In a world where traditional paths to wealth increasingly lead to dead ends, one professor from Florida proves that true wealth is born not from unicorn startups, but from the ability to connect people, cultures, and ideas through practice.
Juliana Bignote, an assistant professor at the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship at Florida State University, has received the prestigious ICSB Global Award in Entrepreneurship Educator Excellence. The award recognizes those who redefine entrepreneurship education through creativity, innovation, and real-world impact.
Her project is a joint online COIL program with the Armenian State University of Economics. Students from the U.S. and Armenia work together to solve real social challenges, drawing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, design thinking, and cross-cultural collaboration. They do not just study theory—they practice negotiation, time management, and teamwork in virtual teams.
Such programs change attitudes toward money. Instead of chasing quick capital, they teach students to see wealth as the result of long-term connections and solving shared problems. Students master skills that directly impact their future income: the ability to work in global teams, understand different markets, and create value rather than just sell a product.
Bignote emphasizes that the award is a recognition of the partnership, not just her personal achievements. The project grew out of a U.S. Department of State grant and has already yielded measurable results—from new ideas to strengthening trust between participants from different countries.
During a trip to Washington, the professor also spoke before the U.S. Congress. She highlighted the three pillars of family business: legacy, connection, and succession. These principles directly concern the transfer of wealth and knowledge across generations—a topic rarely addressed in standard finance courses.
The FSU College of Entrepreneurship is the first standalone college of its kind in the U.S. It offers students not only majors but also real projects, competitions, and resources that shape an entrepreneurial mindset in everyone, not just future company founders.
Ultimately, Bignote’s award serves as a reminder: investments in education that transcend a single country and a single discipline yield the highest returns. Not in the form of instant profit, but in the form of sustainable capital—skills, connections, and the ability to create value in a changing world.
