Negative experiences are inevitable in entrepreneurship. They can teach the most valuable lessons, but they can also be discouraging and cause students to retreat. So how can educators teach students how to navigate negative experiences, while keeping them engaged and motivated? This workshop, led by Dr Eliana Crosina, dives into the critical role of emotions in entrepreneurial learning and explores how negative experiences can become powerful catalysts for personal and professional growth.
Through a yearlong study of an entrepreneurship course, Eliana and colleagues examined how students tackled real challenges and developed strategies to adapt. Drawing from this research, she will share key insights on:
- The dual impact of negative experiences: their potential to unlock higher-order learning versus their capacity to discourage entrepreneurial activity.
- Strategies for intentionally exposing students to difficult experiences while providing the support necessary to navigate them constructively.
- The role of sensemaking in helping students reframe negative emotions and develop resilience, ultimately cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset.
During this workshop you will:
- Gain insights from new research on emotions in experiential entrepreneurship education.
- Learn best practices for managing negative emotions in different experiential learning settings.
- Engage in a thought-provoking discussion on the role of emotions in teaching entrepreneurship.
Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneurship educator or just beginning to incorporate experiential learning into your curriculum, this workshop will provide practical takeaways and spark valuable dialogue about the nuances of teaching entrepreneurship.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Dr Eliana Crosina is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College, where her research focuses on identity and new venture creation. She studies how entrepreneurs define and redefine “who they are” and how these identity shifts shape their businesses and decisions.
Her work has been published in leading academic journals, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, as well as in practitioner outlets such as Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review.
Dr Crosina holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an MBA from Babson College, as well as an MSc and PhD in Organisation Studies from Boston College. Before academia, she worked in the for-profit sector as an investment banker, as well as in the not-for-profit sector, managing international development projects.