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Design Factory

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Have you ever wanted to be an inventor, a consultant, an entrepreneur?

Are you interested in building real products that support solve real-world problems?
Are you looking for a more exciting, hands-on way to learn and at the same time to earn college credit?

Join the CPS Design Factory

What is the Design Factory?

Design Factory

The Design Factory is a new concept based on the Aalto Design Factory. The Design Factory is an interdisciplinary product design and learning center that connects students, faculty, and industry leaders. Our mission is to develop a culture of passion-based learning at St. John’s University that pays special/unique attention to strengthen highly sought professional skills such as problem solving, innovation, and entrepreneurship for our students.

Design Factory Components:

The Design Factory requires a few components to exist:

  1. Excited and Intellectually Curious Students: At the core of who we serve, we are student centered first, we believe that one of the best way for students to learn is by presenting them with a problem and allowing them the freedom to define and develop a solution.  
     
  2. Passion (Project)/Problem-Based Learning: We believe that students that are pushed to learn through intensive project based learn develop skills that make them leaders in various industries world-wide. The Problem-Based Pedagogy allows for students to become self-involved and engaged with the learning process.
     
  3. Partners: We work with various companies and organizations all over the world in order to hear their challenges and deploy our students as consultants to help them with solving their problems. Learn more about our partners here. 
     
  4. Lab Spaces: In the Design Factory, having unique lab spaces allows for our students to cross collaborate with other students from various fields and disciplines. It also provides the locations for creative freedom. We invite you to see our current lab spaces that are a part of the Design Factory at St. John’s. Students can use the space to learn 3D Printing, Cricut (Cutting Machine) and Digital Image Design. 
     
  5. Diverse Faculty: We connect with various faculty from all over St. John’s University and the world in order to develop projects that would spark the intellectual curiosity of our university students. We believe that it takes research and risk taking to contribute to changing the world.

How does one get involve with Design Factory?

  1. Students can apply for access to the Design Factory Space, Farella Innovation Lab: Click here to apply

     
  2. Students can use the space to develop their own projects/businesses or work at challenges provided by external organizations and sponsors.
     
  3. Students will have the chance to form multidisciplinary teams and have access to mentorship opportunities
     
  4. There are a number of CPS classes that adopt this design factory pedagogy. 

Business Opportunity courses: ENT 1003, ENT 1007, MGMT 1001, …

Product Development course: CUS 680, CUS 690, ENT 1000, ICM 820, ADV …

Courses ENT 1000, ENT 1003, ENT 1007, and MGT 1001 are all part of the entrepreneurship minor.