Alvernia University’s O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship has launched an addition to its Spark Business Incubator. The O’Make Space is a student-run makerspace designed to bring creative ideas to life through prototyping, customized production and collaboration.
The university marked the opening of the space at an Oct. 13 ribbon cutting at the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne.
In an announcement, Alvernia said growing demand from businesses, entrepreneurs and increased student engagement led to the development of the O’Make Space.
Students saw opportunities to expand the equipment and resources available to them, as they worked with clients, explored technologies and collaborated across disciplines, according to the release. The students’ advocacy helped shape O’Make Space, the university said.
Alvernia University’s O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship has launched an addition to its Spark Business Incubator – the O’Make Space – a student-run makerspace. In this Oct. 15 photo, the institute marks the opening of the space with a ribbon cutting. Left to right are: Winifred Gutierrez, O’Pake operations manager; Aracelis Amador Rivera, MBA candidate and O’Pake graduate assistant; Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., president; Nicholas King, Alvernia alumni; Rodney S. Ridley, Ph.D., chief economic, community and strategic development; Ryan Kopf, Alvernia alumni; and Caitlin Long, Ph.D., director of technology transfer & innovation commercialization. (Courtesy Alvernia University)
“Experiential learning and community engagement are central to Alvernia University’s mission, and the O’Pake Institute’s new O’Make Space brings both priorities to life,” Dr. Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Alvernia University president, said in a statement. “By working with real technology, projects and clients, our students develop the confidence, skills and experience needed to succeed beyond the classroom while creating meaningful opportunities to serve and strengthen our community.”
The new O’Make Space features two 3D printers, a laser engraver, a heat press, a sublimation printer, a Cricut cutting machine, and an embroidery machine. The new equipment gives students the opportunity to design, prototype, and customize a variety of products, including apparel, stickers, drinkware, signage and other promotional merchandise.
Students can also expand opportunities for personalized products by working with other materials like metal, wood, plastic, vinyl and paper, the university said.
“Our students played an instrumental role in shaping this space, advocating for the equipment and resources needed to expand its capabilities,” said Dr. Rodney S. Ridley Sr., university chief economic, community and strategic development officer. “O’Make Space creates new opportunities for prototyping and small-batch production, strengthening the services we provide to local businesses and entrepreneurs through the Spark Business Incubator.”
Marcus Ridley, left, shows fellow students the project he is 3D printing at the new O’Make Space at Alvernia University’s O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. (Courtesy Alvernia University)
The O’Make Space is student-operated, and offers graduate and undergraduate O’Pake fellows and EmpowerEd high school interns opportunities to develop technical skills and gain professional experience. The students will apply classroom knowledge to real-world projects. They’ll also gain experience in design, production and client relations, collaborating with entrepreneurs, small businesses, university departments and community partners, the university said.
“When you walk into this room, you’ll see machines, equipment and tools, but what makes this space special is not the equipment itself. It’s the opportunity it creates,” Alvernia MBA candidate Aracelis Amador-Rivera said in a statement. “It’s a place where curiosity becomes creativity, mistakes become lessons and ideas grow into meaningful projects.”
Because O’Make Space offers small-batch production, it is an alternative to traditional vendors that may require larger minimum orders, according to the release.