Furniture, fixtures, and equipment are being installed in the Make It Center (MIC) at ACC Highland Campus. The Center is now hiring staff and aims to host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration later in the spring. View photos of the Center’s progress below the update.

The following update has been provided by Dr. Janelle Green, ACC Make It Center Director:

Concrete work has been completed to blend the moving glass wall system corner with the hallway when the doors are open. The ADA door button at the entrance was installed mid-February. Metalwork in the FabLab, Showcase, and Innovation Hub is partially complete and will continue into March. Carpet outlets in the Innovation Hub and Sim Zone were done in the last half of the month. Eight wireless access points also have been installed. Crews are installing screens now. These are expected to be completed toward the end of the spring semester. The power reels for FabLab are expected to ship at the end of the month.

The furniture for the Sim Zone and Inspiration Hub stage was delivered at the end of January. Phones have been installed at the front desk and staff workspaces. The metal Riverbat sign that was once displayed in the ACC Board Room at Highland Business Center is being repurposed for the MIC. Crews will install it along the front desk. The Center also is close to selecting the final mural design for the Discovery Zone wall.

The Center is awaiting the purchase of the following:
– Vortex Simulator – heavy equipment operator simulator
– Virage Simulator – truck driving simulator
– Sim Zone VR lecterns/cases

The Center is awaiting the arrival of:
– Laptop cart
– HVAC Trainer 
– 3D Printer 
– FabLab storage cabinet/install
– Modular/box furniture for the Inspiration Hub (arriving April 2023)
– Electrical Learning System (anticipated ship date in May)

The Make It Center has started to host programming and tours of the space:
– Participated in a Recruitment Event on Feb. 10
– Hosting five meetings at the MIC between Feb. 17-28
– Eight events are scheduled for March 
– Continue working on FabLab project prototypes and developing the Quest programming framework

Anyone interested in reserving space or planning an event, tour, or field trip at the Make It Center can fill out the Make It Center Space Use and Event Request Form. The MIC team will then review the form and follow up with the requestor as needed. 

The Make It Center worked with the Office of College Relations and Marketing to create a new logo and color palette. Web developers toured the Center, and conversations have begun about MIC website design and development.

The MIC welcomed two full-time staff members on the Operations team, Maria Yeverino and Randy Wedlund. The Center posted five hourly positions — three Programming and two Operations — and one full-time Programming Assistant position.

Innovation Hub (with a temporary conference table until our permanent one arrives in late March):

Inspiration Hub:

Sim Zone (with furniture that arrived in late January):

ACC Showcase:

FabLab:

Pepper Humanoid Robot:

Make It Center Quest Prototype/Design:

FabLab Projects:

  • The wood box is our Make-a-Safe project where people can make a laser-cut safe or piggy bank that will also include resources about financial literacy.
  • The other project is a Lego project made with recycled campaign signs and legos. It can be anything from a simple design project or it can be built upon to become a more dynamic and motorized lego build to activate things like lighting, fans, movement, etc.

Learn more about the center here and view the last update from January 2023 here.