The Innovation Lab in Duane G. Meyer Library is available to assist students with their creative projects. This semester, a representative from one student group spent a few weeks in the Innovation Lab on a project to share with other students.

On March 28, local sorority Xi Omicron Iota hosted a co-sisterhood event called We’re Not Really Strangers, and offered free crewnecks to the first 30 people in line. When it came time to deliver these crewnecks, Charley Bennight, VP of social awareness for the campus’ Panhellenic Association and member of Xi Omicron Iota, knew that the Innovation Lab would be the place to go.

Over the course of 2 weeks, Bennight used the Innovation Lab’s embroidery machine for the task. She credits the Innovation Lab staff for helping her to figure out the software and the stitching on the machine as well as a former student worker who helped her thread the machine. It took about 20 minutes per item to stitch, “Empowered Women Empower Women” on the pink crewnecks. 

“They have literally everything down here—sand table, heat press, a laser cutter, 3D printers, VR. Literally everything,” Bennight said to a sorority sister who visited her while she was working. “And it’s so cheap. It’s an extremely minimal cost for anyone who wants to come down and do this.” 

According to Rachel Besara, interim dean of Meyer Library, making materials accessible is the primary purpose of the library.

“The whole point is we want students to get in there and be entrepreneurial,” Besara said. “We know a part of that is keeping the services as affordable as possible.”