Cultivating Entrepreneurial Thinking through IEEE-CS Student Chapters

Published by the IEEE Computer Society 0018-9162/11/$26.00 © 2011 IEEE preparation is not typically part of most undergraduate programs, especially at engineering institutions. Cultivating entrepreneurial thinking requires going beyond teaching business fundamentals and reviewing case studies; it requires learning through practice.2 To support active student engagement in entrepreneurial activities outside the classroom, the IEEE Computer Society, through its Educational Activity Board’s Committee of Diversity and External Activities (CDEA), has proposed a Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Professional Development (LEAD) student chapter model. The goal of IEEE-CS LEAD student chapters is to introduce students to activities that promote entrepreneurial thinking and facilitate critical hands-on experiences that can induce the excitement of discovery and develop the professional skills needed for successful computing careers. Another distinguishing characteristic is their emphasis on solving societal problems.