From Research to Action: Building LEAD FSU

How Conversations, Research, and Real-World Experience Inspired a Community of Student Entrepreneurs

By: Dylan Stettner

One of the most important lessons I have learned throughout my Global Scholars experience is that research is not something that happens separate from the researcher. In qualitative research, the researcher is the instrument. Every observation, conversation, question, and reflection is filtered through their own experiences and perspective. Throughout my Community-Based Inquiry, I have found myself taking an increasingly active role in the very issue I set out to explore.

To me, taking an active role in data collection means going beyond reading articles or analyzing information from a distance. It means engaging directly with the people and communities connected to the topic. Throughout this summer, I have collected information through conversations with students, entrepreneurs, mentors, and professionals. Rather than relying solely on formal interviews, many of my most valuable insights came from networking events, mentorship discussions, internship experiences, and casual conversations with ambitious students who shared their goals, frustrations, and aspirations.

As I continued gathering information, I noticed a recurring theme. Many students expressed a desire to build businesses, develop leadership skills, expand their professional networks, and surround themselves with motivated peers. However, many also felt unsure where to start. While opportunities existed, they often felt fragmented, difficult to access, or intimidating for students who were just beginning their entrepreneurial journey.

This observation highlighted a gap between my personal perspective, the perspectives of the community I was engaging with, and the ideas presented in existing research. From my perspective, entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful ways students can create opportunities for themselves and others. The students I spoke with often shared similar interests but were more focused on practical concerns such as finding mentors, meeting like-minded individuals, and gaining real-world experience. Meanwhile, much of the literature surrounding entrepreneurship emphasizes concepts such as entrepreneurial ecosystems, networking theory, and leadership development frameworks. While these ideas are valuable, they often feel disconnected from the everyday challenges students face when trying to take their first steps.

Recognizing this gap ultimately influenced the direction of my project. Rather than simply documenting the problem, I became interested in creating a solution. This process led me to begin developing LEAD FSU (Leading Entrepreneurs at Florida State University), an organization designed to connect ambitious students through entrepreneurship, leadership development, self-improvement, and professional networking opportunities.

My approach to documenting and reflecting on data has evolved throughout the summer. I regularly take notes after conversations, mentorship meetings, and networking events. I also document recurring themes that emerge from discussions with students and professionals. As interest in LEAD FSU has grown, I have gained additional insight through conversations with prospective members and responses to our interest form. These interactions provide valuable information about what students are looking for in an entrepreneurial community.

To prepare my findings for analysis, I have started organizing observations into broader themes. These themes include mentorship, access to opportunities, accountability, networking, leadership development, and community building. By grouping similar ideas together, I can better identify patterns and understand which needs appear most consistently across different conversations and experiences.

Looking back, one of the most significant discoveries of this project is that research and action do not have to be separate processes. In many ways, building LEAD FSU became part of my research. The organization emerged directly from the observations, conversations, and insights I gathered throughout my Community-Based Inquiry. This experience has shown me that researchers are not always observers standing on the sidelines. Sometimes, they become participants who use what they learn to create meaningful change within the communities they study.