UC’s NEXT Mindset: Shaping students for the future

Jason Heikenfeld, director of the University of Cincinnati’s NEXT Mindset initiative, spoke at the 1819 Innovation Hub to share how the school equips Bearcats for the challenges ahead. The event kicked off NEXT Mindset Professional Readiness Day, where students participated in mock interviews, received professional headshots and networked with leaders from 1819 partner companies like Procter & Gamble, U.S. Bank and Kroger.

Missed the event? Consider Heikenfeld’s advice to start building a NEXT Mindset in your own career journey.

Heikenfeld also underscored curiosity, a uniquely human trait that AI technology can’t replicate. He predicts that those who challenge assumptions and rethink questions will be vital drivers of innovation in tomorrow’s economy.

“Your degree will get you into your job, but whether or not you stay in your ideal career path is going to depend on your mindset,” Heikenfeld argues. “How do you ask questions? And do you move problems forward? AI doesn’t move problems forward; it just waits for its next problem.”

UC’s NEXT Mindset pushes students to deepen passions and challenge norms to uncover something greater. Through this forward-thinking approach, Bearcats gain the foresight and strategic confidence to create positive change in their future roles.

A NEXT Mindset encourages students to go beyond the status quo of higher education, which tends to focus on meeting expectations.

“That actually feeds a fixed mindset, not a growth mindset, because you’re trying to please for a grade,” Heikenfeld says. “It’s a very narrow focus – failure’s not OK because it gets you a bad grade. That’s not the real world.” 

Instead, he adds that students should embrace creativity, inquisitiveness and bold experimentation to drive true innovation.

UC is working to shift that culture by encouraging curiosity and courageous thinking. Heikenfeld offers examples of how mindsets can affect students across disciplines:

Choosing the safe route might be comfortable, but it misses the point. Risk pushes innovation forward and builds the resilience essential to a growth mindset.

The world moves faster each year, and sometimes a NEXT Mindset begins by slowing down.

Heikenfeld projected an image of small rodents diving off a cliff beside a sign reading “The end is near.” The image was meant as a metaphor for the blind conformity of human behavior, or following the crowd without pausing to think, even to one’s own detriment.

“There can be power in slowing down,” Heikenfeld advises. “No matter how much pressure or urgency you feel, consider the value of a pause. Critical thinking is also knowing when to stop thinking and just observe.”

Stepping back mid-task helps you catch blind spots and opportunities others overlook. In that space, you gain clarity no one else sees while they rush toward completion.

Empathy often feels like a personal trait, yet it’s a powerful professional skill.

Heikenfeld references Steve Jobs as an example. “No one could empathize with consumer pain points when it came to electronics better than Steve Jobs. And because of his consumer-focused empathy,” Heikenfeld states, “he designed some of the most compelling electronic products in the history of mankind.”

That belief drives the 1819 Learning Lab to host workshops that help teams build trust and connect with real customer needs. Individuals who learn this mindset early stand out long before it becomes a job requirement.

No one knows what the future holds, which is why the University of Cincinnati equips students with a NEXT Mindset. It’s a framework that blends skill development with adaptability, helping Bearcats excel in any scenario.

Heikenfeld introduced NEXT Step Cards at the summit, describing them as a concise guide listing each student’s “hopes, dreams and fears, all on one page … with key things essential for growth over time.”

These cards form the backbone of each student’s UC journey, shaping projects, reflections and personal milestones. Students answer practical questions such as:

• What are your near-term areas for growth?
• What are your strongest social connections at UC?
• What are your top battles?
• What daily habits will you employ to stay true to your values?

“We encourage participants to share insights and feedback within the group,” Heikenfeld says. “The program benefits students from any discipline with innovative ideas and seeks to support them in making those ideas a reality.”

Interested in joining? Reach out to Jason Heikenfeld at heikenjc@ucmail.uc.edu.

Featured image at top: UC's booth at South by Southwest explaining a NEXT Mindset. Photo/Connor Boyle/UC Marketing+Brand