About the Building
A Bold New Landmark on the Eckley Quad
Connected to the Ames School of Art and Design, the Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University brings together making, entrepreneurship, collaboration, and social good under one roof. A full makerspace, including prototyping, wood, metal, and fabrication labs, gives students from every major the tools to build and experiment.
Petrick is a place to find collaborators, test an idea, start a venture, solve a problem, or make something that matters.
The First and Second Stories
What if a building could embody innovation — not just in how it looks, but in how it works?
From the Fisher Forum to multiple makerspaces, startup zones, and cross-disciplinary studios, every detail of the site and floor plan supports the Petrick Pillars: collaboration, cross-discipline, creativity, and conscience.
Located at the intersection of art, technology, and purpose, this is where students from every major will learn to solve complex challenges and turn ideas into action.
Signature Spaces
Fisher Forum
At the center of the Petrick Idea Center is a space built for what matters most: connection.
The Fisher Forum will serve as a flexible, light-filled gathering space — part amphitheater, part classroom, part idea launchpad. Here, students from every discipline will come together to share stories, test ideas, and spark momentum.
Maker Space
As an innovation hub on Illinois Wesleyan University's campus, we have many of the tools necessary to help your dreams become a reality. Whether it be launching a startup, creating a prototype, working on a class project, or pursuing your hobby, let the Maker Space be your home. Housed in the Petrick Idea Center, programs are available to anyone on campus and help create a rich entrepreneurial spirit.
Other Spaces Inside
- Test Kitchen
- Wood Shop
- Fabrication Lab
- Flex Lab
- Metal Shop
- Student Startup Offices
Other Tech Available
- Button Makers
- Heat Press
- Laser Printers
- Resin Printers
- Sewing Machines
- Vinyl Cutters
- 3D Printers