Bethany College to Welcome Dr. Aaron Dinin from Duke University for Mauney Lecture on “Learning to Fail"

LINDSBORG, Kan. September 10, 2026 – Bethany College today announced it will welcome Dr. 

Aaron Dinin to campus Thursday, October 15, for the 2026 Mauney Lecture titled, “Learning to Fail,” 

an evening designed to challenge students to rethink failure and embrace it as an essential part of 

learning, growth and success. Dinin, an educator, entrepreneur, and advocate for innovative approaches 

to learning, has built his work around helping students and professionals understand that failure is not 

something to fear or avoid—it is an opportunity to learn, adapt, and move forward.

A senior lecturing fellow in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Duke University, Dinin brings experience 

as both an educator and a tech entrepreneur who has founded multiple startup companies. He has also 

built an audience of more than one million followers across social media, where he uses the same 

platforms young adults encounter every day to explore entrepreneurship, careers, personal branding, 

creativity, and what it means to learn publicly through both successes and mistakes. His forthcoming 

book, Learning to Fail: The Lesson School Forgot to Teach, extends that message and underscores the 

growing national interest in his work.

“At Bethany, we believe education isn't just about preparing students to succeed, it’s about giving them 

the courage to try, stumble, and grow,” said Angie Martin, Business Professor at Bethany College. “Our 

students arrive driven to excel, but sometimes that drive can come from a fear of getting it wrong. Dr. 

Dinin has built an entire movement around turning that fear into fuel. Bringing his ‘Learning to Fail’ 

message to Bethany gives every student the chance to hear what we want them to carry for a lifetime: 

failure isn’t the opposite of success, it’s the path to it.”

Prior to the lecture, Dinin will participate in a Mauney Reception from 5 to 6 p.m. with Bethany 

administrators, faculty, donors, and student leaders. The Mauney Lecture will take place from 6:30 to 8 

p.m. Thursday, October 15, in Presser Hall. The event is free and open to the Bethany College and 

Lindsborg communities, invited guests, and the public.

Dinin’s visit will continue Friday, October 16, with opportunities to engage directly with Bethany 

students in the classroom. He will visit three business courses throughout the morning and early 

afternoon, discussing the importance of asking questions, failure as a catalyst for learning, and the role 

of curiosity in professional and personal development.

These classroom conversations will extend the central message of the Mauney Lecture: meaningful 

learning often begins when individuals are willing to acknowledge what they do not know, ask 

questions, take risks, and learn from what does not go according to plan. “Learning to fail” is ultimately 

about developing the confidence and resilience to keep moving forward. For Bethany students, Dinin’s 

visit will provide both an inspiring lecture and practical opportunities to consider how embracing failure 

can shape their education, careers, and lives.

“College should be one of the places where students have permission to try something difficult, discover 

that it doesn’t work, and then figure out what to do next,” said Dr. Laura Crawley, President of Bethany 

College. “That willingness to experiment, ask questions, and learn from what goes wrong is increasingly 

important in a world that is changing faster than any of us can predict. Dr. Dinin brings that message to 

students in a way that is relevant, practical, and very much connected to the world they are navigating 

right now.”

The Mauney Lecture is part of Bethany College’s ongoing commitment to providing students with 

transformative educational experiences that extend beyond the classroom and prepare them to lead, 

serve, and thrive in a changing world.

About Bethany College

Bethany College (bethanylb.edu) is a higher educational institution located in Lindsborg, Kansas. 

Bethany College was established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881. For more than 140 years, 

Bethany College has been dedicated to educating, developing, and challenging individuals to pursue 

truth and excellence while leading lives of faith, learning, and service. At Bethany College, students join 

a community of dedicated educators and caring mentors who support them as they discover, explore, 

and navigate their purpose. Bethany College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 

America.

CONTACT: 

Christie Denniston, APR

Vice President of Strategic Engagement

303-827-5164 

Bethany College

335 East Swensson Street

Lindsborg, KS 67456