Christo Hays

The Oberlin Student Makerspace nestles itself in a nondescript room on Wilder Hall’s third-and-a-half floor. No larger than an office, the space is ergonomic; various workbenches, cabinets, and machinery rest flush to the walls, ringing a small carpeted space which rolling office chairs can cross easily — perhaps to grab a tool or part. “There was no functional place for students to go and work on maker projects, where the idea is you have access to tools and can make things,” double-degree fourth-year Dirk Roosenburg said when asked about the origin of the space. Roosenburg, along with College third-years Maeve Greising and Ellis Lane, act as the club’s officers, which costs a one-time fee of just $5 to join. “The idea here is the makerspace doesn’t actually provide projects,” Roosenburg said. “We hold office hours that are completely open.” Any student or faculty member can come to the space with an idea, regardless of their knowledge of the variety of tools, and receive guidance. Having a stock of consumable materials and over 200 unique tools on hand overcomes a major hurdle that many aspiring and lone makers face: access to resources. Partnerships with community artists and makers are also on the horizon. One of these involves refurbishing electronics, such as turntables, for sale in local thrift stores. Interested students can stop by Wilder 329 or email [email protected] to pursue their creative desires with the Oberlin Student Makerspace.