Empowering entrepreneurial mindset through engagement with the technology transfer office: A case study of applied experience education

Abstract

This case study introduces a complementary approach to teaching entrepreneurial education through practice in a region with low economic diversity. This study pairs graduate fellow researchers from the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce with the Office of Technology Commercialization, and connects technologies developed at the University of Texas at El Paso with students seeking to understand what is needed to start a company. We utilized an interdisciplinary cohort to apply practical entrepreneurial education by applying theory to practice. The outcome is students who understand market positions, regulatory compliance, and challenges in developing a technology into a new economic driver for the region. This process is laid out and reproducible for other universities seeking to develop practical entrepreneurial education in areas of low economic diversity. The project pairs students in entrepreneurial fellowships with the technology transfer office to apply pedagogical education to practical application. This study demonstrates alternatives to internships in a region with low entrepreneurial activity and a risk-averse environment for skill development for students interested in entrepreneurship as a path to employment.