Engineering Program Joins Elite Company with KEEN Membership

Bruin Notes

In September the university’s engineering program was accepted into the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN), a group of 30 institutions nationwide committed to collaboration and dedicated to teaching Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML).

George Fox is one of only four KEEN member schools on the West Coast, joining Santa Clara, the University of Portland and Gonzaga. The institution was accepted into the network this year along with Ohio State University.

With its selection, George Fox is now eligible to apply for select grants reserved for KEEN member schools and engage in collaboration with other schools on workshops, projects and best practices for infusing EML into its engineering curriculum.

Engineering Program Joins Elite Company with KEEN Membership

The acceptance not only puts George Fox in elite company, it represents the school’s commitment to upholding KEEN’s mission – to teach a technical skillset and an entrepreneurial mindset, fostering curiosity, connections and the creation of value.

“Traditionally, engineering programs have failed to adequately stress the importance of talking with customers and collecting feedback regarding designs,” says College of Engineering Dean Bob Harder. “We want our students to be curious, to think entrepreneurially. It’s a mindset that is willing to embrace risk and vulnerability, and seriously considers what kinds of value a given project has – not just economic, but also social and environmental.”