Entrepreneurial mindset and colorful lightbulbs with gears as filament

2023 Summer Institute: Denver, CO

July 12-15, 2023

Westin Denver Downtown
1672 Lawrence Street, Denver, CO 80202

Registration opens April 2023

Learning Partner information coming soon!

Who's invited?

AFIT member CEOs, AFIT Reps, and their teams

Learning Design

Entrepreneurial Mindset: A New Framework for Thinking, Leading, and Solving Problems in a Rapidly Changing World 

Higher education organizations are facing disruptive challenges and competitive forces that threaten their existence. The rules for survival have changed and the mindset that once enabled us to succeed is no longer as effective as it once was. If we are to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world, we must learn to think like entrepreneurs – people who are self-directed in the pursuit of opportunities to create value for others. An entrepreneurial mindset not only optimizes our individual and collective ability to adapt, it also allows us to make a greater contribution to our organizations. From supercharging our talent’s problem-solving skills to preparing students to become workforce-ready graduates and next-generation innovators, entrepreneurial thinking transforms people by empowering them to pursue opportunities to create value for others. 

Compelling Questions

  1. How do leaders awaken and nurture employees’ entrepreneurial skills, attitudes, and behaviors to confront the disruptive challenges and competitive forces bearing down on higher education?
  2. How can individuals break free from unproductive thoughts and habits to shift their focus from “challenge and threat” to opportunity and innovation?
  3. How can higher education inject bureaucratic systems with innovation and change to build an “adaptive space” that fosters entrepreneurial behavior?
  4. How can entrepreneurial organizations inspire and engage individuals and teams to recognize opportunities that others overlook?
  5. What does a framework for developing entrepreneurial mindset in our students look like?
  6. How can the Foundation offices in our organizations reinvent themselves to support innovation and transformation?

Learning Objectives

As a result of attending the 2023 Summer Institute, teams will:

  1. Explore how to transform organizational culture and student success by adopting an entrepreneurial mindset.
  2. Examine what entrepreneurial mindset looks like in highly complex organizations like higher education.
  3. Learn how to empower “ordinary” people – both employees and students – to accomplish extraordinary things.
  4. Develop methods to turn everyday problems into opportunities.
  5. Learn how to expose opportunities and ignite ambition that enable organizations to flourish and thrive.
  6. Map an action plan for initial steps and resources needed to engage in this process across their organization.

Collaboration & Teamwork

“The Summer Institute provides a spirit of collaboration and teamwork in a learning environment focused on actionable strategies for all levels of the organization.”

– Dr. Jackie Elliott, President, Central Arizona College, AZ

Innovative Learning Partners

"AFIT’s annual Summer Institute serves as a learning lab for Alamo Colleges District, introducing me and my colleagues to innovative organizations outside of higher education and their successful practices, which have inspired many strategic initiatives across the District.

– Dr. Mike Flores, Chancellor, Alamo Colleges District, TX

Team Bonding

"Participating in AFIT's annual Summer Institute has not only led to the successful implementation of Arizona Western College's Strategic Plan, it has also enabled unparalleled team bonding."

– Dr. Daniel Corr, President, Arizona Western College, AZ

2022 Summer Institute Info

Check out the information from our 2022 event.

Smiling faces of students