July 23, 2024

VINCENNES, Ind. - Vincennes University proudly hosted the grand opening of the VU Design and Innovation Training Studio in the Summers Center on the VU Campus on Tuesday, July 23. The training studio, developed with funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Charting the Future Initiative is a significant step in further enhancing access to high-quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in Indiana. 

It is part of VU's ongoing efforts to establish a network of Design and Innovation Studios in elementary and middle schools throughout Southwest Indiana. Partners in this statewide project include K-12 schools, Purdue University Indiana Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC), and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI).

VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson said, “We are excited to unveil this center as one more way that VU is collaborating with industry, higher education, and K-12 education to address the critical need for increased access to high-quality STEM education in our state. The training center is a hub for a growing network of STEM education studios in our region. It will introduce many current and new generations of students to the available career opportunities and the skills they will need to succeed in an Industry 4.0 economy. We remain grateful to Lilly Endowment for its support of VU's many Industry 4.0 initiatives across Indiana.”

The new studio on the VU campus is part of a statewide network of 101 Design and Innovation Studios in elementary and intermediate schools, within industry settings, and at VU and Purdue IN-MaC. The 47 Design and Innovation Studios in Region 11, which includes Knox, Gibson, Vanderburgh, Dubois, and Perry counties, impact more than 15,000 students and upskill 150 teachers and future educators annually. The studios in Region 11 represent a $1 million investment in K-8, industry, and post-secondary education.

VU has made a significant investment by supporting 12 studios. Another significant partner in this region is Toyota Indiana. Together, VU, Toyota, and Purdue IN-MaC have made a significant investment in the students of Southwest Indiana by supporting the placement of over 40 studios in local schools.

"Toyota recognizes the importance of investing in STEM education across the educational spectrum," said Toyota Indiana president, Tim Hollander. "As an employer and industry leader, Toyota Indiana appreciates VU’s efforts in addressing the need for skilled professionals and shares its innovative approach to establishing studios across the region."

The first-of-its-kind facility in Southwestern Indiana will serve as a hub of STEM education professional development and training for the state's largest cohort of Design and Innovation Studios in Southern and Southwestern Indiana. The training studio will provide K-12 students, college students, educators, and community partners in Southern Indiana and Southwestern Indiana exceptional access to technologies, activities, and lessons, preparing the future workforce for emerging careers in Industry 4.0, such as advanced manufacturing, robots, and AI.

Numerous research studies and reports focused on early STEM education predict that STEM-related careers will grow twice as quickly as other careers in the coming years. However, research also shows that 92% of boys and 97% of girls will lose interest in STEM if they are not immersed in STEM-related content before fifth grade.

The VU Design and Innovation Training Studio is a leading part of an initiative providing support for educators to help their students see the potential opportunities for Industry 4.0 careers and for students to explore STEM pathways.

Specifically, the training studio will be incorporated into VU’s bachelor’s degrees in Education programs to ensure that VU Education graduates have exposure to and understanding of the way that technology is changing so that they can help support the development of a workforce ready to assume roles in Industry 4.0 and beyond.

According to College of Social Science, Performing Arts, and Communication Dean Dr. Cynthia Ragle, “The studio provides hands-on experiences to prepare the next generation of educators and design thinkers. With the innovative programs in this studio, the VU Education Department's goal is to thoroughly prepare pre-service teachers enrolled in the dual-licensure Elementary and Special Education program, as well as the Science and Math education bachelor’s programs. Through these efforts, VU continues to make significant investments in education and the preparation of future educators for Indiana."

The July 23 ribbon-cutting ceremony featured remarks from VU President Johnson, Dean Ragle, Vincennes Community School Corporation Superintendent Greg Parsley, and Purdue University IN-MaC Director of Education & Workforce Sascha Harrell. Attendees toured the new training studio and learned more about the innovative programs offered.

This continued investment in Indiana's students and economic development by VU, along with the expanded partnership with Purdue IN-MaC, Toyota, and K-12 education, represents a community-wide commitment to empowering the next generation through a strong foundation in STEM education in Southwest Indiana and beyond.

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