Arizona FORGE Prepares Students to Thrive in Today’s Workforce
This article originally appeared in the University of Arizona Parent & Family Programs Magazine
From climate change to planetary defense, disease prevention to artificial intelligence, today’s most pressing and complex global challenges demand that our students be trained as bold, forward-thinking problem solvers. At the University of Arizona, we are preparing our graduates to enter the workforce with the experiences, skills, and entrepreneurial mindset that will allow them to stand out and thrive.
As part of a top 20 public research university, our students have enviable access to world-class research faculty who train them to navigate successes and failures, collaborate and learn from others, invent new technologies, and launch market-ready products and solutions. One of the most effective ways we cultivate the kind of critical thinking that breeds success in our students is through a unit called Finding Opportunities and Resources to Grow Entrepreneurs, better known as Arizona FORGE.
FORGE engages students from all majors in entrepreneurial mindset development and works with students to help them define purpose, explore ideas, and create possibilities. FORGE’s innovative programs help students build transferable skills in resilience, creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, flexibility, opportunity recognition, taking initiative, and comfort with risk.
FORGE offers a free, asynchronous curriculum covering core venture concepts, an online assessment to identify entrepreneurial mindset strengths, coaching with peer mentors, personal development programs, consultations with FORGE staff, and one-on-one mentorship from industry experts. These resources help students actively develop new skills, discover their entrepreneurial strengths, and set goals for their future.
Linnea Andersson is a recent UArizona graduate and now works in New York City as a technology analyst for Barclays, one of the world’s largest banks. During her time at UArizona, Linnea served as a FORGE Student Venture Pathway Fellow, as a seasoned leader who works across all FORGE programs to provide student voice and perspective. Fellows design and implement training for other students, assist with the planning and execution of FORGE signature events, and communicate FORGE student founder stories and impact.
As a FORGE fellow, Linnea believes in the importance of exploring and developing an entrepreneurial mindset, no matter major or ambition. Before graduating, she wrote:
“FORGE has given me opportunities I would never have imagined. From interviewing CEOs and startup founders to speaking in front of large crowds to single-handedly planning and executing major projects and marketing campaigns, I have grown both as a professional and as a person. Often, when I talk to students, I get the question ‘If I don’t want to start my own company, why should I care about FORGE?’ The answer is simple: having an entrepreneurial mindset is about so much more than starting a business. What I have learned from programming, networking, and working in an environment that fosters innovation have helped me develop transferable skills that apply to any job. I’ve learned to be flexible and adaptable when plans change at the last minute. I’ve used my creativity to find innovative solutions when problems arise. And I’ve taken initiative and seen opportunities even when they seem risky. These are all aspects of the entrepreneurial mindset that are difficult, if not impossible, to learn in a classroom setting. Thanks to FORGE, I will bring them with me wherever life takes me.”
Our students go on to be leaders and founders of small businesses, social enterprises, scalable corporations, and innovators within existing organizations, much like Linnea. When our Wildcats engage with programs like those offered by FORGE, they stand out from their peers and—critically—they are equipped to solve real-world problems.