NMSU College of Business, Studio G collaboration strengthens entrepreneurial mindset education

New Mexico State University’s College of Business is strengthening how students learn entrepreneurship through a growing collaboration with Arrowhead Center’s Studio G, bringing hands-on workshops and industry connections directly into the classroom. 

The partnership, led by Rebecca Franklin, associate professor of management, and Carlos Cuesta Albornoz, director of the Studio G program, integrates Studio G’s entrepreneurship education programming into Franklin’s courses. The collaboration gives students the opportunity to earn Studio G’s entrepreneurship education certification without leaving their scheduled class time. 

“It has gone very well,” Franklin said. “It is well received by the students, and we are seeing an increasing number of business school students utilizing Studio G outside of classroom hours.” 

Studio G, Arrowhead Center’s student business accelerator, provides free resources, mentorship and networking opportunities to help college students and recent alumni launch, grow and scale business ideas across a wide range of industries. 

Through the collaboration, Studio G facilitates six core workshops: Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Business Idea Generation, Business Modeling, Financials and Funding, Marketing and Sales, and Entrepreneurial Mindset. Sessions include interactive activities such as meet-and-greets, cash flow assessments and group strategy exercises. 

“Our focus is on helping students develop a strong entrepreneurial mindset,” Cuesta Albornoz said. “Building a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem requires collaboration, and this partnership ensures we are working together to equip students with the mindset and skills needed to create impact during and after college.” Franklin said the workshops align closely with her teaching philosophy, which emphasizes experiential learning over traditional lecture. 

“Rather than lecturing the whole period, I typically present a few slides and discuss concepts relevant to an entrepreneurial mindset, and the second half of each class period usually includes some type of group activity,” Franklin said. 

Class activities vary by topic and have included analyzing business case studies, developing solutions to social problems, making mock layoff decisions with supporting rationales, and building a “flying machine” from random materials to demonstrate bricolage – creating solutions from available resources. 

Senior Jennifer Enriquez said the course reshaped how she views success. 

“I had doubts that I could still be successful,” Enriquez said. “This class wasn’t just about business knowledge. It was about mindset and realizing it’s never too late.” 

She said the group projects felt like real-world scenarios that pushed students beyond traditional classroom work. 

“It felt like opportunities to build something with other people and work together in a meaningful way,” she said. 

One assignment required students to interview an entrepreneur about their mindset rather than their business model. Enriquez said she unexpectedly met a successful entrepreneur at a local restaurant and asked to interview him. 

“People usually focus on what business leaders know or how they started,” she said. “I wanted to understand why – what drove him and how he thought through challenges.” 

Franklin said embedding Studio G programming into the classroom increases accessibility for students balancing coursework with jobs and family responsibilities. 

“Bringing it to them makes it more accessible,” she said. “The content reinforces what we discuss in class and provides additional experiential activities.” 

As students become more familiar with Studio G, they are also more likely to participate in extracurricular offerings such as networking events and mentorship opportunities. 

“Networking opportunities are crucial for our students, as so many of life’s opportunities are a result of who we know,” Franklin said. “When students expand their professional social networks – with peers and industry experts – they expand their potential opportunities and grow both personally and professionally.” 

Sophomore Adrian Quintero said he values not only the workshop content but also the leadership example set by Cuesta Albornoz. 

“What Carlos teaches is very usable,” Quintero said. “But you also learn from how he presents himself and leads the room.” 

Quintero, who works in film and leads production crews, said those lessons translate directly to his career path. 

“I’m learning how to lead large crews by watching how he communicates and interacts with students,” he said. 

Quintero also runs a small video production business and said the leadership and communication skills reinforced in class have helped him manage his own team more effectively. 

Exposure to industry leaders is another key component of the experience. Franklin regularly invites guest speakers to share their entrepreneurial journeys, highlighting themes such as pursuing passion, financial discipline, hard work and seizing opportunities. Studio G workshops also incorporate video presentations from industry experts focused on topics such as marketing strategy, business modeling and funding. 

“New Mexico is full of opportunity for entrepreneurs,” Cuesta Albornoz said. “What separates successful entrepreneurs and professionals is their ability to recognize those opportunities and take action when they are presented. By learning from industry experts and engaging with real-world experiences, our students are building the confidence and mindset to do exactly that.”

As the partnership continues, Franklin said she anticipates even greater student participation in Studio G programs beyond the classroom, further strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem at NMSU.