Less than halfway through her summer internship at Sneex, Florida State University junior Kensington Wheeler was handed a challenge by the company founded by childhood inspiration Sara Blakely: Plan and execute a brand activation at Atlanta’s famous Ponce City Market in less than two weeks.

For Wheeler, a commercial entrepreneurship major with a minor in computer science at FSU’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, it was exactly the kind of real-world experience she wanted. The Sneex intern team divided responsibilities, with Wheeler taking charge of event planning, location scouting and on-site logistics.

Given creative freedom by the Sneex team, the interns had to determine how to approach the project and bring their vision to life.

“The process felt a little untraditional in the beginning because none of us came in knowing exactly how to do it or what to do,” Wheeler said. “There were too many different opinions, so we had to create areas of leadership. My mom’s business involves creating culinary events, and I grew up assisting her with them. I’ve always loved everything from the planning process to the last-minute touches that bring the magic.”

Wheeler’s passion for entrepreneurship began long before she arrived at FSU, inspired by growing up around her mother’s business and her admiration for successful female entrepreneurs. At FSU, she continues exploring that passion through hands-on experiences in business, creative marketing and entrepreneurship.

That interest helped lead Wheeler to a highly competitive summer internship with Sneex, the innovative footwear brand founded by FSU alumna and Spanx creator Blakely. Wheeler was selected as one of eight interns out of thousands of applicants nationwide for the six-week program over the summer.

“I grew up listening to Sara Blakely’s story and the road she paved for so many female entrepreneurs,” Wheeler said. “She was always someone I deeply admired, so having the opportunity to work for her company felt like such a full-circle moment.”

“I grew up listening to Sara Blakely’s story and the road she paved for so many female entrepreneurs. She was always someone I deeply admired, so having the opportunity to work for her company felt like such a full-circle moment.”

– Kensington Wheeler, FSU junior commercial entrepreneurship major

The internship offered Wheeler a close-up look at brand strategy, marketing and storytelling. She worked alongside Sneex Head of Storytelling Jamie Spielmaker and Head of Brand Strategy Bassima Mroue, gaining valuable insight into the creative and strategic processes behind building a brand.

The internship was fast-paced and hands-on, often requiring late nights and extra hours of preparation.

“Kensington stood out because of her passion for entrepreneurship, but we ultimately chose her because of her infectious enthusiasm for the brand and her demonstrated work ethic,” Spielmaker said.

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Florida State University welcomed entrepreneurship educators and leaders from around the world to Tallahassee last month for the 26th Experiential Classroom, an intensive professional development program designed to strengthen entrepreneurship education.

Hosted by FSU’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, this year’s program took place Sept. 17-19 and brought together participants from six countries, 21 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, representing 58 institutions and organizations. International participants came to Tallahassee from Canada, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, Armenia and India. 

The Experiential Classroom is housed at FSU and offered in partnership with the University of Notre Dame, the University of Tampa and the University of Florida. It was founded in 1999 by Michael Morris, a faculty member of the McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame.  

The program has become a leading professional development experience for faculty, doctoral students, program directors and others seeking to strengthen how they teach entrepreneurship. 

“The reach of this year’s Experiential Classroom speaks to the global leadership role Florida State’s Jim Moran College plays in entrepreneurship education,” said Michael Brady, interim dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. “We want FSU to be a destination not only for students who want to study entrepreneurship, but also for educators from around the world who want to become better at teaching it.” 

While most participants came from colleges and universities, the cohort also included representatives from a high school and school district, as well as and community organizations such as the Chicago Urban League, mHUB and the Chicago Community Trust.  

Unlike a traditional academic conference, the Experiential Classroom operates as an immersive teaching clinic. Participants learn alongside experienced entrepreneurship educators through classroom demonstrations, interactive sessions and hands-on exercises they can adapt to their own classrooms and entrepreneurship programs. 

“The Experiential Classroom is about learning how to teach entrepreneurship by experiencing great entrepreneurship education,” said Susana Santos, Jim Moran Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and co-director of the program. “Bringing together educators with different disciplinary, institutional and cultural perspectives creates an incredible learning environment. Participants leave with practical approaches they can immediately put to work and a global network of colleagues to rely on long after the clinic ends.” 

The Experiential Classroom is part of FSU’s broader work to strengthen entrepreneurship education in the United States and abroad.  

In 2025, Santos and Eric Liguori, Jim Moran Professor and associate dean for research and external relations in the college, traveled to Armenia with Vilma Fuentes, a visiting associate in research at FSU’s Learning Systems Institute, to train more than 30 faculty and administrators at the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE) on contemporary approaches to entrepreneurship education.  

The training was part of a U.S. Department of State-funded partnership designed to strengthen STEM and social entrepreneurship education and educational ties between the United States and Armenia. Liguori also regularly leads entrepreneurship educator development programs at universities across the United States, extending FSU’s expertise in experiential entrepreneurship education to faculty and institutions beyond the university’s campuses. 

FSU’s work to advance entrepreneurship education internationally is also expanding through a strategic partnership with Universal AI University in Mumbai, India. Through the partnership, FSU faculty are working with their counterparts in India to help integrate entrepreneurship education into the university’s curriculum, bringing together FSU’s expertise in entrepreneurship education with Universal AI University’s focus on artificial intelligence and emerging technology. 

FSU’s role as a hub for entrepreneurship education will be on display again Oct. 15-17, when the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship hosts the 2026 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers Annual Conference, bringing hundreds of university entrepreneurship leaders, educators and ecosystem builders from around the world to Tallahassee.  

For more information about conference registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit the conference’s webpage. To learn more about the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, visit jimmorancollege.fsu.edu.  

To learn more about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu. 

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The Florida State University Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship will conduct a first-of-its-kind study that explores the link between proper fit of personal protective equipment (PPE) and occupational cancer risk for women in the fire service.  

In partnership with the University of Arizona, FSU Carol Avery Professor Meredith McQuerry, lab director of the Wearable Advancements in Research and Performance (WARP) group, received a $1.5 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to further examine the relationship between gear fit and occupational cancer. The findings will be applicable to approximately 1.1 million members of the United States Fire Service. 

“I am honored to be part of this award, partnering with colleagues at the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, to study how gear fit directly impacts occupational cancer for the first time,” McQuerry said. “We hope this work will inform standard sizing improvements for increased firefighter health and safety.” 

“I am honored to be part of this award, partnering with colleagues at the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, to study how gear fit directly impacts occupational cancer for the first time. We hope this work will inform standard sizing improvements for increased firefighter health and safety.” 

– Meredith McQuerry, FSU Carol Avery Professor

McQuerry and her research team will compare gear fit of female firefighters with cancer biomarkers that provide results from pre-to-post live fire training burns at four structural fire departments across the United States, including Florida, California, Arizona and Virginia. Occupational cancer is the leading cause of long-term line-of-duty deaths in the fire service. Last spring, FSU principal investigator and postdoctoral fellow Josephine Bolaji collaborated with Arizona to deploy a multi-measurement system to quantify gear fit during a pilot trial.  

FSU’s latest research is a hallmark of the FSU Health mission, an integrated academic health system that brings together hospitals, physicians, clinics, research, education and innovation to improve the health of the communities the university serves. McQuerry is a member of ICON-Health, an institute dedicated to combatting chronic disease through comprehensive, multidisciplinary research. 

As director of the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab®, McQuerry has world-renowned expertise in clothing comfort physiology with industry-leading research that investigates ways to improve first-responder safety through functional equipment. Her latest grant explores multiple risk factors for toxic exposure and reproductive outcomes for the female firefighter population. 

McQuerry has received federally funded awards demonstrating the potentially hazardous relationship between poor gear fit and increased occupational exposure. She recently chaired a research team that concluded a five-year multi-state project titled “Protective Clothing for Wildland Firefighters,” providing recommendations to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) on improving methods for cleaning and safeguarding PPE for wildland firefighters. 

As head of the WARP Group, McQuerry leads a team of postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate students at the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab ®, the Textile Testing Laboratory and the 3D Body Scanning Lab. Over the last decade, WARP has received more than $5 million in funding for research that spans protective equipment design, clothing comfort physiology, medical textiles and material durability. 

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Florida State University brought together campus leaders Friday for a wide-ranging discussion on the future of Name, Image, and Likeness at the second annual FSU Future of NIL Summit held at the Herbert Wertheim College of Business.

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Florida State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Jim Clark has appointed Mike Brady interim dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, effective immediately.

Brady, who currently serves as assistant provost, the Bob Sasser Professor of Marketing in the Herbert Wertheim College of Business, and FSU’s faculty athletics representative, succeeds founding Dean Susan Fiorito, who has returned to the faculty.

“Dr. Brady is a proven administrator, an internationally recognized scholar and a committed member of the Florida State community,” Clark said. “His experience in academic leadership, along with his commitment to students and research, positions him well to lead the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship during this transition.”

“Dr. Brady is a proven administrator, an internationally recognized scholar and a committed member of the Florida State community. His experience in academic leadership, along with his commitment to students and research, positions him well to lead the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship during this transition.”

– Jim Clark, Florida State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

A two-time FSU alumnus, Brady earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 1991 and his Ph.D. in 1997. His research focuses on customer satisfaction, employee interactions and service marketing and has earned more than 38,000 academic citations. He has held leadership roles with the American Marketing Association, including vice president of publications and board chair, and served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Service Research.

Brady has been recognized for teaching and mentorship at FSU, including the University Graduate Student Mentoring Award and the William R. Jones Award for Mentoring Minority Doctoral Students. A former FSU baseball player, he also spent several years playing professionally in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Fiorito led the unit from its start as the Jim Moran School of Entrepreneurship in 2016 through its designation as the nation’s first stand-alone College of Entrepreneurship in 2019.

During her tenure, Fiorito expanded entrepreneurship education at Florida State, supported interdisciplinary programs and helped build spaces for student creators and business founders.

“We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to founding Dean Susan Fiorito,” Clark said. “Her vision and leadership helped establish the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and created a strong foundation for the college’s future.”

Brady expressed gratitude for the opportunity to guide the college forward.

“It is an honor to serve as interim dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship,” Brady said. “Dean Fiorito has built a strong college with dedicated faculty, staff and students. I look forward to working with them to continue advancing entrepreneurship at FSU.”

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A Florida State University Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship professor has earned a prestigious global education award honoring individuals setting new standards in their field.

Juliana Binhote, the Jim Moran Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, accepted the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) Global Award in Entrepreneurship Educator Excellence at the 71st ICSB World Congress Awards Gala in Washington D.C. The honor celebrates visionary educators and programs redefining entrepreneurship education through creativity, innovation and measurable impact.

“This award means so much because it reflects a partnership, not just a program,” Binhote said. “What started as a collaboration between Florida State University and the Armenian State University of Economics has grown into something I am incredibly proud of, and being recognized by the ICSB alongside our Armenian partner was incredible.”

The award recognizes Binhote’s leadership in a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project connecting FSU students with peers at the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE), the second-largest university in Armenia. Through Binhote’s LDR 2325: Leadership & Empowerment course, students from both institutions participated in shared coursework, virtual collaboration and design-thinking-based projects that build cross-cultural understanding and entrepreneurial problem-solving skills.

Binhote’s course is a byproduct of the partnership between FSU and ASUE. The collaboration, funded by a U.S. Department of State grant awarded to FSU’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and Learning Systems Institute (LSI), aims to foster innovation and global connections through STEM and social entrepreneurship initiatives.

Each group of students worked in cross-cultural teams addressing real-world societal challenges through entrepreneurship, design thinking and the United Nations sustainable development goals. The students learned entrepreneurship not just by studying it, but by practicing it together, building communication, technology, time management and negotiation skills along the way.

The awards gala, held on July 1, was part of the ICSB World Congress — an annual conference uniting global leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers and researchers to advance the role of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in driving economic growth, sustainability and innovation. During her trip, Binhote also gave testimony at the U.S. Congress. She expressed her three pillars for guiding the future of family business policy and research: legacy, connection and continuity.

“Giving testimony before the U.S. Congress was one of the most meaningful moments of my career,” Binhote added. “I had the opportunity to speak directly to the importance of family business for the future of entrepreneurship and the economy. It was a powerful reminder of how essential it is to connect research, policy and practice, and I felt the weight and privilege of representing that connection in that room.”

“Giving testimony before the U.S. Congress was one of the most meaningful moments of my career. I had the opportunity to speak directly to the importance of family business for the future of entrepreneurship and the economy.” 

– Juliana Binhote, Jim Moran Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship

Binhote has taught courses in Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation, and Management and Organizational Behavior in the United States, as well as International Business, Negotiation, Family Business, Leadership, Go-To-Market Strategies and Family Law at both undergraduate and graduate levels in Brazil. She emphasizes real-world applications and experiential learning.

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.

For more information on the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, visit its website.

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Florida State University’s Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship (JMI) celebrated the successful completion of its 2026 Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans and Families (EBV-F), held June 8-12 in Tallahassee.

The intensive five-day program brought together veterans, military spouses and family members from across the region to explore entrepreneurship as a pathway to business ownership and economic opportunity. Through hands-on workshops, mentorship and networking opportunities, participants gained practical tools and insights to help launch or grow successful ventures.

The EBV-F program is designed to empower veterans and their families by providing entrepreneurial education, business training and access to a network of experienced entrepreneurs, business leaders and community partners. Participants engaged in sessions focused on business planning, marketing, financial management, leadership and strategic growth.

“Entrepreneurship is more than starting a business — it’s about creating opportunities, building communities and empowering individuals to recognize their own potential,” said Melissa Roberts, Director of Veterans Programs at the Jim Moran Institute. “It’s a privilege to support this year’s remarkable cohort of veteran spouses, caregivers and family members as they leverage their unique experiences, resilience and dedication to build businesses that drive meaningful change.”

Throughout the week, participants worked alongside fellow aspiring entrepreneurs while learning from faculty, business experts and successful entrepreneurs. The program emphasized collaboration, innovation and the unique strengths veterans and military families bring to the business community.

Since its inception, the EBV-F program has helped veterans and military families develop the knowledge, confidence and connections needed to pursue entrepreneurial success. Graduates join a growing network of alumni who continue to support one another as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of business ownership.

For more information about the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans and Families and other Jim Moran Institute programs, visit the Jim Moran Institute website.

About the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship

The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, housed in the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University, cultivates, trains and inspires entrepreneurial leaders through world-class executive education, applied training, public recognition and leading-edge research. The Jim Moran Institute comprises a dedicated team of entrepreneurship professionals, academic scholars and staff who foster the entrepreneurial spirit by helping to organize, expand and promote the knowledge and practice of entrepreneurship to facilitate new business and further the goals of established businesses.

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Soon after the development of the first computers, engineers and programmers began tinkering with them to create games. Turning a calculating machine into a device for fun pushed the capabilities of the new technology, stimulated creative thinking and inspired interest from the public.

From their origins in the 1950s and 1960s, video games have come a long way. They’re now an industry that generates more than $180 billion annually around the world. Faculty at Florida State University are innovating in this rapidly evolving field, studying how games can reduce mental health stigma, improve language learning, train child welfare professionals and create new opportunities for science communication.

Games and human behavior

At the College of Communication and Information (CCI), researchers are investigating the cultural impacts of video games and how they can affect perceptions of mental illness. In 2025, Professor Nicholas Sellers authored a book chapter titled “GAMES FOR GOOD: Exploring the Potential for Traditional Video Game Narratives to Reduce Mental Health Stigma.”

The chapter is based on a study published in Frontiers, conducted by Sellers and Associate Professor Arienne Ferchaud. The study examined whether playing or watching a video game character experiencing mental illness affected participants’ attitudes toward mental health.

Researchers found that players who directly engaged with the game felt more connected to the character and demonstrated lower levels of stigma, which may help remove impediments to treatment.

“One of the main barriers to seeking treatment is the stigma around mental health. If we can find ways to destigmatize mental illness, we can remove that barrier and encourage treatment when necessary,” Ferchaud said. “Video games are an effective medium for representation because of their interactivity, allowing players to ‘practice’ interactions in a way that is not possible in non-interactive media.”

Other CCI researchers are also exploring applications of video games in the classroom. In a multi-institutional research study published in ACM Journals, Professor Sana Tibi co-led research examining whether collaborative video games can help English as a Second Language (ESL) students develop language skills. The study paired native English speakers and ESL students in a game that required communication and cooperation to complete tasks.

Other research is examining games as a communication medium that intrinsically involves decision making from the audience. Gabrielle Lamura, a doctoral student at FSU, explored horror and morality in video games in her paper, “Moral Dilemmas: Horror Video Games Narrative Mechanics,” which she presented at a 2025 National Communication Association conference.

Some of her other projects are examining how environmental factors and game mechanics influence player behavior and a review of morality and moral decision making in games.

At the FSU College of Music, Assistant Professor Julianne Grasso researches music in multimedia, especially video games, examining how musical themes associated with characters and places develop during a game’s narrative.

“Video game music is interesting for the ways that it seems to function as background and yet has such an effect on us,” Grasso said. “It’s similar to film music in that it can affect how we perceive the emotions and meanings of the scenes we are watching, but video game music goes one step further in influencing ultimately how players interact with virtual environments.”

As technology developed, game designers gained a greater ability to add richness and interactivity to in-game sounds and music, changing how users perceived their experience. Early adaptive audio has evolved so musical directors in modern games have a wide number of parameters they can adjust to fit their creative goals.

“In a film, we might get tense, dissonant music to accompany a suspenseful scene and help the audience feel what characters feel. In a game, that same kind of music might be used as a signal for the player to watch out for danger and to act accordingly,” she said.

From screen to reality: Practical applications of video game technology

The Florida Institute for Child Welfare (FICW) collaborated with different contractors to launch two new virtual reality (VR) tools that help social workers train for a critical job in low-stakes virtual environments.

“We are working to create real-world practice opportunities for both current child welfare professionals and students preparing to enter the field,” said FICW Associate Director of Professional Development Kristina Finch. “Through our immersive VR platforms, including the Accenture Avenues headset experiences and our AI-powered virtual home environment being developed with MeetKai, participants can build and strengthen the skills needed to effectively engage with children and families while promoting safety and well-being.”

These interactive simulations provide controlled environments where College of Social Work students can develop skills before practicing in real-world settings. These AI-powered tools allow students to practice observing environmental factors in a virtual setting, helping students connect classroom instruction with real-world practice.

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This summer, Florida State University will welcome scholars from India’s top research institutions to Tallahassee through a new initiative designed to spark international collaboration, accelerate innovation and expand FSU’s global research partnerships. 

The inaugural Visiting Scholars Partnership Program (VSPP) is designed to strengthen high-impact, research-and innovation-centered partnerships with leading universities around the world. The pilot program, which takes place July 5-31, will bring scholars from four highly ranked international institutions to FSU’s Tallahassee campus for exploratory research collaborations.  

During their stay, each visiting scholar will be paired with FSU faculty aligned with their expertise and desire to build international partnerships. Visiting scholars will explore FSU’s world-class facilities, meet administrators across multiple departments and engage in rich, one-on-one collaboration with their faculty peers several times each week. 

Housed in the Office of the Provost, the initiative receives strategic oversight from the Office for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and is implemented by the Learning Systems Institute (LSI), which conducts research and develops evidence-based interventions to improve individual and organizational performance. 

“Florida State University believes some of the most meaningful breakthroughs happen when scholars from different backgrounds and perspectives come together to exchange ideas,” said Jim Clark, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “The Visiting Scholars Partnership Program creates opportunities for collaboration that strengthen research, expand global partnerships and enrich the academic experience for our entire university community.” 

“The Visiting Scholars Partnership Program creates opportunities for collaboration that strengthen research, expand global partnerships and enrich the academic experience for our entire university community.”

— Jim Clark, FSU provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs 

The initiative was spearheaded by Farrukh Alvi, senior associate provost for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and the Don Fuqua Eminent Scholar and Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the FAMU–FSU College of Engineering.

“The program is designed to create opportunities for researchers to explore new ideas, identify complementary strengths and develop partnerships around shared areas of interest,” Alvi said. “We hope these collaborations will lead to impactful, lasting research relationships and new opportunities for innovation across disciplines.” 

The VSPP will provide a structured, immersive experience that supports collaborative research, innovation exchange and the development of long-term institutional partnerships. Collaborations will span fields including aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, quantum optics, entrepreneurship and advanced materials research. 

“At Florida State University, we recognize that research and higher education are increasingly global in nature,” said Steve McDowell, assistant provost for International Initiatives. “The Visiting Scholars Partnership Program reflects FSU’s continued investment in international engagement and global research partnerships to serve the people of Florida.” 

“The Visiting Scholars Partnership Program reflects FSU’s continued investment in international engagement and global research partnerships to serve the people of Florida.”

— Steve McDowell, FSU assistant provost for International Initiatives

Vilma Fuentes, director of FSU’s Ukraine Task Force and a visiting associate in research at LSI, will serve as inaugural program director of the VSPP.  

“This program provides an exciting opportunity to connect scholars from some of the best universities in the world with faculty and departments across our great university,” Fuentes said. “We anticipate these exchanges will lead to new research partnerships, expanded academic engagement and future opportunities that benefit both FSU and our international partners.” 

India is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing research and technology institutions, making the partnerships especially valuable for future global collaboration. Participating partner institutions include the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).  

The partner institutions rank among the world’s leading universities for engineering, science and technology research in the QS World University Rankings. The QS World University Rankings is one of the most comprehensive assessments of its kind, offering an independent comparison of top universities worldwide based on academic excellence, employability, research impact and internationalization. 

“At LSI, we believe innovation happens when people with different expertise and perspectives come together to solve complex challenges,” said Rabieh Razzouk, director of LSI. “The Visiting Scholars Partnership Program creates an environment where those collaborations can grow, benefiting not only our institutions, but also the broader communities and systems our work is intended to serve.” 

Summer 2026 VSPP pairings include:  

• Wei Guo, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, with Bhaskar Kanseri, Professor, Quantum Optics Physics, IIT Delhi
• Bill Lickson, Professor, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, and Pradeep Bhide, Professor, FSU College of Medicine, with Amit Mehndiratta, Professor, Biomedical Engineering, IIT Delhi  
• Farrukh Alvi, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, with Tufan Kumar Guha, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, and Debopam Das, Professor, Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur  
• Unnikrishnan Nair, Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, with Rajesh Ranjan, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur  
• Rajan Kumar, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, with Mohammed Ibrahim Sugarno, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur  
• William Oates, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, with Nidish Narayanaa Balaji, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras  
• Tristan Driscoll, Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering, with Namrata Gundiah, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, IISc  
• Zhiyong (Richard) Liang, Professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, FAMU–FSU College of Engineering; Tarik Dickens, Professor and Interim Associate Chair, Materials Science and Engineering Department, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering; and Raghav Gnanasambandam, Assistant Professor, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, with Prosenjit Das, Assistant Professor, Materials Engineering, IISc

Cultural activities will also be arranged to give participants a deeper understanding of American culture, society and the surrounding environment. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, activities will include locations listed on the America250FL Road Trip Map. 

In addition to advancing scientific understanding and knowledge exchange, these partnerships are expected to lead to joint research proposals, co-authored publications, shared data, complementary use of resources and new interdisciplinary initiatives. Organizers hope the program will serve as a foundation for sustained international collaboration and future faculty and student exchange opportunities at scale. 

Visit the Visiting Scholars Partnership Program website to learn more about VSPP. For more information about LSI, visit lsi.fsu.edu. To learn more about FSU’s global footprint, visit global.fsu.edu.

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Florida State University and the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship (JMC) will welcome entrepreneurship educators, center directors, researchers, startup ecosystem builders and innovation leaders from around the world for the 2026 Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) Conference Oct. 15-17 in Tallahassee.

The conference marks the 30th anniversary of the GCEC, the world’s premier organization supporting university-based entrepreneurship centers and programs. The event arrives during a historic period for FSU, which is celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2026. It also follows the 30th anniversary celebration of the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship (JMI).

GCEC brings together more than 500 entrepreneurship leaders from across the globe to exchange ideas, share best practices and explore the future of entrepreneurship education, innovation and economic development. It’s where conversations go beyond theory and into what’s working right now — teaching entrepreneurship, how students are launching ventures and how universities are connecting more intentionally with the innovation ecosystems around them. Across keynotes, breakout sessions and a lot of hallway conversations, attendees swap ideas, co-create resources and explore new approaches for the future of entrepreneurship education.

This year’s theme is momentum, the forward motion that moves ideas into action, transforms challenges into opportunities and fuels the engine of innovation.

“I love entrepreneurship because it is one of society’s greatest force multipliers, helping to build momentum that transforms ideas into action and drives both economic and social impact,” said Eric Liguori, JMC professor and associate dean. “As we prepare to welcome this global group of entrepreneurship leaders to FSU to share best practices, build partnerships and shape the future of innovation and entrepreneurship education, I can’t think of a better theme to capture the essence of entrepreneurship at FSU and the possibilities GCEC 2026 is sure to present.”

“I love entrepreneurship because it is one of society’s greatest force multipliers, helping to build momentum that transforms ideas into action and drives both economic and social impact.”

– Eric Liguori, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship Professor

FSU is joining a strong lineup of institutions that have hosted the GCEC Conference over its 30-year history, including many of the most well-established entrepreneurship programs around the world. The group of host institutions has helped shape the conference into what it is today: a collaborative forum where relationships turn into partnerships, new program ideas and new ways of thinking about how to best support founders. It’s also one of the few gatherings that shows how quickly entrepreneurship education is evolving across different universities and regions.

“Our unique model of hosting the GCEC Conference on a different campus each year gives attendees a direct look at diverse universities and regional entrepreneurship ecosystems,” said Holly DeArmond, executive director of the GCEC. “Celebrating our 30th anniversary at FSU in 2026 is special. Not only are they home to the nation’s first college of entrepreneurship, but their Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship also recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Together, we represent three decades of leadership in entrepreneurship education and programming.”

Hosting the GCEC Conference provides FSU with a unique opportunity to showcase Tallahassee’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the university’s leadership in innovation and economic development.

Entrepreneurship and innovation are key priorities within FSU’s strategic vision, reflected through investments in entrepreneurial education, research commercialization, student innovation and community engagement. Through the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, innovation-focused academic programs, startup support initiatives and partnerships across the region, FSU continues to serve as a catalyst for entrepreneurial growth and economic opportunity.

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the collaborative network that supports entrepreneurs throughout North Florida, including university programs, startup support organizations, business leaders, investors and community partners working together to create an environment where innovation can thrive.

The conference is also expected to generate significant economic and community impact for Tallahassee by bringing visitors from around the world to Florida’s capital city and highlighting the region’s entrepreneurial momentum, research capabilities and commitment to innovation.

Call for session proposals

Entrepreneurship educators, researchers and practitioners are invited to contribute to the global conversation on entrepreneurship education and innovation by submitting session proposals for the 2026 conference.

Proposal Submission Deadline: June 15, 2026
Submit your session proposal

Registration information

Conference registration includes access to keynote presentations, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, hospitality suites, scheduled meals and official conference programming throughout the three-day event.

• Early bird registration: April 1-Aug. 3 ($650)
• Regular registration: Aug. 4-Aug. 31 ($825)
• Late registration: Sept. 1-Oct. 15 ($975)
• Guest dinner pass: $150 per guest, per dinner
• Register Today

The 2026 GCEC Conference will be held on FSU’s campus and at select venues throughout Tallahassee. Attendees will experience the university’s vibrant entrepreneurial community while connecting with peers from leading institutions around the world.

For more information about conference registration, sponsorship opportunities and proposal submissions, visit JMC’s website. If you have any questions, please contact the FSU GCEC committee at gcec@jmc.fsu.edu.

About the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers

The Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers is the premier international organization for university-based entrepreneurship centers. Through conferences, professional development opportunities and awards programs, GCEC supports the advancement of entrepreneurship education and innovation ecosystems around the world.

About the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship

The Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University is dedicated to teaching, learning and practicing entrepreneurship. As one of the nation’s leading standalone colleges of entrepreneurship, JMC prepares students to become entrepreneurial leaders and innovators while supporting economic development and business creation throughout Florida and beyond.

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Florida State University, through FSU Health, has awarded $250,000 to the five inaugural recipients of its Clinical Catalyst Grant Program, an initiative that brings together FSU researchers and local clinical providers to address healthcare challenges through collaborative projects. 

“Clinical Catalyst creates an exciting opportunity for our research teams to join forces with local clinical providers and accelerate progress on some of the most urgent issues affecting patient care in our community,” said Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson.  

FSU launched Clinical Catalyst to give clinicians an opportunity to share ideas for addressing healthcare needs identified through their daily work. The program also supports the broader goals of FSU Health by bringing additional resources and opportunities to healthcare in the region. 

The 2025-2026 Clinical Catalyst awardees are: 

• Accessible and Engaging Non-Pharmacologic Management of Chronic Pain Combining Music Therapy and Brain Stimulation: Kevin Johnson from the FSU College of Medicine and his team are partnering with Dr. Gilbert Chandler from Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic to explore a promising, non-drug approach to chronic musculoskeletal pain by combining music therapy with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. 

• Building a New Care Pathway: ICAN-Guided Nutrition Support for Aging Adults in Clinical Settings: Julia Sheffler at the FSU College of Medicine and a multidisciplinary team of nutrition and exercise experts are collaborating with Dr. Cielo Rose from Capital Health Plan’s Nancy Van Vessem Center for Healthy Aging to build a structured nutrition and lifestyle program designed to better support older adults in clinical settings. 

• Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Stroke Aphasia: Sladjana Lukic from the FSU School of Communication Science and Disorders, in partnership with Dr. Narlin Beaty at Tallahassee Neurological Clinic, is exploring an innovative approach that could help stroke survivors regain language abilities by reactivating critical neural networks. 

• Redesigning Post-Mastectomy Bras: Investigating Design Innovations to Reduce Seroma and Hematoma Formation and Enhance Patient Satisfaction: Jessica Ridgway Clayton from the FSU Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship is working with Dr. Shlermine Everidge from TMH Physician Partners, to develop improved bras for mastectomy patients to support recovery, improve comfort and enhance patient satisfaction. 

• Increasing the Uptake of Advanced Care Directives in Hospital and Clinical Settings: Miles Taylor from the FSU Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, in collaboration with Dr. R. Kelley Myers from the Tallahassee Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, aims to make end-of-life planning easier and more accessible for patients and families while helping reduce unnecessary medical treatments and costs. 

“These projects reflect the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration at FSU and our shared commitment to delivering innovative ideas that can make a meaningful difference in clinical practice and patient outcomes,” Patterson said.  

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FSU Health brings together researchers, clinicians and local clinical partners under one umbrella to transform health and healthcare in Florida. To learn more about FSU Health, visit  fsuhealth.fsu.edu. 

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