Re-envisioned annex officially opens

For years, the Annex - a good-sized building in the shadow of the Engineering building - has served as a storage space for the College of Engineering & Science's unused and outdated equipment. The College knew, though, it had to make better use of it.

On Nov. 14, the University officially opened the new space. The Steve & Kathy McShane Makerspace & Collaboratory has been designed as a workshop for students from different disciplines to work together and share ideas as they work on projects, competition teams and product refinement with an eye toward commercialization and entrepreneurship.

It's already doing that, CES Dean Katherine Snyder '89, '93 told the crowd who attended the grand opening, blessing and reception: In one area, an architecture class was meeting while in another, Engineering students were machining metal parts for a class project.

"This is a place where ideas come to life," she said.

The space was named for the lead donors to the project Steve '66 and Kathy McShane, though funds came from many donors and friends, including the estate of Patricia Scanlon '55, William '72 and Suzanne '72 Wales, Chris '64 and Mary Fette, Mark Proulx '76 and Nancy Kuehnoel, Arthur Haman '55, Gene '69 and Janet '69 Robinson, Edward '63 and Mary Jo '62 Eick, and Randal Murphy '59.

"Their dedication to our students and their future is inspiring," Snyder said.