Development of an Entrepreneurial Mind-set within a Three-Semester Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design Sequence Based on the SAE Collegiate Design Series

Mechanical engineering seniors at Lawrence Technological University (LTU) complete a capstone design project: either an SAE collegiate design series (CDS) competition or an industry-sponsored project (ISP). Starting in 2015, the LTU CDS advisors worked together to redesign the five-credit three-semester sequence. The overall goals of the modifications were to improve student design, project management and communication skills; integrate SAE CDS projects into the actual class time; and increase faculty advisor involvement in the classroom. In parallel with senior design modifications, faculty recently completed a multiyear process to incorporate active and collaborative learning (ACL), problem-based learning (PBL), and entrepreneurially minded learning (EML) into the engineering curriculum. Leveraging the curriculum-wide course modifications, the CDS advisors also incorporated ACL and EML components into the capstone design changes. Student demonstration of example behaviors associated with an entrepreneurial mindset were assessed using student surveys in the Introduction to Projects course (the beginning of the sequence) and Competition Projects 2 course (the end of the sequence) at the conclusion of the Spring 2018 semester. The results indicate that the capstone projects are great venues for students to work collaboratively and practice entrepreneurial skills. For example, students have to “integrate information from many sources to gain insight” and need to “persist through failure” throughout this 18 month long project. Most of the students admit that they need to almost always work as a team, and also to “understand the motivations and perspectives of others.” They also agree that through the capstone design project they have improved skills in project organization, time management, and project management. The survey results will be used to guide additional development of classroom materials to better foster the entrepreneurial mindset.