WEU empowering faculty to cultivate students’ entrepreneurial mindsets through activities and projects

In 2022, NC State University proudly joined the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN) to improve entrepreneurial thinking among engineering students. This partnership with KEEN offers a synergistic platform to propel engineering education forward and NC State’s longstanding dedication to preparing students for success in their chosen industries.

Joining the network with NC State Engineering’s rich entrepreneurial background firmly establishes a strong foundation for this partnership. However, an entrepreneurial mindset doesn’t necessarily mean that we are training all students to become entrepreneurs. KEEN describes EM as “a unique approach to problem-solving, innovation, and value creation.” In the same vein, NC State KEEN Leaders wanted to mark their unique approach to the pedagogy by introducing three additional “C’s,” but expanding it to the “6Cs”. These 6Cs include not only curiosity, connections, and creating value, but also emphasize other critical components of the KEEN Framework: collaboration, communication, and character. 

To assist faculty in comprehending these concepts, Howard, alongside faculty members Kate Saul, Ph.D., and Nathalie Lavoine, Ph.D., initiated the Wolfpack Engineering Unleashed Incubator. This incubator serves as a platform to educate faculty on integrating these strategies into their teaching. The upcoming second annual Wolfpack Engineering Unleashed Incubator will be on May 6-7th in Engineering Building II. This workshop provides an opportunity for faculty to go deeper into the 6C’s pedagogy, connect with like-minded colleagues, and develop their own projects for immediate implementation.

Not only are there opportunities on campus, but also nationally. KEEN’s Engineering Unleashed Faculty Development National Workshop Program hosts summer workshops across the United States. Workshop participants identify potential projects and work with coaches on their curricular ideas or campus initiatives for one year with the goal to promote an entrepreneurial mindset and integrate it into practices benefiting students, faculty, and their respective campuses. Coaches nominate program participants who demonstrate an impactful promotion of entrepreneurial mindset for the Engineering Unleashed Fellowship in their courses, on campus, or nationally as a result of their workshop through their Engineering Unleashed Card. A card is an online template for members to publish projects, labs, and classes. Subsequently, a review committee selects the recipients for this $10,000 fellowship opportunity. These opportunities offer valuable insights, resources, and networking for faculty eager to enhance their teaching practices and integrate entrepreneurial thinking into their classrooms.

Furthermore, KEEN provides a website on their Engineering Unleashed platform that houses resources to support student learning and engagement, along with faculty development resources through their KEEN’Zine or Engineering Unleashed Cards. These cards offer an inventory of course activities, projects, and active learning approaches tailored specifically for engineers. Such resources empower faculty to explore opportunities and the impact of their work, nurturing a culture of innovation and excellence in engineering education.

NC State is in a unique position to help model approaches of integrating a new pedagogy and help students to develop skillsets for finding opportunity and impact in their work. To get involved, attend the upcoming Lunch & Learns on March 28th and April 25th and Wolfpack Engineering Unleashed Incubator on May 6-7, 2024. This workshop will equip participants with the tools and insights needed to integrate entrepreneurial thinking into their classrooms and research cultures effectively. To learn how you get involved contact Anna Howard at anna_howard@ncsu.edu.