Honoring Global Leadership: 2026 Global Citizen Award Winners

Emma Brown and Milina Tuladhar were honored as the 2026 Global Citizen Award recipients during Florida State University’s Leadership Awards Night on April 7 in the Student Union ballrooms. This year’s ceremony, themed “The Unmasked Leader,” drew inspiration from a masquerade ball, with each prestigious honor revealed throughout the evening. Presented by the CGE for nearly 20 years, the Global Citizen Award recognizes two outstanding students who demonstrate exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to global engagement, both on campus and abroad, while contributing to a strong sense of global community at FSU.

Emma Brown, a third-year undergraduate studying criminology and Middle Eastern studies with a minor in psychology, has embodied global citizenship through leadership, service and cultural engagement across campus. Her involvement includes leadership roles with the Women Student Union, Arabic Honor Society, Middle East Center and Student Senate. She has also served as a translator and intern with the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and supported international students through her work over two summers with the CGE. For Brown, global leadership is grounded in empathy and awareness. “Global leadership, to me, means really seeing someone’s culture and seeing them as a person,” she said. “Sometimes you can get accustomed to what’s normal to you and how you grew up, so leadership means having strong empathy and awareness beyond where you’re from and truly caring about others.”

Milina Tuladhar, a Ph.D. student from Nepal in the Rhetoric and Composition program, has demonstrated global citizenship through teaching, leadership and community-building efforts. As president of the Nepalese Student Association, Tuladhar has led cultural celebrations, academic programming and international outreach, fostering meaningful connections across campus and within the Tallahassee community. Her mentorship and engagement have created inclusive spaces that celebrate culture, scholarship and global understanding.

Tuladhar views leadership as both example-driven and visionary. “Leadership is having the ability to be exemplary to those around you; to share, have good discussions and have a vision for how to move your organization forward,” she explained. She added that global leadership extends beyond borders. “For global leadership, it means your leadership is not limited to your sovereignty but using your communication skills and strategies to build more harmony in the world.”

Receiving the award came as a surprise to Tuladhar. “It felt so prestigious, and I didn’t believe it at first,” she shared. “When I started taking responsibility, I was just doing it to be involved at FSU. Being recognized for my efforts has me feeling sky-high.” Brown echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the community-centered nature of her work. “It feels amazing receiving this award because so much of what I do is centered around community for international students,” she said. “There is so much opportunity at FSU and in Tallahassee to be globally aware, so it means a lot that people see what I’m doing on campus.”

Zafer Lababidi, Ph.D., Interim Director of the Middle East Center and Middle Eastern Studies Program, praised Brown as a student who “makes academic advising and teaching a genuine pleasure.” Having worked with her closely as her academic advisor, Arabic language instructor and supervisor at the Middle East Center, he noted that “Emma approaches every opportunity, from her coursework to her work at our Center, with clarity of purpose and a drive to excel.” Lababidi added that “Emma embodies what it means to be a true global citizen,” and described her upcoming Arabic language study abroad, supported by the Winthrop-King Scholarship, as “a well-earned next step in what I have no doubt will be a remarkable career.”

Elias Dominguez Barajas, Ph.D., associate professor of English, director of the College Composition Program, and Tuladhar’s teaching supervisor, spoke to the significance of Tuladhar’s recognition. “That Milina received the Global Citizen Award for her leadership qualities is no surprise to me,” he said. “She has a wonderful disposition, unflagging respect for others and a scholarly acumen that rivals that of the hundreds of graduate students I have taught in my twenty-year career.” He added, “Milina truly embodies what it means to be a global citizen: someone who transcends borders to improve the lives of all who interact with her ideas, deeds and presence.”

After graduation, Tuladhar plans to continue teaching composition and hopes to establish a global forum that creates opportunities for connection and meaningful engagement worldwide. Brown plans to pursue a career as an immigration attorney, drawing on her Spanish and Arabic language skills. “At first, I wasn’t sure how my passion for language and law connected,” Brown said. “But learning about refugee and immigration law has been incredible.”

The CGE congratulates Brown and Tuladhar on the achievements that led to this recognition. Soon, their photo will join those of past recipients on the Global Citizen Award Wall, located on the second floor of The Globe.