The Economics Department hosted renowned leader Steve Forbes for an engaging conversation on why freedom and free market
September 30, 2025
MSU Denver’s Department of Economics, in partnership with Young America’s Foundation, hosted Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media, for our Exploring Economic Freedom Lecture Series.
On Tuesday September 23rd, 350 people ranging from MSU Denver faculty, staff, students, as well as entrepreneurs, donors, and honored guests, gathered in the Tivoli Turnhalle to listen in on the thoughts of guest speaker Mr. Steve Forbes.
This event was part of the Exploring Economic Freedom Project series where industry professionals gather to discuss current challenges and events taking place in our economic and political environment. This project is a public speaker series created by Dr. Alexandre Padilla, Dr. Glenn Furton, and Dr. Chandler Reilly, as a means of connecting more with our communities and widening the scope of knowledge within our college and overall our general society.
This event was perhaps the most intriguing and thought-provoking one in this whole series so far. Steve Forbes is a leader in business and economics, where he serves as the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media, a leading global media, technology, and branding company based in NYC.
Steve discussed the necessity of clinging on to capitalistic views while simultaneously calling on the government to let go of its straining grip on regulations and limiting decisions towards businesses and individuals. He spoke of the unease facing our political environment in the USA nowadays, sharing his thoughts on some recent major political events. Forbes, despite speaking of recent turmoil, ended on a brighter note where he called on the need for continuous evolvement and growth. He left the audience with a message of welcoming people from different backgrounds and extending our arms to talent, no matter where it comes from. He emphasized the foundation of the USA and how it has always been our massive economy and political influence, pushing for that to remain the case or else we would be lost as a nation.
“Your support demonstrates exactly what makes our faculty exceptional—your commitment to our fundamental mission as educators. As we all know, our job is not merely to transmit information, but to expose students to ideas and perspectives that challenge them, even when—perhaps especially when—those ideas make them uncomfortable. We are here to teach them how to navigate challenging and uncomfortable discussions, not to shield them from diverse viewpoints.
Your willingness to embrace this educational philosophy—to be uncomfortable yourselves and to engage in potentially difficult conversations with students who question these choices—exemplifies the intellectual courage that true education requires. You understand that we do our students a disservice when we create echo chambers that merely confirm their existing beliefs rather than challenging them to think critically and engage with competing ideas.
As a College of Business, we anchor our mission in both competence and character. We equip students with the analytic tools of business and the habits of mind that sustain free enterprise – intellectual humility, curiosity, and the courage to engage opposing views. Success in business requires more than solving problems; it requires communicating across disagreement with colleagues, supervisors, customers, and clients. Practicing those skills here prepares our students to lead in the firms and communities they will serve” – Alex Padilla
This event wrapped up with a Q&A section where students had the chance to ask Mr. Forbes whatever was on their minds and our students delivered amazing questions.
We would like to thank our amazing partner, Young America’s Foundation, who came forward to sponsor this event fully and give our students an enlightening educational experience.
Support comes from MSU Denver’s College of Business, offering flexible programs with real‑world projects and support. Committed to empowering graduates to lead, solve, and inspire.
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