2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The three Cs of an entrepreneurial mindset- curiosity, connections, and creating value- enable civil engineers to positively impact the built environment and create value for clients and key stakeholders to meet societal demands. This study focused on developing new course materials for two civil engineering technology technical elective courses, “Design of Highway Bridges” and “Construction Planning, Scheduling, and Control,” to incorporate the entrepreneurial mindset and reinforce the application of the three Cs in the civil engineering industry. The connection between different components of the design and construction phases was emphasized in both courses to promote students’ whole-system awareness. The updated course materials included recorded interviews with civil engineering design and construction professionals, case studies, lecture content, and targeted assignments. These materials were designed to emphasize the critical role of collaboration between design and construction professionals in developing optimal solutions. Student feedback on the learning outcomes related to the three Cs, the value of incorporating case studies in the curriculum, and the application of an entrepreneurial mindset in design and construction was gathered through a survey administered at the end of the semester. The results indicated that students were able to apply the entrepreneurial mindset through the new learning materials, improve their understanding of the connection between design and construction, and enhance their ability to communicate valuable design solutions to foster collaboration. This study provides valuable insights and facilitates further implementation of the entrepreneurial mindset in broader civil engineering and construction courses.