From Prop to Prosperity: Lessons Learned from the Makerspace
By Taylor Ditzfeld, Collaborate Lab & Outreach Liaison
Many students who tour a college end up choosing their future school based on standout features they see during their visit — like a climbing wall in the gym or a film studio tucked into an academic building. But once they enroll, it’s not uncommon for those exciting amenities to go unused.
For a while, that was the case with our makerspace at State Fair Community College (SFCC).
SFCC serves about 3,700 students across eight campuses in Missouri, plus online learners. One of the most visually striking and technically advanced resources we offer is our makerspace, which is outfitted with 3D printers, laser engravers, vinyl cutters and more. Its cutting-edge capabilities and modern design made it a showstopper on every campus tour, but ironically, prospective students on tours were often the only ones regularly visiting the space.
That’s no longer true.
Over the past two years, we’ve seen tremendous growth — not only in student and staff participation, but also in engagement from K-12 schools and community partners. This shift didn’t happen by accident. For anyone looking to transform a seldom-used lab into a thriving hub of creativity, here are a few key lessons we’ve learned.
Building Reputation
The first step was simple but essential: make sure people know the space is for them.
We worked closely with our admissions and tour teams, encouraging guides to emphasize that the lab was open to all students, not just professors or STEM majors. High-tech spaces like ours can seem intimidating, especially to students who don’t consider themselves tech-savvy. However, by explicitly stating that it was a hands-on, welcoming environment for everyone, we started breaking down that barrier.
We also had to shift perceptions about how the space functioned. Many people thought of the lab as an order fulfillment center where instructors or students submitted jobs and the makerspace team would build the final product. While this wasn’t technically how we operated, the assumption persisted until we changed the narrative. We made it clear that our goal was to guide users through the creation process themselves. By supporting SFCC’s community in designing and producing their own work, we empowered them to build confidence and walk away with impressive, personalized projects they could truly take ownership of.
Today, the lab is busier than ever, with students and staff using it to explore new ideas and gain hands-on experience in ways that complement their learning.
Building Community
Beyond skill-building, the makerspace has also become a powerful tool for strengthening community.
For example, our adult learning program recently visited the space for a team-building experience. Though the program isn’t designed as an academic refresher, their visit showed how effective hands-on projects can be for bringing people together, regardless of age or background.
Our space was designed from the beginning with collaboration in mind. When we opened in Spring 2022, we worked with Palmer Hamilton to ensure the layout would foster connection. Instead of classroom-style rows, we opted for high-top and group tables, encouraging discussion, brainstorming, and teamwork.
Palmer Hamilton also helped us expand our impact with younger learners. Its INVENTORCLOUD platform provides ready-to-use, step-by-step projects for K-12 students across various skill levels. We’ve hosted field trips where students created everything from custom dog tags and laser-cut catapults to 3D-printed space modules. These accessible, guided projects have made technology feel exciting and approachable for students of all ages.
Within SFCC, the collaborative spirit is so strong that we’ve affectionately nicknamed the makerspace the “Collab Lab.”
One upcoming project really captures that ethos. Students in our Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program are learning how to adapt toys for children with mobility challenges. They’ve partnered with students in our Engineering Design Technology program to create custom adaptive switches. Using input from the OTA students, the engineering students are designing parts in Fusion 360, which will be 3D printed and then affixed to the toys. These will be donated to local children during the holidays — a meaningful, interdisciplinary effort that showcases the true power of collaboration.
Building Momentum
As the lab’s internal use grew, we began looking outward and found new opportunities where we hadn’t expected them.
Originally, we assumed most local businesses already had access to advanced design and fabrication equipment. That turned out to be wrong. When we began reaching out and offering the makerspace as a resource, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did it allow us to build stronger connections with the community, but it also boosted visibility for both our lab and our college.
Throughout this entire journey, Palmer Hamilton has remained a valued partner. From outfitting our space with collaborative furniture to supporting our K-12 programming with INVENTORCLOUD resources, their team has consistently helped us bring our vision to life. The PHabLab team in particular has offered ongoing encouragement, ideas and support to keep us moving forward.
If you’re looking to elevate the impact of your makerspace, I can’t recommend Palmer Hamilton enough. Growth takes time, but with a clear strategy, inclusive programming and strong partners, you can turn your makerspace from a tour stop into a vibrant, hands-on learning environment where creativity and community thrive.