The Bronco Makers Club continues to advocate collaboration and creativity by providing students and faculty with resources and workshops to start individual projects.
This small family welcomes students of all majors and backgrounds to its two homes, the Innovation Lab and the Innovation Orchard.
There are about 15 to 20 active members within the club and there are no club fees, with the exception of having to purchase materials in order to use equipment.
Access to the Innovation Orchard is also free for members, but a $60 fee for a live scan through the police department is required in order to complete the application process.
Jack Mitchell, a third-year mechanical engineer major and transfer student, joined the club this year.
“I love the environment, I love the sense of community, I love that nobody takes anything too seriously,” Mitchell said. “Everyone is just here to have fun and also it’s a great resource to just get together and bring your ideas to life.”
The club starts off by socializing, enjoying pizza and settling in. Depending on the agenda, an hour is dedicated to team building projects, a workshop or a special event.
For the remainder of the meeting, students wrap up the meeting and members are welcome to hang out and play board games.
They also hold “create ‘til late,” which allows open lab times for members to work on their projects.
Kevin Strawn, a first-year visual communication design student, joined the club this year.
“The club itself is really nice with all of the events, they are really fun,” Strawn said. “We just enjoy making things and having fun, which is basically the embodiment of the makers club, which is why I love it here.”
The club is also a great way for all students, including transfers, to find a community.
“As a transfer student, it’s made my process of getting acclimated here way easier,” Mitchell said.
“Just to have a regular group of people that I meet up with once a week that I can hang out with, just chill with, it’s pretty sweet. Yeah, it’s a good crowd.”
This club has many exciting events planned for the upcoming year, such as its semester party where students present progress of projects they started at the beginning of the semester and the Bronco Makers Fair, which will be held this semester.
The Bronco Makers Fair is a campus-wide event the club looks forward to because it welcomes students and organizations to showcase projects and ideas.
Third-year civil engineer student Allison Inanoria has been president of the Bronco Makers Club since fall 2017.
“My goal as president is to continue sharing and expanding the awesome resources that BMC and the iLab provide to all students on campus,” Inanoria said.
“I want to make sure that all our members are getting exactly what they want out of the club. Whether it’s for us to host a specific workshop, or even if they want to host their own workshop, we hope to always give each and every student an opportunity to get what they want out of this club.”
Club meetings are held in an environment filled with energy, excitement and close bonds that anyone can experience.
The club meets in the iLab every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Building 98C, room 6-06.