Experimental mindset lands Haskayne prof top honours

For Justin Knibbe (BComm'17, MBA'20), success is often rooted in failure. The key is getting started, even if you’re not ready. 

It’s one of the many themes that Knibbe discusses in a recently reimagined version of the entrepreneurial thinking course (ENTI381) at the Haskayne School of Business. Students go through the hands-on processes involved in evaluating an innovative business idea for a start-up – everything from the basics of forming a team to conducting a customer discovery-target market analysis and product-industry feasibility assessment. 

“It’s about getting past the planning process and not living in paralyzed fear. It’s really just about getting started,” says Knibbe, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and innovation at Haskayne. 

“My hopes and dreams are that my students will feel comfortable trying new things. Like the Zen proverb says, move and the way will open.” 

This past week, Knibbe’s approach was recognized with the Award for Experiential Learning Initiatives as part of the annual University of Calgary Teaching Awards. 

Knibbe was among 26 educators across eight faculties who were recognized for their outstanding impact on student teaching and learning. Recipients were acknowledged across 13 award categories, which, in addition to experiential learning, included inclusive excellence and workplace-integrated learning. 

Knibbe says he’s deeply inspired by working with a demographic of students he identifies as overworked, stressed and often feeling lost. His goal is to "make the lights go on" by showing them how course material is applicable to the real world and their future careers. 

“When they see how something I’m teaching them will be useful to them in their career, that’s what really excites me. That’s what gets me up in the morning,” he says. 

Central to Knibbe's approach is what he calls a culture of care. He’s focused on building a safe environment through icebreakers and morning meetings where teams support one another.  

And a critical component of this environment is that permission to fail.  

“I spend a lot of time with that. We are all going to fail at some point. It’s then about how we are going to pivot,” says Knibbe. 

Knibbe says the teaching award is a significant honor that validates his culture of care and emphasis on learning through trial and error. He notes that the University of Calgary’s current “start something” mentality reflects the ethos he tries to instill in his students. 

“In Haskayne, we see this as a pretty big deal. It’s a huge honour that the University thought this approach to experiential learning and this focus on a culture of care was worthy of an honour,” says Knibbe. 

Check out the full list of recipients for the 2025 University of Calgary Teaching Awards.