The staff of Elon University’s Maker Hub are preparing to make creativity come to life at the upcoming Maker Takeover.
Maker Takeover has occurred for the past six years and centers around displays of projects made at the Maker Hub throughout the year. The Maker Hub has tools such as 3D printers, sewing machines, laser engraving and tools for creating electronic projects; the Maker Takeover features projects in any of these categories. This year’s takeover takes place April 30 and advertises over 40 student projects, as well as an escape room, stations for crafts and a presentation about the history and making of chainmail.
Working behind the scenes to coordinate all these displays is the Maker Hub’s student leadership team — which is an entirely different roster from last year.
Senior Amalie Keefe, the Maker Hub’s team lead of operations, said all of the team leads from last semester are on study abroad, leading to a completely new leadership team compared to last year.
Keefe said she felt that being new to leadership could be its own advantage.
“I think that sometimes when you stay too long in a leadership role, you lose sight of what it’s like to interact with people who come into the space every day,” Keefe said.
Senior Avery Shipp, the Hub’s team lead of workshops, is working on physical preparations for the takeover, and some of the preparations are things that she said people wouldn’t expect.
“Weirdest thing would be having to explain to people that I need to leave work to go count outlets,” Shipp said.
Shipp said many of the projects to be displayed must be plugged in, so a large part of her job has been finding ways to get power for all the projects that need it.
“It’s just not something you think about until it’s time to do it,” Shipp said.
Keefe said all of the new leadership previously worked directly with people in the Maker Hub as tool consultants, which helps them better understand the wants and needs of those in the space.
Shipp said many of the Maker Takeover projects are sewing projects because Maker Takeover is meant for full-semester projects, and sewing projects tend to be particularly time consuming.
Sophomore Finn Wilkinson works as part of the 3D printing team at the Colonnades Maker Hub, but rather than pursue a project within her job’s description, she’s following the trend Shipp identified to another medium: clothing.
“I am a pretty big fan of Drag Race, and a huge part of drag culture is creating your own outfits and coming up with your own designs, and I feel like that’s something that’s very Maker Takeover,” Wilkinson said. “I wanted to give myself a whirl and see if I could make my own design.”
Wilkinson’s project includes her first attempt at making a sewing pattern, which she said was less easy than she thought it would be.
Junior Jose Besednjak, who works as part of the Maker Hub’s textiles team, is also doing a sewing project. His idea is strongly rooted in practicality: He’s creating a life-size teddy bear based on one made by Ikea.
“I’m like, ‘That’s very cute. I don’t want to spend $50 on my own teddy bear, though,’” Besednjak said.
Not every takeover project involves a sewing machine, though.
Senior Maggie Dion, who leads 3D tool usage at the Maker Hub’s Colonnades location, is 3D printing a nightstand inspired by Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.”
Dion is working on her nightstand as part of Elon’s Kickbox program, which provides funds and guidance for a few projects each year.
“I’ve always been mesmerized by how your imagination can take you to faraway places,” Dion said.
Maker Takeover will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30 in Moseley Center.