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== Background ==
[[File:Nathan UIF Profile.JPG|thumb|Nathan UIF Profile.JPG]]
<div>'''[[Nathan LaWarre|Nathan LaWarre]] '''is a University Innovation Fellow and an undergrad at '''[[Western Michigan University|Western Michigan University]]'''. He is majoring in electrical engineering with a minor in environmental studies and sustainability. He has many interests including but not limited to experimenting with his Arduino, tackling difficult problems, and working with solar panels. He helped create and is now on the leadership board of The Innovation Club at his school.</div><div>Here is the success story of how his Innovation Club managed to establish a Makerspace at his campus free of charge for students, from forming a team of few Engineering students, finding a space, and raising the funds.</div><div><br/></div><div> </div>
== Introduction ==
*Engage students within the program
*Support and implement innovation
== How to get it started? ==
<div>Although the Makerspace you are creating is free to students, running the Makerspace costs money. Ensuring that the space is available and that there are materials and equipment for students to use not only requires a large amount of work but also requires monetary support. In order to keep the space free for students, you need to be persistent in looking for funding. Some good places to start are: club funding, local sponsors, and donations. </div><div>It pays to be creative to when attracting both sponsors and donations. For example, the Makerspace developed at Western Michigan University uses an incentivized tiered donation system where the sponsors get a different size of sticker for donations within the tiers they developed. These stickers decorate the walls of the Makerspace while promoting the businesses.</div><div><br/></div>
=== ''Promotion'' ===
<div>To get students to come to your Makerspace, you must develop a marketing campaign. The goal of this campaign should be to get students as interested in and excited about your space as possible. Creating branded posters and business cards for your Makerspace is a great start. Place your posters all around campus, making sure you have permission to do so. Try to place posters in every college, school, and building within your university to maximize the amount of students you reach with your marketing and to ensure students from all majors and disciplines know about and feel welcome to use your Makerspace. Holding events at your Makerspace where there is free food involved is a great way to get people through the door. College students love free food! </div><div><br/></div>
*Understand your campus culture
*Ask, and be persistent!