her contributions to the book, “Households in Context: Dwelling in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt” (Cornell University Press, 2023), which focuses on the daily lives of families in Egypt, moving beyond elite narratives. The book won the 2026 James R. Wiseman Book Award from AIA, which honors an outstanding academic book in archaeology published within the past four years that advances the field through original research and synthesis. Godsey earned her bachelor’s degree in Classical Archaeology from FSU in 2013 and is an assistant professor of Classical Studies at Trinity University in San Antonio.  

Taylor Cwikla (B.A. ‘19, M.A. ‘22) received the inaugural Gold Public Engagement Award from AIA, which recognizes members who make archaeology accessible to a broad range of non-specialist audiences. Cwikla earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Classical Archaeology from FSU and serves as a museum educator at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, Greece, building educational resources that educators worldwide can access for free.  

During their time at FSU, Godsey and Cwikla both spent time at Cetamura. Cwikla served as a field archaeologist and research assistant in 2016 and as an excavation supervisor in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Godsey was a field archaeologist and research assistant at Cetamura in 2010 and has also worked at sites in Egypt and Greece.  

Discoveries by FSU at Cetamura have unearthed a long and diverse history that encompasses successive settlements by the Etruscans (7th-1st centuries BCE), the Romans (1st century BCE-4th century CE), and Medieval Italians (11th-12th century CE). In 2023, FSU celebrated 50 years of discoveries at Cetamura with the inauguration of the new Civic Museum at the Origins of Chianti. Located 9 kilometers from the archaeological site, the museum collection highlights the archeological discoveries at Cetamura, including Etruscan and Roman artifacts. 

“The research de Grummond has done on the material found at Cetamura has helped revolutionize our understanding of the Etruscans,” Stover said. “She has been an influential, inspirational and generous scholar, one whose work has not only changed the way we think about ancient Italy but has positively impacted the lives of countless students. Two of those students, Taylor Cwikla and Melanie Godsey, have gone on to have amazing careers, so it is no surprise that they too have been recognized by the AIA.” 

For more information about FSU’s Department of Classics, visit classics.fsu.edu. To learn more about the Archaeology in Tuscany program, visit the International Programs website.  

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Florida State University is marking the Peace Corps’ 65th anniversary with National Peace Corps Week events March 2–5 and celebrating more than 900 FSU alumni who have served communities around the world through the international volunteer program. 

Established by President John F. Kennedy on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps sends American volunteers to live and work in communities around the world for two-year assignments focused on education, health, agriculture and community development. Today, Florida remains one of the top states producing Peace Corps volunteers, with FSU alumni continuing that tradition of service. 

“FSU students consistently demonstrate the curiosity, resilience and compassion that make strong Peace Corps volunteers,” said Heather Jordan, FSU’s Peace Corps recruiter. “Serving isn’t just about what you give; it’s about how you grow. Many volunteers discover new strengths, new perspectives and lifelong connections that influence the rest of their careers.” 

As FSU’s Peace Corps campus recruiter, it’s Jordan’s job to increase awareness of volunteer opportunities through outreach, class presentations and hosting workshops and information sessions. Peace Corps information sessions take place on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and Thursdays at 12 p.m. in Room 2300 of The Globe.  

National Peace Corps Week kicked off at FSU Monday, March 2, with “Coffee Hour with the FSU Peace Corps Recruiter.” Jordan hosted the informal drop-in session for interested students to learn about service opportunities, the application timeline, and what they can expect during their two years abroad.  

The Center for Global Engagement will host a Peace Corps Panel at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in The Globe Auditorium as part of its Engage Your World Speaker Series. Jordan and several other Peace Corps volunteers will have an open discussion about the Peace Corps process and experience. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a meet and greet with light refreshments.   

As a Peace Corps volunteer from 2003 to 2005 in Monapo, Mozambique, Jordan taught English and health education, sparking a lifelong passion for public health and service.  

Florida is one of the top five states in the U.S. in producing volunteers. Lydia Howald, an FSU alumnus who graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, joined the Peace Corps in 2025 and is serving as a volunteer in Zambia working on the Linking Income Food and Environment (LIFE) project. 

Through the LIFE project, Peace Corps Zambia is collaborating with Zambia’s Department of Forestry to help conserve natural resources. As a volunteer working on the LIFE project, Howald lives amongst small-scale maize farmers and teaches them aboutagroforestry, a practice that integrates trees and shrubs with crops or pastures.  

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Florida State University is shaping the future of teaching, learning and living with artificial intelligence (AI) through international initiatives, including a recent program in Thailand where an FSU faculty member explored how AI is transforming entrepreneurship, education and small business development across the Indo-Pacific region. 

Eric Liguori, Jim Moran Professor and associate dean for research and external relations in the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at FSU, served as lead moderator and facilitator for “Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI,” a two-day forum held Dec. 9-10 in Phuket, Thailand, that brought together more than 40 educators, policymakers, entrepreneurs and innovation leaders from the U.S. and countries across Asia-Pacific. 

Participants explored how AI and emerging digital technologies are redefining entrepreneurship education, enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to scale, and opening new pathways for U.S.-Indo-Pacific collaboration. The program also emphasized the role of education systems in preparing learners across disciplines to work effectively and responsibly alongside intelligent technologies. 

As lead moderator and facilitator, Liguori guided discussions on AI readiness, entrepreneurship education, workforce transformation and small business innovation. Sessions combined expert keynotes, policy roundtables and hands-on breakout groups focused on AI governance, talent development and access to capital. 

“Artificial intelligence is changing not just what entrepreneurs do, but how quickly they need to learn, adapt and make decisions,” Liguori said. “This program was designed to help educators and ecosystem leaders think beyond tools and focus on building entrepreneurial mindsets that allow individuals and organizations to navigate uncertainty responsibly and creatively.” 

Susan Fiorito, dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, said the program reflects Florida State’s growing global leadership at the intersection of entrepreneurship and emerging technologies. 

“FSU is uniquely positioned to contribute to these global conversations because of our deep expertise in entrepreneurship education and our commitment to real-world impact,” Fiorito said. “Eric’s leadership in this program highlights how our faculty are shaping international dialogue on innovation, workforce readiness and economic development.” 

The forum concluded with delegates outlining a confidential framework focused on AI education, subject matter expert (SME) innovation and cross-border digital collaboration between the U.S. and Indo-Pacific countries. The initiative aims to enhance geopolitical competitiveness while establishing practical pathways for shared and sustainable growth. 

The program was administered by World Learning, an international education institution delivering programs in more than 150 countries worldwide. It was funded by the U.S. Department of State as part of its broader efforts to strengthen international collaboration, workforce readiness and economic resilience through education and entrepreneurship. 

The initiative aligns with FSU’s broader engagement in global education, public-private partnerships and research-informed approaches to entrepreneurship and innovation. 

At FSU, AI efforts are faculty-led and driven by the university’s commitment to student success. Faculty and staff on multiple campus committees are charged with developing best practices, policies and guidelines to ensure FSU’s faculty, staff and students have access to the latest AI technologies and are equipped with the skills they need to use AI effectively and ethically in the classroom, on campus and beyond.  

For more information about the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at FSU, visit jimmorancollege.fsu.edu. To learn more information on AI initiatives at FSU, visit ai.fsu.edu. For more information about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu. 

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Florida State University is helping shape the future of entrepreneurship around the globe through a collaboration in Armenia that connects students, faculty and innovators across continents.  

The Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and Learning Systems Institute (LSI) at FSU are implementing the project in partnership with the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE), the second-largest university in Armenia. Funded by the U.S. Department of State and led by Susana Santos, Jim Moran Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, the project aims to foster innovation and global connections through STEM and social entrepreneurship initiatives. 

One of those initiatives is a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project that connects FSU students with students at ASUE through shared coursework, virtual collaboration and design-thinking-based projects. COIL allows professors and students to use technology to engage with their peers at universities around the globe. 

The COIL project was implemented in Jim Moran Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship Juliana Binhote’s LDR 2325-Leadership & Empowerment course. Binhote’s students collaborated with students taking a course taught by Hermine Poghsyan, senior marketing lecturer at ASUE. Ten teams of ASUE and FSU students worked across the nine-hour time difference between Tallahassee and Armenia to develop entrepreneurial solutions focused on education, sustainability and social impact. 

Morgan Baber, a freshman majoring in commercial entrepreneurship, had never participated in a COIL project before taking Binhote’s course. Her group collaborated with ASUE students on a project focused on helping educational institutions have structured and practical ways to ensure that technology enhances learning.  

“We saw the problem of students struggling to maintain focus because of the digital distraction,” she said. “We wanted to create a system that helps teachers monitor the technology and create a fun learning environment for students to engage with helpful tools of technology.” 

Baber said the experience strengthened her communication skills. Some of the students at ASUE didn’t speak English, and scheduling was difficult due to the time difference. Despite this, Baber was impressed by the ASUE students’ work ethic, noting that the way they organized each project made her want to do her best.  

“It was a great experience collaborating with students across the world,” she said. “I really believe this is the kind of project that every student should be able to partake in.” 

The 10 student teams presented their results to ASUE and FSU faculty. The team Eco Points was recognized for its solution that makes waste and plastic sorting rewarding, engaging and accessible. 

The COIL project was developed by Vilma Fuentes, an associate in research at LSI who serves as program director of FSU’s Ukraine Task Force and as co-principal investigator on the overall project, with multimedia support from Robert Lengancher, an associate in research at LSI. The collaboration marks a significant step in building Armenia’s next generation of entrepreneurs while giving FSU students hands-on experience in global, cross-cultural problem solving. 

“Our COIL project is already promoting entrepreneurial thinking through design thinking and virtual collaboration between American and Armenian students,” Fuentes said. “The business presentations at S212 were an indicator of the progress we have made through the first phase of COIL.” 

The first phase of the collaborative project between FSU and ASUE concluded in December 2025 with the establishment of a STEM Social Innovators Incubator (S2I2) at ASUE. S2I2 is a project-based learning environment that integrates scientific innovation, social entrepreneurship and global collaboration to support students in developing entrepreneurial mindsets while addressing real-world challenges through interdisciplinary teamwork and applied problem solving. 

“In its very first semester of operation, the S2I2 Entrepreneurship Center proved that the combination of international experience and efforts aimed at developing local potential can foster a new generation of entrepreneurs with knowledge, ideas and the potential for real success,” said Grisha Amirkhanayn, head of ASUE’s Division of Professional Development and Innovations.  

Amirkhanayn visited FSU’s Tallahassee campus in September along with Lusine Danielyan, director of ASUE’s Internationalization, Development and Partnerships Department, to continue working on the collaboration. 

Building on this momentum, S2I2 has already launched a new slate of dynamic educational initiatives, trainings, and open classes this semester for aspiring entrepreneurs, as ASUE advances its mission to expand access to innovative STEM and social entrepreneurship education for its students. 

“Your success is the success of our university,” ASUE Rector Armen Grigoryan told the group. “Have confidence in your abilities, think globally, develop courage, and go to win, whether in Armenia or beyond its borders. If dozens of students with this mindset enter the labor market every year, we will have a stronger society. Go and inspire your classmates as well, so that there are more ‘door-opening’ people here.” 

LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations. 

The Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship is the nation’s first standalone College of Entrepreneurship. The college aims to spread entrepreneurship across FSU’s campus and serve all students through collaborative programs, competitions, resources, and more. JMC offers students three undergraduate majors, five graduate majors, 10 minors and extracurricular opportunities to inspire innovation, instill compassion and ignite an entrepreneurial mindset in the next generation of leaders. 

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Florida State University will host scholars from around the world Thursday, Feb. 19 through Saturday, Feb. 21 for a conference discussing the roles that Africa and African descendants played in how World War I and World War II were fought and how they are remembered.

“Africa and the African Diaspora and the World Wars” is sponsored by the Department of History’s Institute on World War II and the Human Experience, the Society for Black Military Studies, and Auburn University’s Department of History. The event, which features more than 15 international speakers, is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

“The conference will feature presentations by young scholars from Africa and speakers who recently immigrated to America, considering battles and other Military engagements during the World Wars that took place in Africa, and the military history of African American participation in World War II,” said Kurt Piehler, director of the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience and associate professor of history.

The event kicks off at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the FSU Alumni Association Center with a public keynote address by Chad Williams, the Tomorrow Foundation Chair of American Intellectual History at Boston University and the author of four books on African American history. His address will focus on World War I, Black military history and William Edward Burghardt Du Bois –– an American sociologist, writer and Pan-African civil rights activist who lived from 1868 to 1963 and initially encouraged African Americans to support World War I efforts, believing it would help earn rights for Black citizens.

“Chad Williams is a remarkable scholar; he is one of the leading historians of military history in the 20th century, particularly for African American soldiers’ experiences of World War I,” Piehler said. “We were inspired to invite him to speak at the conference after an insightful conversation with my students regarding his book, ‘Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era.’” 

Following the keynote address, five sessions will be held –– three on Friday, Feb. 20, and two on Saturday, Feb. 21 –– all at the FSU Alumni Association Center. Sessions will showcase various presentations covering themes including Black military service, military operations in Africa, social transformation under colonial rule, political communication and others.    

“Africa and the African diaspora, the voluntary and involuntary movement of African descendants across the globe, are often overlooked in military history,” Piehler said. “We hope the conference will promote scholarship in this field and encourage scholars to submit papers to the Journal of Black Military Studies, a new journal established in 2024 by one of the conference’s sponsors, the Society for Black Military Studies.” 

The Society for Black Military Studies, founded in 2022, aims to preserve and share Black soldiers’ contributions throughout history and raise awareness of the Black military experience in all its complexity.

“World War I and World War II cannot be understood without Africa and the African diaspora,” said Le’Trice Donaldson, founder and president of the Society for Black Military Studies and an assistant professor of history at Auburn University. “The World Wars were turning points in the making of modern Black politics and identities, shaping struggles such as citizenship, labor and freedom. This conference emphasizes that the World Wars were global Black history, not just European history.”

This event is funded by the George and Martin Langford Endowment and the Pearl Tyner Endowment. 

To register for the conference, contact Piehler at kpiehler@fsu.edu.  To learn more about FSU’s Department of History, visit history.fsu.edu.  

For more on the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience, visit history.fsu.edu/institutes/institute-world-war-ii-and-human-experience.

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