EMERGE 2025: Building engineering programs with purpose and partnership

Professors Kathryn Hasz and Robert Nagel had the pleasure of hosting Entrepreneurially Minded Engineering Resource Group for Educators (EMERGE) 2025 at Carthage College.

The Carthage Engineering Department welcomed 33 guests from 21 colleges and universities across the United States and Canada — faculty who are building, shaping, or reimagining engineering programs at their institutions.

This year’s gathering, “Cooking Up Success: Bringing Your Institution’s Special Sauce into Engineering,” focused on helping participants uncover and amplify the distinct strengths that set their institutions apart. Founding faculty are often tasked with critical challenges — recruitment, retention, external partnerships, and financial sustainability. At EMERGE, participants explored how leveraging each institution’s unique “special sauce” can drive these goals while fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in students.

Entrepreneurial mindset, a common theme throughout the event, was presented as a valuable approach for founding faculty aiming to grow strong engineering programs. Sessions emphasized that when founding faculty embrace the entrepreneurial mindset, they are more likely to develop programs that instill and value entrepreneurial minded learning (EML) for their students. Entrepreneurial mindset and EML are a key tenet of KEEN.

By reflecting on each institution’s unique “special sauce,” participants recognized the importance of leveraging partner networks to foster program growth. This insight guided the development of strategies to build strong, values-aligned partner networks — relationships that extend the reach and impact of engineering programs into their local communities and beyond.

Through storytelling, design thinking, hands-on mapping, case studies, and peer collaboration, we moved participants from reflection to action.

We’re deeply thankful for the excellent co-facilitators who made this event so impactful:

• Jessica Townsend, Professor of Engineering, Olin College of Engineering
• Robert Martello, Professor the History of Science and Technology, Olin College of Engineering
• Richard Goldberg, Teaching Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

A local highlight was facilitating the Partners Panel and Discussion, which showcased the richness of collaborations that Carthage Engineering has developed. Panelists shared compelling stories highlighting the unique “special sauce” of their organizations — the distinct qualities and values that shape their missions and work. They explored how this identity influences collaborations with educational institutions and community partners. This panel served as a crucial bridge between the morning’s exploration of institutional “special sauce” and the afternoon’s deep dive into partner network mapping and strategy development. Panelists included:

• Brooke Infusino, Director of Talent Development, Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA)
• Keri Morey, Academcy Coordinator Racine Unified School District (RUSD)
• Carolyn Serdar, Executive Director of Career and Professional Development, ASPIRE, Carthage College
• Tim Kocha, Director of Engineering, Safety & Reliability, InSinkErator

To all our participants — thank you for your insights, enthusiasm, and openness to share and stretch.

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EMERGE is supported by the Kern Family Foundation and provides a collaborative network for colleges and universities launching new engineering programs grounded in purpose, innovation, and the entrepreneurial mindset. Carthage College has proudly been part of EMERGE since 2021.

Funding from the Kern Family Foundation helped offset attendance costs, making this experience more accessible and impactful.

Looking ahead: EMERGE 2026 will be hosted at the Colorado School of Mines, continuing the tradition of bringing together innovative faculty dedicated to launching and growing new engineering programs. We look forward to another inspiring gathering focused on collaboration, creativity, and entrepreneurial mindset in engineering education.

Learn more about EMERGE 2026

Sponsoring Department, Office, or Organization:

Engineering Department