Infusing an Entrepreneurial Mindset into Mechanical Engineering Courses: Two Case Studies

Engineering programs are often criticized for focusing solely on technical education while ignoring industry and business needs. In order to address this situation, entrepreneurial ideas were incorporated directly into existing engineering classes. This paper provides information on the incorporation of entrepreneurial ideas and assignments into two courses offered in the Mechanical Engineering Department. The techniques used to convey the entrepreneurial ideas primarily come from the "Need-Approach-Benefits-Competition" or NABC approach. The successes and failures of the approaches are discussed. Examples are provided to illustrate how these ideas have been used to enhance the undergraduate learning experience.