Cathy Lechmaier was the student life coordinator of South Campus for 39 years. When she retired in 2016, the same year as the makerspace project, Student Goverment felt it fitting to name the makerspace, a place of learning and exploration, after someone who devoted their life to helping students expand their horizons through MATC.
The Catherine Lechmaier Makerspace, founded by the Student Government Association on May 4, 2017, provides hands-on career exploration opportunities through the Oak Creek Campus Library. Featuring opportunities in Robotics, Fabrication, Audio-Visual and Electronics; this space is free and open to the public. Student Workers studying in related fields are on staff to assist you with your next project.
The original Makerspace in the Oak Creek Campus Library was known as the Zen Zone, and operated in the years prior to the establishment of the CL Makerspace in 2017. Some of the programming has carried over to the Makerspace, while other portions of the Zen Zone were folded into the Oak Creek Campus Library Serenity Garden.
A Makerspace is a collaborative, hands-on learning environment. In this space, equipment and supplies are provided that allow for STEAM-based (Science - Technology - Engineering - Art - Mathematics) exploration, as well as supplemental learning that links to programs and courses at the college. The Catherine Lechmaier Makerspace is located inside the South Campus Library at the Oak Creek Campus.