Makerspaces on Campus

Radford University in Radford, VA, has developed an ecosystem of MakerSpaces to empower faculty and students create the objects of their imagination. Spaces available include:

  • The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) New Media Center
    THE CITL represents a base of operations for the convergence of media, design, making, outreach, innovation, research, and creativity-driven teaching and learning.
  • The Department of Design Make Lab
    The Design Makerspace was built to give design students an outlet to realize creative ideas in physical form. The spaces and equipment are used primarily by students in interior design, fashion design, merchandising, and design management.
  • The Peery Makerspace
    The Peery Makerspace grew out of a crossdisciplinary faculty Maker movement, and is an anchor for the university’s Makers living-learning community. Faculty from the Colleges of Visual and Performing Arts, Science and Technology, and Business and Economics are the leaders in this initiative.

In California, California Community College (CCC) makerspaces are creating and sharing a model to fuel job creation and strengthen regional economies. With the CCC Maker Initiative, the goal is to prepare students for STEM/STEAM careers. California Community Colleges are building makerspaces, faculty are embedding making into curriculum, and employers are providing internships. The CCC Maker Initiative is funded by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, Workforce and Economic Division under the Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy framework.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management October 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • UCF Modernizes College of Hospitality Management

    The University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., recently completed a major renovation effort for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, according to a news release. The project modernized 77,600 square feet worth of academic classrooms, teaching labs, and collaborative spaces to support both students and faculty.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.