COIL Projects Enrich GCC Student's FSU Experience

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) offers students global engagement opportunities directly from their FSU classrooms. Through virtual collaboration with international partners, COIL provides many of the benefits of study abroad without requiring travel. Within the Global Citizenship Certificate (GCC) program, COIL is integrated into the required Global Perspectives course, where students work with peers from FATECs, São Paulo State Technological Colleges in Brazil. The GCC has incorporated COIL since the 2019–2020 academic year.

This year, GCC student and economics major Mikayla Robinson expanded her participation through an additional COIL project led by the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, the Learning Systems Institute, and the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE). She and other participants collaborated with ASUE students to study how social entrepreneurship can support regional development. Robinson noted, “Our research analyzes rural-to-urban development challenges and evaluates how innovation policy can foster sustainable solutions between Armenia and the U.S.”

Robinson shared that COIL and the GCC have enriched her FSU experience by expanding access to global learning. “The GCC offers a unique opportunity to engage with international frameworks that might otherwise remain out of reach,” she said, emphasizing the value of campus events, mentorship and cultural exchange.

Reflecting on her work with students in Brazil and Armenia, Robinson added, “Through each of these projects, I gained deep personal insight into the culture of these countries and connected with people around the world.” She highlighted the impact of cross-national research, noting that it “encourages connectivity between emerging analysts worldwide.”