This paper reflects on the process followed in the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh to cultivate an innovative and entrepreneurial culture among students and faculty. As a member of the first cohort of the Pathways program, a strategic process was initiated to unlock the innovation capabilities of students and to feed the demand that early activities suggested existed for more entrepreneurial-focused courses and programs. The plan focused on four inter-related areas of development: people, policies, places, and programs. This paper describes steps undertaken for each key area, as well as why it is believed that each of these areas is necessary for a healthy and sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship culture. Quantified measures of results in each area are presented to describe progress and performance. The near-term mission of the program is to develop a culture
in which students learn to create, cultivate, and launch impactful ideas, but the long-term goal is for students to carry those skills with them to realize impactful careers of innovation and entrepreneurship.
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