Moreno Valley College officially opened its on-campus iMAKE Innovation Center. The 4,150-square-foot Center, located in the Science and Technology Building, will serve as a hub for innovation and creativity, and lend itself to fostering enthusiasm for learning.
The College was one of 24 institutions to receive a California Community College Maker Implementation Grant from the California Community College Chancellor's office. Awarded $100,000, and renewable for a second year, MVC set out to create a makerspace community that will provide students and the community with access to innovation equipment and material in order to develop entrepreneurial skills.
“Three years ago, College leadership had a vision to create a space that would allow for collaboration, innovation and problem solving,” Melody Graveen, Ed.D., dean of Instruction, Career & Technical Education, said. “These are the skills that businesses will be competing for in the 21st century. A space such as this will have a significant impact on student learning and development.
The iMAKE Innovation Center was designed to provide an educational training facility for students, faculty, staff, community members and business leaders.
“Moreno Valley College is committed to paving the road so that our students can succeed,” Robin Steinback, Ph.D., president, Moreno Valley College, said. “This Center will lead to transformational changes when it comes to learning, creating and delivering solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s problems. The Center is equipped as well as any other college, and maybe even some businesses.”
According to a report from the New Media Consortium, “Makerspaces are being looked to as a method for engaging learners in creative, higher-order problem solving through hands-on design, construction and iteration.” Accordingly, such creative spaces have the potential to address the necessary skillsets for students in the 21st century, according to the report.
“The City of Moreno Valley is proud to partner with Moreno Valley College on this innovative iMake facility, where local entrepreneurs can develop their business knowledge and skills,” said Yxstian Gutierrez, Ed.D., mayor of Moreno Valley. “We are working together to provide MoVal residents with the tools they need to succeed.”
Donnell Layne is the director of the College’s STEM grant and Jason Kennedy is the manager of the iMAKE Innovation Center. Grant funded, the iMAKE Innovation Center joins the College’s iMAKE Mobile Innovation Center, a learning lab which delivers STEM engagement activities through hands-on, interactive activities and unique STEM experiences to children throughout the region.