2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Encouraging Entrepreneurial Habits and Value Creation through Mastery-Based Learning in Project Courses

Presented at Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Division (ENT) Technical Session 1- Curriculum and Course Design

Engineering students often meet technical requirements but struggle to consistently demonstrate the entrepreneurial habits of mind that distinguish innovative, value-adding engineers. To address this gap, we redesigned sophomore through senior project-based courses to incorporate mastery-based resubmission policies and entrepreneurially minded (EM) grading rubrics. These interventions were intended to focus student assignments on value-creation and the development of EM habits such as persistence, resilience, initiative, and growth mindset.
Two main strategies guided our work. First, a mastery-based resubmission policy allowed students to revise assignments after targeted feedback, reinforcing habits of persistence and growth mindset. Second, a four-point rubric required students to move beyond checklist completion toward demonstrating unique value for stakeholders.
We evaluated these interventions across sophomore, junior and senior project courses using surveys and analysis of student comments. Results indicate that students valued the resubmission process and felt it helped them do quality work. Students resubmitted about 60% of their assignments, improving scores by about 1 point on a 4-point scale. Student comments about the resubmission policy referenced EM habits about 70-75% of the time, frequently referencing growth mindset, persistence, and resilience. In contrast, student responses to the EM rubric were mixed, and very few referred to EM habits. While some reported increased initiative and motivation, others struggled with the ambiguity of going beyond a list of stated requirements, suggesting a need for scaffolding, examples, and coaching to support development.
Our findings suggest that mastery-based resubmission policies are effective at reinforcing entrepreneurial habits, while EM-focused rubrics require refinement to balance motivation with clarity. This paper will share examples of our assignment designs, rubric structure, and student outcomes, and discuss lessons learned for faculty integrating mastery-based learning and the entrepreneurial mindset into engineering project courses.

Authors

Dr. Mark Brinton http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7673-2203 Elizabethtown College [biography]

Dr. Mark Brinton currently teaches electrical and biomedical engineering courses at Elizabethtown College. Prior to joining Elizabethtown College, he studied advanced prosthetic limbs at the University of Utah (postdoc, Biomedical Engineering) and electro-neural stimulation at Stanford University (PhD, Electrical Engineering).
Dr. Shannon M. Clancy http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2779-0746 Elizabethtown College [biography]

Dr. Shannon M. Clancy (she/they) is an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. She earned all of her degrees in Mechanical Engineering: B.S. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), M.S. from the University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (U-M). They also received an Engineering Education Research Certificate during their time at U-M.

Her research interests include front-end design practices, sociotechnical knowledge and skills, and queer student experiences in engineering. They use qualitative methods and fields across engineering design, psychology, learning sciences, education, and STEM education to dive deeply into these topics, understanding the how’s and why’s of engineers’ experiences, decision-making, and sharing their stories.

Dr. Clancy is motivated by their passion for and experiences with equity-minded teaching and holistic mentorship of students as people and professionals. She particularly enjoys intertwining engineering technical practices and social implications to prepare students to become socially responsible engineers. She seeks to reimagine who can be an engineer, what engineering is, and the impact engineering has on society for a more equitable world.
Dr. Kurt M Degoede http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0118-4951 Elizabethtown College [biography]

Professor of Engineering and Physics, Elizabethtown College. His research interests in biomechanics include developing clinical instruments for rehabilitation. Dr. DeGoede teaches upper-level undergraduate mechanical engineering using a Mastery-Based assessment model and design courses and first-year multidisciplinary courses.
Dr. Tomas Estrada Elizabethtown College [biography]

Dr. Tomas Estrada is an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering and Physics at Elizabethtown College, in Elizabethtown, PA. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Universidad de Costa Rica in 2002 and his M.S. and Ph.D. (both in
Dr. Sara A. Atwood Elizabethtown College [biography]

Dr. Sara A. Atwood is the Dean of the School of Engineering and Computer Science and Professor of Engineering at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. She holds a BA and MS in Engineering Sciences from Dartmouth College, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.
Dr. Judson Wagner Elizabethtown College [biography]

Judson Wagner is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Engineering and Physics at Elizabethtown College. His research focuses on neurodivergent-inclusive engineering education, AI-supported learning, and entrepreneurial mindset development. He holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and brings expertise in STEM pedagogy, having served as a STEM supervisor and state-level STEM initiative advisor. His current work explores how emerging technologies can create scalable, inclusive pathways for developing strategic thinking capabilities in engineering students.
Gwenyth Michelle Lottero Elizabethtown College
Munia Kamal Elizabethtown College
Emmanuel Attah Elizabethtown College

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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