University of Saint Joseph and MakerspaceCT Partner to Empower Students in STEM
/The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has launched a new partnership with MakerspaceCT, a 28,000-square-foot workshop and skills development center in Hartford offering the community support and resources to learn and create. Through this partnership, USJ’s engineering science students will have access to those resources and the opportunity to apply for internships with MakerspaceCT.
MakerspaceCT celebrated its fifth anniversary earlier this month, with a panel discussion featuring prominent state and business leaders. Earlier this year, USJ announced plans to offer a BA in Engineering Science. The new program is part of USJ’s School of Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education (SASBE). Classes will begin in fall 2024 and enrollment is underway.
“Ensuring that USJ students apply what they learn in their classes and on-campus labs in real-world settings requires that we have partner organizations in many industries from healthcare to accounting and now, for our Engineering Science students, in manufacturing and engineering,” said USJ President Dr. Rhona Free. “We are so glad that MakerspaceCT will be one of those partners, providing our students opportunities to work alongside experts with technology and equipment that will prepare them for the workforce.”
Dr. Jerry Darling, the founding director of the Engineering Science program at USJ added, “Exposure to the high level of expertise and access to the tools at MakerspaceCT will prove advantageous for students pursuing a degree in engineering at USJ. The opportunity for students and faculty to merge insights from the classroom with a real-world learning lab will position students for direct employment in engineering, including careers in manufacturing engineering, systems engineering, quality engineering, and many others.”
This partnership comes at an opportune time, as the state focuses on increasing its manufacturing and engineering workforce, putting both USJ and MakerspaceCT at the forefront of preparing its students to be the solution.
“We are honored to form this partnership contributing to the University of Saint Joseph’s reputation for excellence,” said MakerspaceCT Executive Director Devra Lee Sisitsky. “This collaboration allows MakerspaceCT to reinforce our mission of positively impacting lives through technology, innovation and education. Our combined educational and project-based lab opportunities will provide comprehensive engineering skills to USJ students. We are excited to impact the future of engineering education.”
The leading benefits of the collaboration include:
USJ faculty will offer engineering science, digital media and communication, and computer science classes for USJ students at the MakerspaceCT facility.
USJ will provide MakerspaceCT memberships for ES students.
MakerspaceCT will serve as a location for relevant USJ clubs, such as robotics.
“As the Connecticut manufacturing industry continues to grow, so does the need for technical and engineering graduates to help our companies innovate,” said State of Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer Paul Lavoie. “I am thrilled the University of Saint Joseph is responding to industry needs and am confident these pathways will help us remain a manufacturing leader in the U.S.”
MakerspaceCT - the largest makerspace in Connecticut and second largest in New England - is a skills development center for makers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, members and students. Since 2019, MakerspaceCT has offered the community unparalleled support and resources to learn and create. The 28,000 square foot workshop in the iconic G. Fox Building in downtown Hartford is a place for residents, students, hobbyists, aspiring innovators, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs to access the tools, technology, resources and educational opportunities they need to succeed in the state’s manufacturing and technology workforce.
To learn more, view their website at www.usj.edu.
