Abstract

At Vassar College, we envision entrepreneurship and innovation in the broadest sense: the formulation of a vision, venture, or mindset that identifies an opportunity and contributes a creative and valuable solution.

Our The Entrepreneurial Mind and the Liberal Arts Signature Program seeks to convene students, academics, our local community, and industry experts to explore the connection between the liberal arts and entrepreneurship. Through a variety of workshops, discussions, and activities, participants will develop an understanding of how the values of the liberal arts are not just complementary but essential for navigating the complex challenges and ethical considerations inherent in entrepreneurial ventures. This program will leverage the frameworks from both entrepreneurial thought and the liberal arts to transform how we mobilize vision into action and real-world problem-solving.

This program will also foster a space for participants to connect with not only a “liberal arts entrepreneurship” model, but each other as well. By convening a diverse community of individuals passionate about both liberal arts and entrepreneurship, our Signature Program aims to inspire, educate, and empower participants to embrace the entrepreneurial mindset within the context of a holistic, liberal arts education.

This program, ultimately, seeks to foster critical curiosity, creative thinking, and a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the liberal arts and entrepreneurship. Particularly as breakthroughs in innovation and disruptions across industries fuel dialogue on their respective impacts on our societies and economies, this program serves as a way for The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts to be a place for meaningful dialogue and deeper understanding around how a “liberal arts entrepreneur” can contribute to and transform traditional venture development processes.